By Treven Pyles on April 28th, 2026 in PFAS/AFFF
With the goal of protecting future firefighters from the harm associated with constant exposure to PFAS-containing AFFF, Minnesota started conducting voluntary biomonitoring. The data from these blood tests will serve as a basis in coming up with strategies aimed at reducing their exposure to PFAS, as well as supporting occupational safety guidelines.
Firefighters risk their lives to serve and protect the public, even if it means inhaling toxic fumes and getting exposed to harmful substances such as PFAS. These synthetic chemicals were the key ingredient in manufacturing AFFF, which had been cited as one of the most effective firefighting foams. Minnesota has joined the growing list of states that ban AFFF after studies showed it poses significant ecological and physical risks.
Biomonitoring, also referred to as blood testing, is one of the most reliable means of measuring chemical exposure in people. It involves analyzing blood or urine samples to see how much of a chemical, such as PFAS, is in the body.
Minnesota’s biomonitoring program runs between 2025 and 2028. It is a direct response to appropriations by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023 to investigate the risks of PFAS exposure among firefighters who constantly use AFFF.
Firefighters will volunteer to have their blood samples extracted to determine the amount of PFAS chemicals in their bodies. The state is among the first to implement a coordinated, statewide, legislatively directed, and multi-year system.
The ongoing PFAS biomonitoring in Minnesota is not the first of its kind. In fact, other states, health organizations, and researchers have conducted their own separate blood testing to determine the levels of PFAS exposure among firefighters.
Most people in the US have certain amounts of PFAS in their blood, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). However, studies have suggested that firefighters exposed to AFFF have higher levels of PFAS in their blood.
In southern California, scientists discovered that blood samples of 101 firefighters contained PFDA, a type of PFAS, three times higher than those of adult males in the general population.
On the other side of the coast, researchers from Rutgers University found out that voluntary firefighters, who make up the majority of fire departments in all 50 states, have PFAS levels that exceed NHANES averages. Furthermore, they reported that more years of firefighting service were positively associated with higher PFNA and PFHxS levels. In other words, the longer firefighters are in service, the higher the PFAS levels in their blood.
Multiple studies have also indicated that higher concentrations of these ‘forever chemicals’ in the human body can lead to a repressed immune system as well as reproductive and developmental defects. Additionally, constant exposure to PFAS, including those found in AFFF, has been linked to the following illnesses.
That’s why firefighters in Minnesota, especially those routinely exposed to the PFAS-containing AFFF, have been advised to have their blood levels tested or volunteer for the state’s biomonitoring program.
If you are a civilian or military firefighter in Minnesota, career or voluntary, who was exposed to AFFF and later diagnosed with a linked cancer, you may be eligible to seek compensation that can ease the financial burden.
Our team at Environmental Litigation Group P.C. has extensive experience fighting for victims of AFFF contamination and toxic environmental exposure. We have supported countless individuals in understanding their legal options and filing AFFF claims on their behalf. Schedule an appointment with us today to get started.