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Hron LMC, Wöckner M, Fuchs V, Fembacher L, Aschenbrenner B, Herr C, Schober W, Heinze S, Völkel W. Monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human blood samples collected in three regions with known PFAS releases in the environment and three control regions in South Germany. Arch Toxicol 2024:10.1007/s00204-024-03843-x. [PMID: 39167139 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03843-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. The present paper describes the analysis of 969 human blood samples collected in South Germany aiming to determine whether there are statistic significant differences in internal PFAS burden between three regions with known PFAS releases in the environment (study regions) and three regions without known PFAS releases in the environment (control regions). Nine environmental relevant PFAS were analyzed, including the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) substitute 3H-perfluoro-3-[(3-methoxy-propoxy)propanoic acid] ammonium salt (ADONA). We found that concentrations of PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were higher than for all other PFAS in all of the six regions, but all medians of PFOA (between 0.8 and 0.9 ng/ml for the study and control regions) and PFOS (between 1.3 and 1.5 ng/ml for the study regions and between 1.4 and 1.5 ng/ml for the control regions) were below the human biomonitoring values (HBM) I for PFOA (2 ng/ml) und for PFOS (5 ng/ml) derived by the German HBM Commission. Concentrations of ADONA were below the limit of quantification in all samples. Minor differences were observed in PFAS blood levels between study and control regions. Especially for PFOS and PFOA the medians for women are slightly lower compared to men. In summary, individuals living in regions with known environmental PFAS contaminations show no higher internal PFAS exposure to controls and in comparison to other studies in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena M Cursino Hron
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany.
| | - Mandy Wöckner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
| | - Veronika Fuchs
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
| | - Ludwig Fembacher
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Aschenbrenner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Herr
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstrasse 1, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schober
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heinze
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstrasse 1, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Völkel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Protection and Product Safety, Pfarrstrasse 3, 80538, Munich, Germany
- Department of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Strasse 9, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
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Park RM. Risk assessment for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in air, blood serum and water: mortality from liver and kidney disease. Occup Environ Med 2024; 81:373-380. [PMID: 39025495 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2023-109228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer and non-cancer associations have been observed with PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl) substances in the general population, in populations from locally contaminated environments and in exposed workers. METHODS A quantitative risk assessment on the PFAS substance perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was conducted for six outcomes using two occupational mortality studies that reported sufficient data to estimate exposure-relationships in relation to serum PFOA levels. Excess lifetime mortality risks were calculated using a life table procedure that applies an exposure response to time-dependent PFOA serum levels for a surviving hypothetical population from ages 20 to 85. Both occupational and general population exposures were described as serum levels, and as air and drinking water concentrations. RESULTS The estimated occupational inhalation concentrations conferring the benchmark one-per-thousand lifetime risk were 0.21 µg/m3 for chronic kidney disease, 1.0 µg/m3 for kidney cancer and (from the two studies) 0.67 and 1.97 µg/m3 for chronic liver disease. Specific excess lifetime risks estimated in the general population at current PFOA serum levels (~ 1 ng/mL) range 1.5-32 per 100 000 which corresponds to drinking water concentrations of less than 10 ppt. CONCLUSION Over eight outcome risk estimates, the serum PFOA concentrations conferring 1/1000 occupational lifetime risk ranged 44 to 416 ng/mL corresponding to air concentrations ranging 0.21 to 1.99 µg/m3. The analyses provide a preliminary PFOA quantitative risk assessment for liver and kidney disease mortality which, together with reported assessments for several other end-points, would inform policy on PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Park
- Retired from National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Maffini MV, Vandenberg LN. Science evolves but outdated testing and static risk management in the US delay protection to human health. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2024; 6:1444024. [PMID: 39193481 PMCID: PMC11347445 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1444024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura N. Vandenberg
- School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
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Consonni D, Fustinoni S. Biochemical and haematological effects of serum PFOA, ADV and cC 6O 4 in workers of a chemical company producing fluoropolymers, Italy, 2013-2022. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 262:114440. [PMID: 39106565 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in the manufacture of fluoropolymers. We evaluated biochemical and haematological effects of three PFAS, serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), ADV, and cC6O4 in workers of a fluoropolymer company. METHODS Using data (2013-2022), we fitted random intercept regression models adjusted for several covariates and reciprocal adjustment between the three PFAS. RESULTS We analysed data of 814 workers (698 men, 116 women), 607 from the chemical plant, 207 from the research centre, for a total of 4912 blood samples (2065 with all three PFAS measured). Median levels of PFOA and ADV were 21.3 and 120 μg/L. Most (65.5%) cC6O4 measurements were below the limits of quantification (which varied over time from 5 to 0.1 μg/L). For PFOA, we observed positive associations with total cholesterol (+1.1% increase per ln(PFOA) increase) and apolipoprotein B (+1.4%) and negative associations with alkaline phosphatase (-1.5%); suggestive associations were also found with RBC (-0.4%), IgA (-1.5%), IgM (-1.4%). ADV was positively associated with total and LDL cholesterol (+1.0% and +1.6% per ln(ADV) increase), apolipoprotein B (+1.0%), GGT (+2.1%), IgM (+1.4%), and WBC (+1.5%) and negatively associated with direct bilirubin (-2.3%) and alpha-2-globulins (-0.7%); suggestive associations were found for indirect bilirubin (-2.0%), oestradiol (-2.1%), ad CRP (+6.0%). For samples with detectable cC6O4 levels we observed higher values of ALP (+2.3%), proteins (+0.5%), IgG (+0.7%) and platelets (+1.6%) and suggestively increased total bilirubin (+3.9%), RBC (+0.6%), and oestradiol (+5.8%). Some associations (total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, WBC, total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase showed reverse time trends in parallel with the strong decrease of serum PFOA and ADV over the study period. DISCUSSION We found associations of serum PFOA and ADV with lipid metabolism, liver function, and immunoglobulins. The reverse time trends of some endpoints in parallel with decrease of serum PFOA and ADV reinforce causal interpretation of results. cC6O4 showed a different pattern of associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Consonni
- Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Toxicology Lab, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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van Gerwen M, Chung T, Monaghan M, Vermeulen R, Petrick L, Leung AM. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and thyroid cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Toxicol Lett 2024; 399:52-58. [PMID: 39047923 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.07.910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure is a potential risk factor for thyroid cancer and may be a contributor to the increasing thyroid cancer incidence rates. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to summarize all human studies to date investigating the association between PFAS exposure and thyroid cancer. A search of the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health PubMed and Scopus databases was done to identify relevant articles published in English through January 2024. Studies reporting the association between PFAS exposure and thyroid cancer using odds ratios (OR) were included in the meta-analysis with summary estimate calculated using a random effects model (n=5). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the most investigated PFAS. Results of the included studies varied, ranging from significant positive to significant negative associations with thyroid cancer incidence for different PFAS. Meta-analyses of PFOA, Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) were not significant. This comprehensive review of the current literature highlights the limited knowledge and inconsistent results of this association. Large longitudinal cohort studies with varying time between sample collection and thyroid cancer diagnosis are needed to better understand the role of PFAS exposure on thyroid carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike van Gerwen
