Questions about PFAS exposure in Williamtown, Oakey and Katherine will be the subject of a University of Queensland study, with affected residents invited to participate.

The research aims to determine how effective efforts to control exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances have been in the three locations, and why some people’s PFAS levels reduce faster than others.

Professor Jochen Mueller, from UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), said the project would evaluate whether PFAS blood concentrations were decreasing as expected in the communities.

“Where we find this is not the case, we want to identify whether there are ongoing sources of exposure and control them,” Professor Mueller said.

“People who have previously had their blood collected and analysed for PFAS and have elevated concentrations in their blood are invited to take part.”

Participants will be asked to provide one blood sample in 2021 and another in 2023 to measure changes in the concentration of PFAS in the blood over time.

The QAEHS team also hopes to contribute to the broader research into PFAS exposure and the potential association with health issues.

Professor Kelly Fielding said there would be real benefits for the people who join the study as well as to the Australian and international communities more broadly.

“The research can tell us what exposure control measures work, which would be a real help to anyone in Australia who has been exposed to high levels of PFAS.”

PFAS are manufactured chemicals that are commonly detected in the blood of many people in the general community from food, water, dust and everyday products.

Some communities in Australia have previously been exposed to higher levels of PFAS due to contamination in the environment.

This study is one of several projects funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Interested participants can use the PFAS study contact form, phone 1800 370 760 or 0419 110 176 or email PFASstudy@uq.edu.au.

Image above left: QAEHAS researchers Christie Gallen and Jennifer Braeunig reviewing experimental plans. 

Media: Kirsten O’Leary, UQ Communications, k.oleary@uq.edu.au, +61 (0)412 307594, @UQhealth.