Superfund Research Program

August 2025

Paper of the Month

Funded by the Superfund Research Program, Dartmouth College scientists determined recreational shellfish harvesting may contribute to exposure of certain per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS, ubiquitous in the environment and linked to wide-ranging health risks, were used in commercial, industrial, and consumer products for decades.

Contaminated seafood is a well-documented source of PFAS exposure; however, researchers wanted to determine if contact with PFAS contaminated water and sediment also posed a risk to recreational shellfish harvesters. The team analyzed PFAS compounds in surface water, sediment, and bivalve shellfish samples collected from seven locations in New Hampshire’s Great Bay Estuary.

Using an exposure model, researchers identified contaminated seafood consumption as the greatest contributor to PFAS exposure in adults; however, in children, skin contact and incidental sediment ingestion were estimated to play a greater role in overall PFAS exposure.

To learn more, see the NIEHS Environmental Factor Newsletter.