Overview
- Peer-reviewed research in PNAS from the University of Arizona analyzed 11,539 births near 41 contaminated sites and found 191% higher infant mortality, 20% more preterm births, and 43% more low birth weight for mothers on down‑gradient wells.
- Groundwater direction and confidential utility well locations created an upstream–downstream contrast that approximated random exposure to long‑chain PFAS PFOA and PFOS.
- Extrapolating the findings nationally, the authors estimate at least $8 billion per year in social costs from PFAS-linked birth harms.
- The team compares those harms with about $3.8 billion in annual utility costs to meet PFAS limits, concluding that cleanup and treatment can be economically justified.
- Mitigation options include granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis at utilities or in homes, though the authors note limits such as absent individual exposure measurements and possible co‑contaminants.