1. Yale School of Public Health Symposium: An overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Author
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Jeremy P. Koelmel, Krystal J. Godri Pollitt, Jae-Hong Kim, Sara L. Nason, Lori Mathieu, James E. Saiers, Zeyan Liew, Kari L. Organtini, Nicole C. Deziel, Xiuqi Ma, John D. Fortner, Suzanne E. Fenton, Raymond Frigon, Eric J. Weiner, Youssef Oulhote, Cheryl Fields, Alexandre Borrel, Paul T. Anastas, Shannon Whirledge, David C. Thompson, Yu Lei, Vasilis Vasiliou, Lan Jin, Shannon Pociu, Yawei Zhang, Nikolas Franceschi-Hofmann, Andrea Boissevain, Anna L. Hagstrom, Brian F. Toal, and Nicole Kleinstreuer
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Environmental Engineering ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Community engagement ,Public health ,Vulnerability ,Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station ,010501 environmental sciences ,Private sector ,01 natural sciences ,Pollution ,Haven ,Action plan ,Political science ,medicine ,Environmental Chemistry ,State of the science ,Waste Management and Disposal ,Environmental planning ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
On December 13, 2019, the Yale School of Public Health hosted a symposium titled "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Challenges and Opportunities" in New Haven, Connecticut. The meeting focused on the current state of the science on these chemicals, highlighted the challenges unique to PFAS, and explored promising opportunities for addressing them. It brought together participants from Yale University, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Connecticut, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Connecticut Departments of Public Health and Energy and Environmental Protection, and the public and private sectors. Presentations during the symposium centered around several primary themes. The first reviewed the current state of the science on the health effects associated with PFAS exposure and noted key areas that warranted future research. As research in this field relies on specialized laboratory analyses, the second theme considered commercially available methods for PFAS analysis as well as several emerging analytical approaches that support health studies and facilitate the investigation of a broader range of PFAS. Since mitigation of PFAS exposure requires prevention and cleanup of contamination, the third theme highlighted new nanotechnology-enabled PFAS remediation technologies and explored the potential of green chemistry to develop safer alternatives to PFAS. The fourth theme covered collaborative efforts to assess the vulnerability of in-state private wells and small public water supplies to PFAS contamination by adjacent landfills, and the fifth focused on strategies that promote successful community engagement. This symposium supported a unique interdisciplinary coalition established during the development of Connecticut's PFAS Action Plan, and discussions occurring throughout the symposium revealed opportunities for collaborations among Connecticut scientists, state and local officials, and community advocates. In doing so, it bolstered the State of Connecticut's efforts to implement the ambitious initiatives that its PFAS Action Plan recommends.
- Published
- 2020