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tony Chung
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mathilda Monaghan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Department of Population Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lauren Petrick
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Climate Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, 10029USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Bert Strassburger Metabolic Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Angela M Leung
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Rudzanova B, Thon V, Vespalcova H, Martyniuk CJ, Piler P, Zvonar M, Klanova J, Blaha L, Adamovsky O. Gene expression patterns associated with PFOA exposure in Czech young men and women. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108879. [PMID: 39008919 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a member of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), has been widely used in manufacturing for decades. Currently, PFOA is strictly regulated, but due to its high stability and persistence, it is detected in both environmental as well as in human matrices. To elucidate mechanisms of PFOA toxicity in humans, we determined the genome-wide transcriptomic changes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) responding to PFOA exposure in a sex-stratified analysis. This work employed samples from 145 female and 143 male participants of the CELSPAC: YA study to characterize PFOA-associated transcripts in a broader context using computational analysis. PFOA-associated gene expression differed significantly between men and women, as only 2 % of mapped genes were expressed in both sexes. Disease-specific enrichment analysis revealed cancer and immune-related disease terms as those most enriched in male and female populations. Patterns of enriched terms within the gene set enrichment analysis indicated three main targets of PFOA toxicity: i) lipid metabolism for women; ii) cell cycle regulation for men; and iii) immune system response for both sexes. In summary, our genome-wide transcriptomics analysis described sex-specific differences in PFOA-associated gene expression and provided evidence about biological pathways underlying PFOA toxicity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Rudzanova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Thon
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Vespalcova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, UF Genetics Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Pavel Piler
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Zvonar
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Sports Studies, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klanova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ludek Blaha
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Adamovsky
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
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Sandys O, Stokkers PCF, Te Velde AA. DAMP-ing IBD: Extinguish the Fire and Prevent Smoldering. Dig Dis Sci 2024:10.1007/s10620-024-08523-5. [PMID: 38963463 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08523-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), the most promising therapies targeting cytokines or immune cell trafficking demonstrate around 40% efficacy. As IBD is a multifactorial inflammation of the intestinal tract, a single-target approach is unlikely to solve this problem, necessitating an alternative strategy that addresses its variability. One approach often overlooked by the pharmaceutically driven therapeutic options is to address the impact of environmental factors. This is somewhat surprising considering that IBD is increasingly viewed as a condition heavily influenced by such factors, including diet, stress, and environmental pollution-often referred to as the "Western lifestyle". In IBD, intestinal responses result from a complex interplay among the genetic background of the patient, molecules, cells, and the local inflammatory microenvironment where danger- and microbe-associated molecular patterns (D/MAMPs) provide an adjuvant-rich environment. Through activating DAMP receptors, this array of pro-inflammatory factors can stimulate, for example, the NLRP3 inflammasome-a major amplifier of the inflammatory response in IBD, and various immune cells via non-specific bystander activation of myeloid cells (e.g., macrophages) and lymphocytes (e.g., tissue-resident memory T cells). Current single-target biological treatment approaches can dampen the immune response, but without reducing exposure to environmental factors of IBD, e.g., by changing diet (reducing ultra-processed foods), the adjuvant-rich landscape is never resolved and continues to drive intestinal mucosal dysregulation. Thus, such treatment approaches are not enough to put out the inflammatory fire. The resultant smoldering, low-grade inflammation diminishes physiological resilience of the intestinal (micro)environment, perpetuating the state of chronic disease. Therefore, our hypothesis posits that successful interventions for IBD must address the complexity of the disease by simultaneously targeting all modifiable aspects: innate immunity cytokines and microbiota, adaptive immunity cells and cytokines, and factors that relate to the (micro)environment. Thus the disease can be comprehensively treated across the nano-, meso-, and microscales, rather than with a focus on single targets. A broader perspective on IBD treatment that also includes options to adapt the DAMPing (micro)environment is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Sandys
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AmsterdamUMC, AGEM, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter C F Stokkers
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, OLVG West, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anje A Te Velde
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AmsterdamUMC, AGEM, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Zhang Y, Zhang M, Jiang S, Hu H, Wang X, Yu F, Huang Y, Liang Y. Associations of perfluoroalkyl substances with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: NHANES 2017-2018. Cancer Causes Control 2024:10.1007/s10552-024-01865-5. [PMID: 38764062 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-024-01865-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study investigated the potential effects of perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) in serum on MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis. METHODS Our sample included 696 participants (≥ 18 years) from the 2017-2018 NHANES study with available serum PFASs, covariates, and outcomes. Using the first quartile of PFAS as the reference group, we used weighted binary logistic regression and multiple ordered logistic regression used to analyze the relationship between PFAS and MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis and multiple ordinal logistic regression to investigate the relationship between PFAS and MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis and calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval for each chemical. Finally, stratified analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed according to gender, age, BMI, and serum cotinine concentration. RESULTS A total of 696 study subjects were included, including 212 NAFLD patients (weighted 27.03%) and 253 MAFLD patients (weighted 32.65%). The quartile 2 of serum PFOA was positively correlated with MAFLD and NAFLD (MAFLD, OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05-4.98; NAFLD, OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.03-5.47). PFAS were not significantly associated with liver fibrosis after adjusting for potential confounders in MAFLD and NAFLD. Stratified analysis showed that PFOA was strongly associated with MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis in males and obese subjects. In women over 60 years old, PFHxS was also correlated with MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION The serum PFOA was positively associated with MAFLD and NAFLD in US adults. After stratified analysis, the serum PFHxS was correlated with MFALD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Zhang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Min Zhang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Shanjiamei Jiang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Heng Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, Anhui, China
| | - Xinzhi Wang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Fan Yu
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Yue'e Huang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China.
| | - Yali Liang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China.
