Presented on April 27, 2022, by Jonathan Petali - New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services - at the 2022 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC22)
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of persistent, fluorinated surfactants used widely in industrial and commercial applications with known adverse health effects. Seafood consumption is thought to be an underappreciated source of PFAS exposure in the general population. This presentation looks at the current understanding of PFAS occurrence in shellfish and highlights scientific gaps relative to bioaccumulation and the protection of shellfish consumers. We discuss a range of sampling methodologies, concentrations of PFAS observed in shellfish vary by geographic location, species, habitat, summarize studies about bioaccumulation of PFAS in shellfish. Finally, we put this information into the context of risk from certain PFAS to shellfish consumer. Through highlighting what is known and unknown, we identify future areas of research needs as well as challenges for risk communication with consumers and shellfish harvesters.
