Flashcard library · Environmental Science · PaperFren
PFAS-contaminated water linked to excess Veneto deaths
Residents of 30 Italian municipalities on a PFAS-contaminated aqueduct had about 3,890 extra deaths from 1985–2018, with later kidney- and testicular-cancer signals.
Keep what you just learned
Save these 11 cards to your NoteFren library. Your first review starts right away, and each card links back to the study it came from.
What defined the exposed “Red area”?
30 municipalities served by a PFAS-contaminated aqueduct since about 1985.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
How many extra deaths occurred in 1985–2018?
3,890 excess deaths (51,621 observed vs 47,731 expected).
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
What was the overall SMR?
108 (90% CI 107–109).
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
Was mortality already high before contamination?
No excess risk in 1980–1984.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
What was median PFOA in 2013 drinking water?
319 ng/L.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
What was median serum PFOA in the surveillance plan?
14 ng/mL (95th percentile 248).
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
How did kidney-cancer mortality look in a later analysis?
Age-sex SMR 173 (90% CI 132–221).
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
What testicular-cancer SMR was reported for Red area A in 1985–1999?
256 (5 deaths vs 1.95 expected).
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
When were carbon filters added to the aqueduct?
From 2013, reducing PFAS in drinking water.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
How do Red area A and B differ?
A sits on the groundwater plume and the aqueduct; B is aqueduct-served but off the plume, with more private wells.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified
Why might Red area B exposure be misclassified?
About 20% used private wells or other aqueducts that were not contaminated.
Source: All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018) · DOI · quote verified