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9
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Green MP, Shearer C, Patrick R, Kabiri S, Rivers N, Nixon B. The perils of poly- and perfluorinated chemicals on the reproductive health of humans, livestock, and wildlife. Reprod Fertil Dev 2024; 36:RD24034. [PMID: 38744493 DOI: 10.1071/rd24034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a prominent class of persistent synthetic compound. The widespread use of these substances in various industrial applications has resulted in their pervasive contamination on a global scale. It is therefore concerning that PFAS have a propensity to accumulate in bodily tissues whereupon they have been linked with a range of adverse health outcomes. Despite this, the true extent of the risk posed by PFAS to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife remains unclear. Addressing these questions requires a multidisciplinary approach, combining the fields of chemistry, biology, and policy to enable meaningful investigation and develop innovative remediation strategies. This article combines the perspectives of chemists, soil scientists, reproductive biologists, and health policy researchers, to contextualise the issue of PFAS contamination and its specific impact on reproductive health. The purpose of this article is to describe the challenges associated with remediating PFAS-contaminated soils and waters and explore the consequences of PFAS contamination on health and reproduction. Furthermore, current actions to promote planetary health and protect ecosystems are presented to instigate positive social change among the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Green
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia
| | - Cameron Shearer
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Rebecca Patrick
- School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 3220, Australia
| | - Shervin Kabiri
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Nicola Rivers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Hunter Medical Research Institute Research Program in Infertility and Reproduction, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia; and School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
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10
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Pesonen M, Vähäkangas K. Involvement of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds in tumor development. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1241-1252. [PMID: 38478087 PMCID: PMC10965717 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03685-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic persistent chemicals, which are used in many industrial and commercial applications. Hundreds of different PFAS have been identified in the environment and they are commonly found also in human blood. Due to the chemical stability and extensive use, PFAS pose a risk for human health and wildlife. Mounting evidence indicates that PFAS-exposure adversely affects many organs including liver, kidney, and reproductive tissues and induces tumors in laboratory rodents. Epidemiological studies show association between PFAS-exposure and some tumors also in humans. Effects of PFAS-exposure are complex and obviously do not depend only on the concentration and the structure of PFAS, but also on age and sex of the exposed individuals. It has been difficult to show a causal link between PFAS-exposure and tumors. Moreover, molecular mechanisms of the PFAS effects in different tissues are poorly understood. PFAS are not directly mutagenic and they do not induce formation of DNA binding metabolites, and thus are assumed to act more through non-genotoxic mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the involvement of PFAS-compounds in tumor development in tissues where PFAS exposure has been associated with cancer in epidemiological and animal studies (liver, kidney, testicle and breast). We will focus on molecular pathways and mechanisms related to tumor formation following PFAS-exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maija Pesonen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy/Toxicology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Kirsi Vähäkangas
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy/Toxicology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
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Calvillo Solís JJ, Sandoval-Pauker C, Bai D, Yin S, Senftle TP, Villagrán D. Electrochemical Reduction of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA): An Experimental and Theoretical Approach. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:10687-10698. [PMID: 38578843 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an artificial chemical of global concern due to its high environmental persistence and potential human health risk. Electrochemical methods are promising technologies for water treatment because they are efficient, cheap, and scalable. The electrochemical reduction of PFOA is one of the current methodologies. This process leads to defluorination of the carbon chain to hydrogenated products. Here, we describe a mechanistic study of the electrochemical reduction of PFOA in gold electrodes. By using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), an E0' of -1.80 V vs Ag/AgCl was estimated. Using a scan rate diagnosis, we determined an electron-transfer coefficient (αexp) of 0.37, corresponding to a concerted mechanism. The strong adsorption of PFOA into the gold surface is confirmed by the Langmuir-like isotherm in the absence (KA = 1.89 × 1012 cm3 mol-1) and presence of a negative potential (KA = 3.94 × 107 cm3 mol-1, at -1.40 V vs Ag/AgCl). Based on Marcus-Hush's theory, calculations show a solvent reorganization energy (λ0) of 0.9 eV, suggesting a large electrostatic repulsion between the perfluorinated chain and water. The estimated free energy of the transition state of the electron transfer (ΔG‡ = 2.42 eV) suggests that it is thermodynamically the reaction-limiting step. 19F - 1H NMR, UV-vis, and mass spectrometry studies confirm the displacement of fluorine atoms by hydrogen. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations also support the concerted mechanism for the reductive defluorination of PFOA, in agreement with the experimental values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Calvillo Solís
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Christian Sandoval-Pauker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - David Bai
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Sheng Yin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Thomas P Senftle
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 770052, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Dino Villagrán
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
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12
