Identifying the wider suite of PFAS that Australians are generally and specifically exposed to is a necessary and fundamental step to understanding the potential human health effects from prolonged exposure to PFAS in our environment. Importantly, characterisation of the exposome together with laboratory-scale testing of biotransformation pathways, will elucidate precursors that can transform into bio-accumulative PFAS and thereby represent a long-term and currently unrecognised source of PFAS exposure in the future.
Research Outcomes
A literature review was conducted to identify potential PFAS sources and various types of PFAS to which humans may be exposed, beyond the well-known sources. A workflow was developed to detect and identify a broader range of PFAS in whole blood and serum. During the method development stage, three new PFAS were identified in contaminated cow blood. Uncommon PFAS, previously unreported in humans, have been detected in Australian serum.
Conducting qualitative interviews to explore stakeholder knowledge and information needs about PFAS exposure pathways and types of PFAS and to test the comprehensibility, credibility, and format preference of existing health education about PFAS.
Research Outputs
Conference Abstracts
Dewapriya, P. Beyond the Known: Comprehensive analysis of PFAS exposure, PFAS Asia PFAS summit: a scientific series organised by SCIEX, June 2024.
Dewapriya, P., Nilsson, S., Ghorbani Gorji, S., O'Brien, J.W., Braunig, J., Gomez Ramos, M.J., Donaldson, E., Samanipour, S., Martin, J.W., Mueller, J.F., Kaserzon, S.L. & Thomas, K.V. Comprehensive characterisation of PFAS exposome in Australia: Beyond the analytical challenges, ICNTS 2023, Germany, 16-19 October 2023.
Dewapriya, P., Nilsson, S., Braunig, J., Donaldson, E., Mueller, J.F., Kaserzon, S.L. & Thomas, K.V. Novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) discovered in cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater, ASASS 2023, 15-17 February 2023.
Dewapriya, P., Braunig, J., Donaldson, E., Mueller, J.F., Kaserzon, S.L. & Thomas, K.V. Comprehensive non-target analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater, ACS Spring 2022, Virtual 20-24 March 2022.
Awards
- Dr Pradeep Dewapriya: Runner Up for Best Early Career Researcher Presentation at the Australian Symposium on Advances in Separation Science, Hobart, Tasmania, 2023
