New Study From UW School of Medicine and Public Health Finds PFAS/PFOA in the Blood of Most Wisconsin Residents

Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Trevor Hook, Wisconsin Public Radio) A new study from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health finds that PFAS, PFOA and other so-called “forever chemicals” are in the blood of most Wisconsin residents and that two foods in particular are linked with higher levels of the chemicals in a person’s blood.

According to Trevor Hook with Wisconsin Public Radio, the research team from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health analyzed blood samples from more than 600 Wisconsin adults from 2014 to 2016 to see if and how these chemicals are in Wisconsin residents.

The study found that more than 96 percent of Wisconsin adults sampled have detectable PFAS compounds in their blood. Older, non-Hispanic white adult males are more likely to have higher levels of PFAS than other groups.

Individuals with a higher annual household income were more likely to have higher levels as well. The analysis also found a relationship between higher PFAS levels and the consumption of two different foods: microwaved popcorn and locally caught fish.

But Amy Shultz, an epidemiology senior data scientist and lead on this project, told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” that this doesn’t mean definitive claims can be made about PFAS risk with certain foods.

“Because the data we used was not specifically asked in such a way to get at all potential sources of PFAS, there’s potential associations we weren’t able to uncover,” Shultz said. “And more research is needed to really understand the associations.”

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