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Biggeri A, Stoppa G, Facciolo L, Fin G, Mancini S, Manno V, Minelli G, Zamagni F, Zamboni M, Catelan D, Bucchi L. All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018). Environ Health 2024; 23:42. [PMID: 38627679 PMCID: PMC11022451 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a large episode of surface, ground and drinking water contamination with PFAS was uncovered in three provinces of the Veneto Region (northern Italy) involving 30 municipalities and a population of about 150,000. We report on the temporal evolution of all-cause mortality and selected cause-specific mortality by calendar period and birth cohort in the local population between 1980 and 2018. METHODS The Italian National Institute of Health pre-processed and made available anonymous data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics death certificate archives for residents of the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona (males, n = 29,629; females, n = 29,518) who died between 1980 and 2018. Calendar period analysis was done by calculating standardised mortality ratios using the total population of the three provinces in the same calendar period as reference. The birth cohort analysis was performed using 20-84 years cumulative standardised mortality ratios. Exposure was defined as being resident in one of the 30 municipalities of the Red area, where the aqueduct supplying drinking water was fed by the contaminated groundwater. RESULTS During the 34 years between 1985 (assumed as beginning date of water contamination) and 2018 (last year of availability of cause-specific mortality data), in the resident population of the Red area we observed 51,621 deaths vs. 47,731 expected (age- and sex-SMR: 108; 90% CI: 107-109). We found evidence of raised mortality from cardiovascular disease (in particular, heart diseases and ischemic heart disease) and malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, an association of PFAS exposure with mortality from cardiovascular disease was formally demonstrated. The evidence regarding kidney cancer and testicular cancer is consistent with previously reported data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annibale Biggeri
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giorgia Stoppa
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | | | - Giuliano Fin
- Comitato mamme NO-PFAS, Vicenza, Padua, Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Mancini
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
| | - Valerio Manno
- Statistical Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Minelli
- Statistical Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Zamagni
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
| | | | - Dolores Catelan
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Lauro Bucchi
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
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13
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Mao X, Liu Y, Wei Y, Li X, Liu Y, Su G, Wang X, Jia J, Yan B. Threats of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl pollutants to susceptible populations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171188. [PMID: 38395163 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has raised significant global health concerns due to potential hazards in healthy adults. However, the impact of PFAS on susceptible populations, including pregnant individuals, newborns, the older people, and those with underlying health conditions, has been overlooked. These susceptible groups often have physiological changes that make them less resilient to the same exposures. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of the health risks posed by PFAS exposure to these populations. In this review, we delve into the potential health risks of PFAS exposure in these susceptible populations. Equally important, we also examine and discuss the molecular mechanisms that underlie this susceptibility. These mechanisms include the induction of oxidative stress, disruption of the immune system, impairment of cellular metabolism, and alterations in gut microbiota, all of which contribute to the enhanced toxicity of PFAS in susceptible populations. Finally, we address the primary research challenges and unresolved issues that require further investigation. This discussion aims to foster research for a better understanding of how PFAS affect susceptible populations and to pave the way for strategies to minimize their adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Mao
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yujiao Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yongyi Wei
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaodi Li
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yin Liu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Gaoxing Su
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Jianbo Jia
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Bing Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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14
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Reinikainen J, Bouhoulle E, Sorvari J. Inconsistencies in the EU regulatory risk assessment of PFAS call for readjustment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 186:108614. [PMID: 38583295 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Recognition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as widespread environmental pollutants and a consequent risk to human health, has recently made the European Union (EU) adopt several regulatory measures for their management. The coherence of these measures is challenged by the diversity and the ubiquitous occurrence of PFAS, which also complicates the EU's endeavor to advance justified, harmonized, and transparent approaches in the regulatory assessment of chemical risks. Our study critically reviews the European approach for the risk assessment of PFAS, by applying a comparative analysis of the current and pending regulatory thresholds issued for these chemicals in water bodies, drinking water, and certain foodstuffs. Our study shows that the level of health protection embedded in the studied thresholds may differ by three orders of magnitude, even in similar exposure settings. This is likely to confuse the common understanding of the toxicity and health risks of PFAS and undermine reasonable decision-making and the equal treatment of different stakeholders. We also indicate that currently, no consensus exists on the appropriate level of required health protection regarding PFAS and that the recently adopted tolerable intake value in the EU is too cautious. Based on our analysis, we propose some simple solutions on how the studied regulations and their implicit PFAS thresholds or their application could be improved. We further conclude that instead of setting EU-wide PFAS thresholds for all the environmental compartments, providing the member states with the flexibility to consider case-specific factors, such as regional background concentrations or food consumption rates, in their national regulatory procedures would likely result in more sustainable management of environmental PFAS without compromising the scientific foundation of risk assessment, the legitimacy of the EU policy framework and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jussi Reinikainen
- Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11 FI-00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Elodie Bouhoulle
- Scientific Institute of Public Service, Rue du Chéra 200 B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Jaana Sorvari
- Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11 FI-00790, Helsinki, Finland.
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15
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Pederick JL, Frkic RL, McDougal DP, Bruning JB. A structural basis for the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 354:141723. [PMID: 38494006 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a widespread environmental pollutant of the perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) class that is extremely resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation, leading to bioaccumulation. PFOA exposure has been linked to many health effects including endocrine disruption and metabolic dysregulation, but our understanding of the molecular mechanisms resulting in these outcomes remains incomplete. One target affected by PFOA is the ligand regulated nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) which plays a critical role in controlling metabolic homeostasis through regulating processes such as adipogenesis, glucose homeostasis, inflammation and osteogenesis. It has been previously established that PFOA activates PPARγ through binding to the PPARγ ligand binding domain (PPARγ LBD) leading to increased expression of PPARγ controlled target genes. However, the mechanism by which PFOA achieves this has remained elusive. Here, we employed a combination of X-ray crystallography and fluorescence polarization assays to provide a structural basis for PFOA mediated activation of PPARγ via binding to the PPARγ LBD. Using X-ray crystallography, the cocrystal structure of the PPARγ LBD:PFOA complex was solved. This revealed that PFOA occupies three distinct sites, two within the PPARγ LBD and one within the activation function 2 (AF2) on the protein surface. Structural comparison of PFOA binding with previously reported PPARγ:ligand complexes supports that PFOA activates PPARγ by a partial agonist mechanism at micromolar concentrations. Fluorescence polarization assays also revealed that PFOA binding to the AF2 is unlikely to occur in a cellular context and confirmed that PFOA behaves as a partial agonist in vitro, weakly recruiting a coactivator peptide to the AF2 of the PPARγ LBD. This discovery provides an advancement in understanding PFOA mediated regulation of PPARγ, giving new insight regarding regulation of PPARγ by PFAS and PFAS substitutes in general and can be applied to the design and assessment of safer PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Pederick
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - R L Frkic
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - D P McDougal
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - J B Bruning
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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16
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Boyd RI, Shokry D, Fazal Z, Rennels BC, Freemantle SJ, La Frano MR, Prins GS, Madak Erdogan Z, Irudayaraj J, Singh R, Spinella MJ. Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid Alters Pro-Cancer Phenotypes and Metabolic and Transcriptional Signatures in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. TOXICS 2024; 12:232. [PMID: 38668455 PMCID: PMC11054796 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The potential effects of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a recently emergent human and environmental health concern. There is a consistent link between PFAS exposure and cancer, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Although epidemiological evidence supporting PFAS exposure and cancer in general is conflicting, there is relatively strong evidence linking PFAS and testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). However, no mechanistic studies have been performed to date concerning PFAS and TGCTs. In this report, the effects of the legacy PFAS perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and the newer "clean energy" PFAS lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSi, called HQ-115), on the tumorigenicity of TGCTs in mice, TGCT cell survival, and metabolite production, as well as gene regulation were investigated. In vitro, the proliferation and survival of both chemo-sensitive and -resistant TGCT cells were minimally affected by a wide range of PFOS and HQ-115 concentrations. However, both chemicals promoted the growth of TGCT cells in mouse xenografts at doses consistent with human exposure but induced minimal acute toxicity, as assessed by total body, kidney, and testis weight. PFOS, but not HQ-115, increased liver weight. Transcriptomic alterations of PFOS-exposed normal mouse testes were dominated by cancer-related pathways and gene expression alterations associated with the H3K27me3 polycomb pathway and DNA methylation, epigenetic pathways that were previously showed to be critical for the survival of TGCT cells after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Similar patterns of PFOS-mediated gene expression occurred in PFOS-exposed cells in vitro. Metabolomic studies revealed that PFOS also altered metabolites associated with steroid biosynthesis and fatty acid metabolism in TGCT cells, consistent with the proposed ability of PFAS to mimic fatty acid-based ligands controlling lipid metabolism and the proposed role of PFAS as endocrine disrupters. Our data, is the first cell and animal based study on PFAS in TGCTs, support a pro-tumorigenic effect of PFAS on TGCT biology and suggests epigenetic, metabolic, and endocrine disruption as potential mechanisms of action that are consistent with the non-mutagenic nature of the PFAS class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raya I. Boyd
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Doha Shokry
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Zeeshan Fazal
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Brayden C. Rennels
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Sarah J. Freemantle
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Michael R. La Frano
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
| | - Gail S. Prins
- Departments of Urology, Pathology and Physiology, College of Medicine and Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Zeynep Madak Erdogan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
- Cancer Center of Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
- Cancer Center of Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ratnakar Singh
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
| | - Michael J. Spinella
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (R.I.B.); (D.S.); (Z.F.); (B.C.R.); (S.J.F.)
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
- Cancer Center of Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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17
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Ruffle B, Archer C, Vosnakis K, Butler JD, Davis CW, Goldsworthy B, Parkman R, Key TA. US and international per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances surface water quality criteria: A review of the status, challenges, and implications for use in chemical management and risk assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:36-58. [PMID: 37069739 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in surface water is a work-in-progress with relatively few criteria promulgated in the United States and internationally. Surface water quality criteria (SWQC) or screening values derived for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), and four US states (Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFB RWQCB; California) were compared. Across these eight jurisdictions, promulgated numeric criteria for the same compound and receptor span over five orders of magnitude as a result of different approaches and data interpretations. Human health criteria for PFOS range from 0.0047 to 600 ng/L depending on route of exposure (e.g., fish consumption or drinking water) and are lower than most ecological criteria for protection of aquatic and wildlife receptors. Data gaps and uncertainty in chronic toxicity and bioaccumulation of PFOS and PFOA, as well as the use of conservative assumptions regarding intake and exposure, have resulted in some criteria falling at or below ambient background concentrations and current analytical detection limits (around 1 ng/L for commercial laboratories). Some jurisdictions (e.g., Australia, Canada) have deemed uncertainty in quantifying water-fish bioaccumulation too great and set fish tissue action levels in lieu of water criteria. Current dynamics associated with the emerging and evolving science of PFAS toxicity, exposure, and environmental fate (i.e., data gaps and uncertainty), as well as the continuous release of scientific updates, pose a challenge to setting regulatory limits. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:36-58. © 2023 AECOM Technical Services, Inc and The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Josh D Butler
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | - Craig W Davis
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | - Trent A Key
- ExxonMobil Environmental and Property Solutions Company, Spring, Texas, USA
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18
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Zhang X, Li B, Huo S, Du J, Zhang J, Song M, Shao B, Li Y. Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid exposure triggers necroptosis and inflammation through the Wnt/β-catenin/NF-κB axis in the liver. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167033. [PMID: 37709082 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA), an emerging alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has recently been identified as a significant environmental pollutant. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of studies regarding the hepatotoxic effects of HFPO-TA. Here, we investigated the types and potential mechanisms of liver damage caused by HFPO-TA. Initially, we validated that the introduction of HFPO-TA resulted in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling (W/β signaling) activation, as well as the induction of necroptosis and inflammation, both in the liver of mice and in HepG2 cells. Subsequently, we established that the W/β signaling mediated the necroptosis and inflammation observed in the liver and HepG2 cells exposed to HFPO-TA. Finally, we demonstrated that the phosphorylated form of NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) played a role in mediating the necroptosis and inflammation, and its activity could be regulated by the W/β signaling pathway in the liver of mice and HepG2 cells exposed to HFPO-TA. In conclusion, our investigation elucidates the role of HFPO-TA in inducing necroptosis and inflammation in the liver, which is facilitated through the activation of the W/β/NF-κB axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuliang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Bo Li
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Siming Huo
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Jiayu Du
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Miao Song
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Bing Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yanfei Li
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education, Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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19
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Leung SCE, Wanninayake D, Chen D, Nguyen NT, Li Q. Physicochemical properties and interactions of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - Challenges and opportunities in sensing and remediation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166764. [PMID: 37660805 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a class of persistent organic pollutants that presents health and environmental risks. PFAS are ubiquitously present in the environment, but current remediation technologies are ineffective in degrading them into innocuous chemicals, especially high energy degradation processes often generate toxic short chain intermediates. Therefore, the best remediation strategy is to first detect the source of pollution, followed by capturing and mineralising or recycling of the compounds. The main objective of this article is to summarise the unique physicochemical properties and to critically review the intermolecular and intramolecular physicochemical interactions of PFAS, and how these interactions can become obstacles; and at the same time, how they can be applied to the PFAS sensing, capturing, and recycling process. The physicochemical interactions of PFAS chemicals are being reviewed in this paper includes, (1) fluorophilic interactions, (2) hydrophobic interactions, (3) electrostatic interactions and cation bridging, (4) ionic exchange and (5) hydrogen bond. Moreover, all the different influential factors to these interactions have also been reported. Finally, properties of these interactions are compared against one another, and the recommendations for future designs of affinity materials for PFAS have been given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shui Cheung Edgar Leung
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Dushanthi Wanninayake
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Dechao Chen
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Qin Li
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia.
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Yi W, Xuan L, Zakaly HMH, Markovic V, Miszczyk J, Guan H, Zhou PK, Huang R. Association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and depression in U.S. adults: A cross-sectional study of NHANES from 2005 to 2018. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117188. [PMID: 37775007 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread persistent organic pollutants (POPs) associated with diseases including osteoporosis, altered immune function and cancer. However, few studies have investigated the association between PFAS mixture exposure and Depression in general populations. METHODS Nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2005-2018) were used to analyze the association between PFAS and Depression in U.S. adults. Total 12,239 adults aged 20 years or older who had serum PFAS measured and answered Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were enrolled in this study. PFAS monomers detected in all 7 investigation cycles were included in the study. Generalized additive model (GAM) was used to fit smooth curves and threshold effect analysis was carried out to find the turning point of smooth curves. Generalized linear model (GLM) was used to describe the non-linear relationship between PFAS and depression and unconditioned logistic regression was used to risk analysis. RESULTS The median of total serum PFAS concentration was 14.54 ng/mL. The curve fitting results indicated a U-shaped relationship between total serum PFAS and depression: PFAS< 39.66 ng/mL, A negative correlation between PHQ-9 score and serum PFAS concentration was observed (β 0.047,95%CI -0.059, -0.036). The depression PHQ-9 score decreased with the increase of serum PFAS concentration. PFAS ≥ 39.66 ng/mL, A positive correlation was observed between PFAS and PHQ-9 score (β 0.010,95% CI 0.003, 0.017). The depression PHQ-9 score increased with the increase of serum PFAS concentration. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides new clues to the association of PFAS with depression, and large population-based cohort studies that can validate the causal association as well as toxicological mechanism studies are needed for validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wensen Yi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China.
| | - Lihui Xuan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China.
| | - Hesham M H Zakaly
- Experimental Physics Department, Institute of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia.
| | | | - Justyna Miszczyk
- Department of Medical Physics, Cyclotron Centre Bronowice, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Krakow, Poland
| | - Hua Guan
- Department of Radiation Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, AMMS, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Ping-Kun Zhou
- Department of Radiation Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, AMMS, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Ruixue Huang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China.
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21
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van Gerwen M, Colicino E, Guan H, Dolios G, Nadkarni GN, Vermeulen RCH, Wolff MS, Arora M, Genden EM, Petrick LM. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and thyroid cancer risk. EBioMedicine 2023; 97:104831. [PMID: 37884429 PMCID: PMC10667111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure is a potential contributor to the increasing thyroid cancer trend, limited studies have investigated the association between PFAS exposure and thyroid cancer in human populations. We therefore investigated associations between plasma PFAS levels and thyroid cancer diagnosis using a nested case-control study of patients with thyroid cancer with plasma samples collected at/before cancer diagnosis. METHODS 88 patients with thyroid cancer using diagnosis codes and 88 healthy (non-cancer) controls pair-matched on sex, age (±5 years), race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status, and year of sample collection were identified in the BioMe population (a medical record-linked biobank at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York); 74 patients had papillary thyroid cancer. Eight plasma PFAS were measured using untargeted analysis with liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and suspect screening. Associations between individual PFAS levels and thyroid cancer were evaluated using unconditional logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). FINDINGS There was a 56% increased rate of thyroid cancer diagnosis per doubling of linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (n-PFOS) intensity (ORadj, 1.56, 95% CI: 1.17-2.15, P = 0.004); results were similar when including patients with papillary thyroid cancer only (ORadj, 1.56, 95% CI: 1.13-2.21, P = 0.009). This positive association remained in subset analysis investigating exposure timing including 31 thyroid cancer cases diagnosed ≥1 year after plasma sample collection (ORadj, 2.67, 95% CI: 1.59-4.88, P < 0.001). INTERPRETATION This study reports associations between exposure to PFAS and increased rate of (papillary) thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer risk from PFAS exposure is a global concern given the prevalence of PFAS exposure. Individual PFAS studied here are a small proportion of the total number of PFAS supporting additional large-scale prospective studies investigating thyroid cancer risk associated with exposure to PFAS chemicals. FUNDING National Institutes of Health grants and The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike van Gerwen
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Elena Colicino
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Haibin Guan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Georgia Dolios
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Girish N Nadkarni
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; The Charles Bronfman Institute of Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; The Division of Data Driven and Digital Medicine (D3M), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roel C H Vermeulen
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Population Health Sciences, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mary S Wolff
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eric M Genden
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lauren M Petrick
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Bert Strassburger Metabolic Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
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22
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Tillaut H, Monfort C, Rouget F, Pelé F, Lainé F, Gaudreau E, Cordier S, Warembourg C, Saint-Amour D, Chevrier C. Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Child Behavior at Age 12: A PELAGIE Mother-Child Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:117009. [PMID: 37971539 PMCID: PMC10653211 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemical substances spread throughout the environment worldwide. Exposure during pregnancy represents a specific window of vulnerability for child health. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess the impact of prenatal exposure to multiple PFAS on emotional and behavioral functions in 12-y-old children. METHOD In the PELAGIE mother-child cohort (France), prenatal exposure to nine PFAS was measured from concentrations in cord serum samples. Behavior was assessed at age 12 y using the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the self-reported Dominic Interactive for Adolescents (DIA) for 444 children. Associations were estimated using negative binomial models for each PFAS. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were performed to assess the exposure mixture effect on children's behavior. RESULTS In our study population, 73% of mothers had spent more than 12 y in education. Higher scores on SDQ externalizing subscale were observed with increasing cord-serum concentration of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) [adjusted mean ratio ( aMR ) = 1.18 , 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.34, and aMR = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.29) for every doubling of concentration, respectively]. Results for the hyperactivity score were similar [aMR = 1.20 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.40) and aMR = 1.18 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.36), respectively]. With regard to major depressive disorder and internalizing subscales, perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) was associated with higher self-reported DIA scores [aMR = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.27) and aMR = 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.21), respectively]. In terms of the anxiety subscale, PFDA and PFNA were associated with higher scores [aMR = 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.21) and aMR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.19), respectively]. Concurrent increases in the PFAS concentrations included in the BKMR models showed no change in the SDQ externalizing and DIA internalizing subscales scores. CONCLUSION Prenatal exposure to PFNA and PFOA were associated with increasing scores for measures of externalizing behaviors, specifically hyperactivity. We also identified associations between PFNA and PFDA prenatal exposure levels and increasing scores related to internalizing behaviors (general anxiety and major depressive disorder), which adds to the as yet sparse literature examining the links between prenatal exposure to PFAS and internalizing disorders. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12540.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Tillaut
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
| | - Christine Monfort
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
| | - Florence Rouget
- Irset - UMR_S 1085, Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Rennes, Université de Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Rennes, France
| | - Fabienne Pelé
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
| | - Fabrice Lainé
- CIC 1414, Université de Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Eric Gaudreau
- Centre de Toxicologie du Québec (CTQ), Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvaine Cordier
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
| | - Charline Warembourg
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
| | - Dave Saint-Amour
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier, Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Cécile Chevrier
- Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset) - UMR 1085, Université de Rennes, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), Rennes, France
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23
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Hall SM, Zhang S, Tait GH, Hoffman K, Collier DN, Hoppin JA, Stapleton HM. PFAS levels in paired drinking water and serum samples collected from an exposed community in Central North Carolina. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165091. [PMID: 37355130 PMCID: PMC10529814 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
The community of Pittsboro, North Carolina has been documented to have extensive per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in its drinking water source, the Haw River, over the last 20 years. However, a detailed exposure assessment has never been conducted. In this study, we sought to characterize the PFAS in paired drinking water and blood samples collected from a small cohort of Pittsboro residents (n = 49). Drinking water and serum from blood were collected from adults in late 2019 and early 2020 and were analyzed to quantify 13 PFAS analytes. In order to explore potential health effects of PFAS exposure, serum was further analyzed for clinical chemistry endpoints that could be potentially associated with PFAS (e.g., cholesterol, liver function biomarkers). PFAS were detected in all serum samples, and some serum PFAS concentrations were 2 to 4 times higher than the median U.S. serum concentrations reported in the general U.S. population. Of the 13 PFAS in drinking water, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) was measured at the highest concentrations. PFAS levels in the current drinking water were not associated with current serum PFAS, suggesting that the serum PFAS in this cohort likely reflects historical exposure to PFAS with long half-lives (e.g., PFOS and PFOA). However, one PFAS with a shorter half-life (PFHxA) was observed to increase in serum, reflecting the temporal variability of PFHxA in river and drinking water. Statistical analyses indicated that serum PFOA and PFHxS were positively associated with total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. No serum PFAS was associated with HDL cholesterol. In the clinical chemistry analyses, serum PFHxA was found to be negatively associated with electrolytes and liver enzymes (e.g., AST and ALT), and serum PFOS was found to be positively associated with the ratio of blood urea nitrogen to creatinine (BUN:Cre). While small in size, this study revealed extensive exposure to PFAS in Pittsboro and associations with clinical blood markers, suggesting potential health impacts in community residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Hall
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham 27710, NC, USA.
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham 27710, NC, USA.
| | - George H Tait
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham 27710, NC, USA
| | - Kate Hoffman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham 27710, NC, USA.
