Innovative Solutions for an Invisible Threat: Enhancing PFAS Assessment
By Loza Taye | May 2nd, 2024
Per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), invisible yet insidious, have stealthily permeated the environment, posing a severe threat to public health. These synthetic chemicals in countless everyday products have garnered increasing attention due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential adverse health effects. The recent milestone of the Biden-Harris administration approving the nation's first drinking water standard for 6 PFAS underscores the gravity of PFAS contamination and the immediate need for decisive action. As concerns escalate, so does the urgency for innovative solutions. A paradigm shift is underway in the tumultuous landscape of chemical safety assessment—one propelled by the transformative potential of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
NAMs hold immense potential in PFAS assessment and can do so without the significant labor, cost, and time required for animal studies. NAMs offer speed, human relevance, and resource efficiency, making them better suited for addressing urgent chemical safety challenges like PFAS contamination. By harnessing the power of predictive modeling and cutting-edge screening platforms, it is hoped that soon, researchers will be able to rapidly identify and prioritize PFAS variants with the highest potential for adverse health effects.
Understanding PFAS
PFAS encompasses thousands of manufactured chemicals characterized by their unique ability to repel water and oil. This property has rendered them indispensable in many applications, ranging from non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics to firefighting foams and food packaging. However, the attributes that make PFAS so versatile also make them resistant to degradation. As a result, these compounds have infiltrated ecosystems worldwide, contaminating soil, water, and air. Moreover, their persistence has implications for human health, as PFAS can accumulate in the body over time and have been linked to a litany of adverse health effects, including but not limited to cancer, reproductive disorders, and immune system dysfunction. In light of these concerns, the need for stringent regulatory measures to mitigate PFAS exposure has become increasingly evident. One key challenge is developing a complete understanding of the toxicology surrounding PFAS.
The Rise of NAMs
Traditional toxicity testing methods must be revised in the race to confront the PFAS crisis head-on. Traditionally, assessing chemical safety has relied heavily on animal testing, which, while valuable, fails to capture human biology's complexities and can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive. Fortunately, advancements in science and technology have paved the way for alternative testing methods that are more efficient and predictive of human responses, such as NAMs. However, it's important to note that NAMs are not without their challenges. They require significant investment in development, validation, and standardization, and their predictive capabilities are still being refined. These challenges, however, are manageable and should not deter regulatory agencies from embracing the potential of NAMs in PFAS assessment.
The momentum behind NAMs is palpable, with regulatory initiatives such as the Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21) and the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) embracing these innovative approaches and the NIH pledging their support to further development and funding. By leveraging the collective expertise of multidisciplinary stakeholders, these initiatives are fostering a spirit of collaboration towards a common goal: protecting human health and the environment through innovative science.
NAMs, a diverse array of advanced technologies designed to evaluate chemical toxicity without relying on animal experimentation, provide a promising solution for the inadequacies of traditional animal models. Examples of NAMs offering a faster, more cost-effective, and human-relevant alternative to conventional approaches include:
Many NAMs can take advantage of high-throughput screening assays (HTS). These platforms accelerate the evaluation of PFAS and potential remediation strategies. HTS have the potential to allow researchers to conduct multiple experiments simultaneously testing for hundreds or thousands of compounds in a fraction of time it would take to evaluate the same compounds in animal models. By rapidly assessing the toxicity and environmental fate of PFAS compounds, researchers can identify promising candidates for further investigation, expediting the hazard assessment process.
Microfluidic devices offer miniaturized platforms for studying PFAS transport, metabolism, and toxicity. Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platforms are innovative tools replicating human organs' complex biological functions while allowing for more microenvironment control than traditional animal models. These versatile systems enable researchers to manipulate fluid dynamics and cell culture conditions, providing a more nuanced understanding of PFAS-related phenomena in humans.
3. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI):
Machine learning algorithms and AI empower researchers to analyze vast datasets and predict PFAS behavior with unprecedented accuracy. By harnessing the power of AI, scientists can optimize toxicity prediction and remediation strategies that mitigate the impact of PFAS contamination.
Looking Ahead
As we confront the challenges posed by PFAS contamination, it's clear that traditional testing methods are no longer sufficient. Embracing non-animal approaches and continuing to develop and leverage new technologies can enhance our understanding of PFAS toxicity and help establish effective hazard and risk assessment strategies. It is essential to address the PFAS crisis comprehensively and create a safer and healthier future for future generations.
The PFAS public health threat demands rapid and sustained action and innovative solutions. Increasing evidence indicates that NAMs should be prioritized as a path to tackle the sizeable chemical class with speed and efficacy. Regulatory agencies play a crucial role in adopting NAMs and confronting the PFAS crisis with better efficiency through investment and collaboration. However, to fully harness the transformative potential of NAMs, regulatory reform is needed to streamline their integration into the assessment process. Doing so can usher in a new era of chemical safety assessment and effectively address the PFAS crisis head-on.
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Johns Hopkins University or Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
