Emelie Lindfeldt

PFAS is a large and diverse group of synthetic chemicals shown to have adverse health effects in animals and humans. Due to their persistence and the very broad use spectrum, they are widespread in the environment and can be found in almost all people. To enable the assessment of potential health risks in humans, computational modelling can be used as a less invasive tool to predict PFAS levels in serum.

My PhD project aims at improving the understanding of PFAS toxicokinetic processes (i.e., absorption, distribution, and elimination) in humans and incorporating the state-of-the-art knowledge in toxicokinetic models to predict serum levels of different PFAS throughout life. The ultimate goal will be to estimate acceptable levels in fish and drinking water below which harmful effects can be ruled out.  

The predictive toxicokinetic model will be made available as a user-friendly calculator to be applicable for risk assessment with a specific focus on estimating PFAS levels in humans from fish and drinking water consumption.    

Prior to my PhD studies, I worked as a toxicologist at the Swedish Food Agency, assessing health risks of contaminants, focusing on PFAS exposure from food.

2019-2021: Degree of Master of Science in Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University

2015-2018: Degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, University of Gothenburg

2010-2013: Degree of Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Uppsala University

Säve-Söderbergh M, Gyllenhammar I, Schillemans T, Lindfeldt E, Vogs C, Donat-Vargas C, Helte E, Ankarberg E, Glynn A, Ahrens L, Åkesson A. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertension and preeclampsia: A nation-wide register-based study on PFAS in drinking water. Environ Int. 2025 Apr;198:109415. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109415. Epub 2025 Mar 26. PMID: 40188601.

Säve-Söderbergh M, Gyllenhammar I, Schillemans T, Lindfeldt E, Vogs C, Donat-Vargas C, Ankarberg EH, Glynn A, Ahrens L, Helte E, Åkesson A. Fetal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and congenital malformations: A nation-wide register-based study on PFAS in drinking water. Environ Int. 2025 Apr;198:109381. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109381. Epub 2025 Mar 14. PMID: 40117684.

Säve-Söderbergh M, Gyllenhammar I, Schillemans T, Lindfeldt E, Vogs C, Donat-Vargas C, Halldin Ankarberg E, Glynn A, Ahrens L, Helte E, Åkesson A. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and fetal growth: A nation-wide register-based study on PFAS in drinking water. Environ Int. 2024 May;187:108727. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108727. Epub 2024 May 8. PMID: 38735074.

Lindfeldt, E., Yeung, L., Johansson, L., Bjermo, H., Halldin Ankarberg, E., & Gyllenhammar, I. (2024). Halter av PFAS i livsmedel på den svenska marknaden och exponeringsuppskattningar av intaget från livsmedel i den svenska befolkningen. Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:naturvardsverket:diva-11142

Lindfeldt, E., P.Benskin, J., Plassmann, M., Kruså, M., Hedvall Kallerman, P., & Gyllenhammar, I. (2023). Report to the Swedish EPA (the Health-Related Environmental Monitoring Program : Levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in serum from children at 4, 8 and 12 years of age, in Uppsala, Sweden: results from year 2020-2021 and temporal trends for the time period 2008-2022. Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:naturvardsverket:diva-10828

Livsmedelsverket. Gyllenhammar I, Lindfeldt E, Ankarberg EH. 2022. Vetenskapligt underlag för PFAS i dricksvatten. Livsmedelsverkets PM. Uppsala.

Livsmedelsverket. Lindfeldt, E, Gyllenhammar, I, Strandh, S, Halldin Ankarberg, E, 2021. L 2021 nr 21: Kartläggning av per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) i Sveriges kommunala rå- och dricksvatten. Livsmedelsverkets rapportserie. Uppsala.

Lindfeldt, E. (2021). Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser i det kommunala dricksvattnet i Sverige (Dissertation). Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-445088