Authors
Meghan T. Lynch, Claire Lay, Adriana Antezana, Parker Malek, and Sara Sokolinski, Abt Global; Weihsueh A. Chiu, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and (2) Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University; and Rachel D. Rogers, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made contaminants that are found in drinking water and lead to a variety of health impacts, ranging from low birthweight to adverse effects on the immune system to an increased risk of cancer. Although known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence once they’ve entered the ecosystem and people’s bodies. Understanding the amount of PFAS in a given person’s blood is important for that person, but also for governments and agencies that are trying to set clear guidance on risk levels in their communities. However, PFAS blood monitoring is not readily accessible. The authors, led by Abt’s Meghan Lynch, developed a pharmacokinetic model both for researchers and the general public to predict blood levels based on drinking water exposure, accounting for background exposures. They took what we know from the PFAS literature about two key parameters (half-life and volume of distribution) and used a Bayesian process to makes it easier to incorporate hundreds of datapoints from multiple studies to refine the estimates of those key parameters. These parameters improve our ability to better estimate PFAS blood levels.
Read More
PFAS & Environmental Contaminants in North America
Healthy Military Families Undergird National Readiness
The only DoW-wide longitudinal study on U.S. military family health has generated vital evidence to inform programs, policies, and support services critical to family stability and force readiness.
Closing the Gap: Surveying LA Renters to Improve Housing Access
Abt helped HACLA collect and analyze current Los Angeles rental data, showing rents were about 12% higher than federal estimates and providing evidence to support voucher subsidy levels that better reflect local housing costs and improve access to stable housing.
Regulating Harmful Contaminants for Healthier Communities
Abt supported the EPA in developing and implementing data-driven regulations for hazardous chemicals—particularly carbon tetrachloride—helping turn scientific evidence into enforceable protections that reduce risks to workers, nearby communities, and the environment.
From Exposure to Protection: Securing Safe Drinking Water
Abt helped the EPA develop data-driven regulations, treatment tools, and exposure models that strengthen protections against contaminants such as PFAS and lead, improving drinking water safety for millions of Americans.