‘It scares me to death’ | Study finds high PFAS levels in north Georgia residents’ blood

ROME, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Nearly a decade after state regulators discovered toxic chemicals in North Georgia’s drinking water, a new Emory University study reveals what some residents feared: elevated levels of PFAS — also known as forever chemicals — in their blood.

The preliminary study, released this month and still undergoing peer review, tested the blood of 177 residents living in Rome and Calhoun. The findings showed that nearly 25% of participants had PFAS concentrations high enough to warrant additional medical evaluations, according to guidelines set by the National Academies of Sciences. These include screenings for cancer, thyroid disease, and high blood pressure.

The research is the first known effort to evaluate potential human exposure in the region since regulators discovered elevated PFAS levels in the area’s drinking water nearly 10 years ago.

“They know that they have a chemical in their body they can’t get rid of, and that’s problematic,” said Dr. Dana Barr, co-lead investigator and environmental health professor at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.

One of the study participants, Alvin Jackson of Rome, received a PFAS blood level of 141 nanograms (mg) per milliliter (mL), far exceeding the recommended safe threshold of 2 ng/mL.

“It scares me to death,” Jackson said. “Does it make my life shorter? Does it make me vulnerable to disease?”

Another participant, Sara Malone, a Rome resident and breast cancer survivor, also had one of the highest PFAS levels recorded in the study. When asked if she wondered whether her exposure may be linked to her past illness, Malone responded, “most definitely so. This really hit home.”

PFAS - short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - are a class of chemicals commonly used in consumer and industrial products like nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics, and carpet. They are highly persistent in the environment and human body, earning the nickname “forever chemicals.”

While Emory’s study did not investigate how residents were exposed, multiple pending lawsuits have accused carpet manufacturers in the region of using PFAS in their products and discharging the chemicals into rivers that supply the region’s drinking water. The companies have denied those allegations.

“What we found is that when you drank tap water, you tended to have higher exposure than if you drank bottled water or water that was filtered in the refrigerator.” Barr said.

The Emory’s exposure study was launched in February, after a 2023 Atlanta News First investigation revealed that some residents already had PFAS in their blood. That coverage prompted Emory researchers to apply for funding and to collect new samples to better understand the extent of the contamination.

“Nobody ever thought about it until [Atlanta News First] did those tests, and that opened up the door to finding how many people are actually infected with PFAS,” Jackson said.

Dr. Barr said participants’ next steps should include meeting with their doctors, reducing exposure from personal care products, and advocating for stronger environmental protections. “I would look for ways to try and reduce the exposure in these communities, definitely,” she said.

While the study did not explore health outcomes, Emory researchers say follow-up research is needed and wanted from the study participants. Those efforts, however, will require more funding and support from state and federal agencies.

“Because the results of the North Georgia PFAs study conducted by Emory University are preliminary and analyses are ongoing, the Georgia Department of Public Health declines to comment,” said department spokesperson Nancy Nydam Shirek.

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