MaineHealth will expand its research into the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, with funding from a five-year, $4.5 million grant by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

The study at the MaineHealth Institute for Research (MHIR), led by Principal Investigator and MaineHealth pediatrician Dr. Abby Fleisch, will build on her previous findings that children with higher levels of PFAS in their blood experienced a later onset of puberty and had lower bone mineral density, putting them at risk for osteoporosis later in life.

The current research will attempt to replicate Fleisch’s findings in a larger group of study participants and examine whether the effects of PFAS on bone last into adulthood, according to a MaineHealth news release.

“Right now, bone health is not something doctors routinely monitor in children with high exposure to PFAS,” said Dr. Fleisch, in the news release. “If the negative impacts on bone continue into adulthood, we may need to consider whether these recommendations should change.”

The research also will attempt to answer the question of how PFAS may delay puberty and weaken bones.

“Understanding how these effects happen in the body can help us find ways to reduce the impact of PFAS on puberty and bone health,” said Fleisch. “This, in turn, may help lower the risk of long-term health problems, such as osteoporosis, later in life.”

The findings could eventually affect the care of hundreds of Maine residents and thousands more across the country, according to the news release.

"Most Americans have had some exposure to PFAS as it has been widely used in household products and industrial settings since the 1950s," said the release. "Additionally, hundreds of Maine farms used PFAS-contaminated sludge as fertilizer until it was banned in 2022."

A study published by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in 2025 found that 20 percent of the 2,919 groundwater samples it tested at those sludge application sites exceeded the state’s interim drinking water standard for PFAS.

“The health impacts of PFAS contamination are a real concern in many rural areas of Maine,” said MaineHealth Vice President of Research Jessica Chertow, Ph.D., MBA. “This study is a great example of how scientists at MaineHealth Institute for Research are making meaningful contributions to the health of our communities.”

News release note: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01ES030101. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.