Chemical takeover: the rise of PFAS in our farms and food : PFAS from farm to fork: Conceptual mapping of PFAS pathways in agriculture

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemical compounds valued for their unique properties and widely used in industrial and agricultural practices.Although the most toxic variants have been banned, PFAS remain persistent in the environment and can be found everywhere, from food and water to soil, air, and even Arctic ice.In the Netherlands, the extent to which PFAS circulate through the environment and industry, and how they transfer to the food chain, remains unclear.This study aims to map PFAS pathways within a conventional mixed farming system in the Netherlands through a literature review and expert interviews.The research identified soil, water, atmosphere, pesticides, animal feed, and veterinary pharmaceuticals as key pathways for PFAS transmission in agriculture.Long-chain PFAS tend to accumulate in soil and animal tissues, while short-chain variants exhibit higher mobility.Knowledge gaps were found in nearly every environmental compartment, but all circled back to the degraded PFAS structures to TFA, the super short-chain PFAS, and their behaviour.Several knowledge gaps were found, and the multidisciplinary team identified one main recommendation with seven supporting recommendations, as well as specific recommendations for the systems for further action against PFAS in a farming system.We would like to acknowledge our coach, Jean-Paul van Rie, who helped us and gave feedback during this project.We are also grateful for the opportunity to do research on PFAS in agriculture for our commissioner, Dr. Freddy van Hulst and NGO Huize Aarde.We would also like to thank our academic advisor, Jennifer Veilleux, for helping and advising us about methods for carrying out this project.Finally, we are thankful for all interviewees, experts, the ACT team, and others involved in our project.Without their help, we would not be able to create the skills and gain the knowledge needed to conduct this project.