County-level associations between drinking water PFAS contamination and COVID-19 mortality in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidemiologic and animal studies both support relationships between exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and harmful effects on the immune system. Accordingly, PFAS have been identified as potential environmental risk factors for adverse COVID-19 outcomes.

Objective

Here, we examine associations between PFAS contamination of U.S. community water systems (CWS) and county-level COVID-19 mortality records. Our analyses leverage two datasets: one at the subnational scale (5371 CWS serving 621 counties) and one at the national scale (4798 CWS serving 1677 counties). The subnational monitoring dataset was obtained from statewide drinking monitoring of PFAS (2016-2020) and the national monitoring dataset was obtained from a survey of unregulated contam

SUBMITTER: Liddie JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11972421 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature