Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 5,000 man-made chemicals used in various consumer and industrial products because of their water and oil-resistant properties. These properties have led to widespread use in industrial and consumer products, including aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). AFFF is used to fight liquid fires, and has been used since 1970 in Australian military air basesand firefighting stations. The repeated use of AFFF has resulted in widespread contamination of the surrounding environment, such as soil, water bodies, air, and dust. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), previously common ingredient in AFFF, have been linked to different health problems, including immunotoxicity, cancer, toxic liver disease, and neurodevelopmental issues.
Communities near AFFF-use sites are at elevated risk of exposure through outdoor environment, however, indoor environments can also play an important role in human exposure since people spend most of their time indoors. The indoor environments can accumulate PFAS transported from contaminated outdoor sources and may also contain PFAS precursors that can transform into more persistent compounds over time, further elevating exposure risks.
This study aims to characterise PFAS contamination in indoor environments of AFFF-impacted communities by collecting and analysing samples such as air, dust, hand wipes, and filter papers. It will assess whether these indoor environments contribute to human PFAS exposure.
