[Perfluoroalchilic food contamination in the PFAS high-risk area of the Veneto Region (Northern Italy)]

: In a wide area among the provinces of Vicenza, Verona, and Padua (Veneto Region, Northern Italy), one of the larger known massive contamination of the environment by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) occurred since the year 1965. The most important source of human exposure was through aquiferous and contaminated water supplies (the regional authorities distinguished red zone A - aquiferous - and red zone B - water supply) for a total of slightly less than two hundred thousand exposed people. Food contamination and food contribution to total human exposure were assessed by a food monitoring campaign on the years 2016-2017 by the National Health Institute sponsored by Veneto Region.Thanks to the availability of the individual records of the monitoring campaign, we evaluated the spatial distribution of PFAS contamination by food matrix. Generally speaking, PFAS contamination was widespread over the entire red zone (either A or B). Some zones appeared to be higher contaminated consistently with the water plume. Other higher contaminated zones were less consistent and such result raises questions about routes of environmental pollution.