| | - David N Collier
- Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
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24
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Law HD, Randall DA, Armstrong BK, D’este C, Lazarevic N, Hosking R, Smurthwaite KS, Trevenar SM, Lucas RM, Clements ACA, Kirk MD, Korda RJ. Relative Risks of Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Three Australian Communities Exposed to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Data Linkage Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6886. [PMID: 37835156 PMCID: PMC10572760 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have caused environmental contamination in several Australian residential areas, including Katherine in the Northern Territory (NT), Oakey in Queensland (Qld), and Williamtown in New South Wales (NSW). We examined whether the risks of adverse perinatal outcomes were higher in mothers living in these exposure areas than in selected comparison areas without known contamination. METHODS We linked residential addresses in exposure areas to addresses collected in the jurisdictional Perinatal Data Collections of the NT (1986-2017), Qld (2007-2018), and NSW (1994-2018) to select all pregnancies from mothers who gave birth while living in these areas. We also identified one comparison group for each exposure area by selecting pregnancies where the maternal address was in selected comparison areas. We examined 12 binary perinatal outcomes and three growth measurements. For each exposure area, we estimated relative risks (RRs) of adverse outcomes and differences in means of growth measures, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and other potential confounders. RESULTS We included 16,970 pregnancies from the NT, 4654 from Qld, and 7475 from NSW. We observed elevated risks of stillbirth in Oakey (RR = 2.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25 to 5.39) and of postpartum haemorrhage (RR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.33) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (RR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.73) in Williamtown. The risks of other perinatal outcomes were not materially different from those in the relevant comparison areas or were uncertain due to small numbers of events. CONCLUSIONS There was limited evidence for increased risks of adverse perinatal outcomes in mothers living in areas with PFAS contamination from firefighting foams. We found higher risks of some outcomes in individual areas, but these were not consistent across all areas under study and could have been due to chance, bias, or confounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsei Di Law
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Deborah A. Randall
- Women and Babies Research, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Bruce K. Armstrong
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Catherine D’este
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Nina Lazarevic
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Rose Hosking
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Kayla S. Smurthwaite
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Susan M. Trevenar
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Robyn M. Lucas
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Martyn D. Kirk
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Rosemary J. Korda
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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25
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Rhee J, Chang VC, Cheng I, Calafat AM, Botelho JC, Shearer JJ, Sampson JN, Setiawan VW, Wilkens LR, Silverman DT, Purdue MP, Hofmann JN. Serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and risk of renal cell carcinoma in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 180:108197. [PMID: 37741007 PMCID: PMC11093414 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmentally persistent organic pollutants detectable in the serum of most U.S. adults. We previously reported a positive association between serum perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) concentrations and risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, comprising predominantly White individuals enrolled in 1993-2001. To extend our investigations to a larger and more racially and ethnically diverse population, we conducted a nested case-control study of serum PFAS concentrations and RCC within the Multiethnic Cohort Study. We measured pre-diagnostic serum concentrations of nine PFAS among 428 RCC cases and 428 individually matched controls. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of RCC in relation to each PFAS using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for RCC risk factors and other PFAS. PFOA was not associated with RCC risk overall [doubling in serum concentration, ORcontinuous = 0.89 (95 %CI = 0.67, 1.18)]. However, we observed suggestive positive associations among White participants [2.12 (0.87, 5.18)] and among participants who had blood drawn before 2002 [1.49 (0.77, 2.87)]. Furthermore, higher perfluorononanoate (PFNA) concentration was associated with increased risk of RCC overall [fourth vs. first quartile, OR = 1.84 (0.97, 3.50), Ptrend = 0.04; ORcontinuous = 1.29 (0.97, 1.71)], with the strongest association observed among African American participants [ORcontinuous = 3.69 (1.33, 10.25)], followed by Native Hawaiian [2.24 (0.70, 7.19)] and White [1.98 (0.92, 4.25)] participants. Most other PFAS were not associated with RCC. While PFOA was not associated with RCC risk overall in this racially and ethnically diverse population, the positive associations observed among White participants and those with sera collected before 2002 are consistent with previous PLCO findings. Our study also provided new evidence of a positive association between PFNA and RCC risk that was strongest in African American participants. These findings highlight the need for additional epidemiologic research investigating PFAS exposures and RCC in large racially and ethnically diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongeun Rhee
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Vicky C Chang
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Iona Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Organic Analytical Toxicology Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julianne Cook Botelho
- Organic Analytical Toxicology Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joseph J Shearer
- Heart Disease Phenomics Laboratory, Epidemiology and Community Health Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joshua N Sampson
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Veronica Wendy Setiawan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, CA, USA
| | - Lynne R Wilkens
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program (Cancer Epidemiology), University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mark P Purdue
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
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26
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Bailey JM, Wang L, McDonald JM, Gray JS, Petrie JG, Martin ET, Savitz DA, Karrer TA, Fisher KA, Geiger MJ, Wasilevich EA. Immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in a population with a history of elevated exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through drinking water. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:725-736. [PMID: 37337047 PMCID: PMC10541329 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00564-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to lower vaccine-induced antibody concentrations in children, while data from adults remains limited and equivocal. Characteristics of PFAS exposure and age at vaccination may modify such effects. OBJECTIVE We used the mass administration of novel COVID-19 vaccines to test the hypothesis that prior exposure to environmentally-relevant concentrations of PFAS affect antibody response to vaccines in adolescents and adults. METHODS Between April and June 2021, 226 participants aged 12-90 years with a history of exposure to PFAS in drinking water and who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine participated in our prospective cohort study. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (IgG) were quantified before the first and second vaccine doses and again at two follow-ups in the following months (up to 103 days post dose 1). Serum PFAS concentrations (n = 39 individual PFAS) were measured once for each participant during baseline, before their first vaccination. The association between PFAS exposure and immune response to vaccination was investigated using linear regression and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models with adjustment for covariates that affect antibody response. PFAS mixture effects were assessed using weighted quantile sum and Bayesian kernel machine regression methods. RESULTS The geometric mean (standard deviation) of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid serum concentrations in this population was 10.49 (3.22) and 3.90 (4.90) µg/L, respectively. PFAS concentrations were not associated with peak anti-spike antibody response, the initial increase in anti-spike antibody response following vaccination, or the waning over time of the anti-spike antibody response. Neither individual PFAS concentrations nor their evaluation as a mixture was associated with antibody response to mRNA vaccination against COVID-19. IMPACT STATEMENT Given the importance of understanding vaccine response among populations exposed to environmental contaminants and the current gaps in understanding this relationship outside of early life/childhood vaccinations, our manuscript contributes meaningful data from an adolescent and adult population receiving a novel vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Bailey
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer M McDonald
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer S Gray
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Joshua G Petrie
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Emily T Martin
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David A Savitz
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Timothy A Karrer
- Division of Chemistry and Toxicology, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Keri A Fisher
- Division of Chemistry and Toxicology, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Matthew J Geiger
- Division of Chemistry and Toxicology, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Wasilevich
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, USA
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Mesfin Tefera Y, Gaskin S, Mitchell K, Springer D, Mills S. Temporal decline in serum PFAS concentrations among metropolitan firefighters: Longitudinal study on post-exposure changes following PFAS foam cessation. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 179:108167. [PMID: 37651929 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are at a high risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to their frequent use of PFAS-containing foams in training and emergency situations. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the changes in serum PFAS levels among firefighters following cessation of their exposure to PFAS-containing foams. The study involved 130 firefighters from the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Services (SAMFS), and serum samples were collected at two time points: baseline in 2018-19 and follow-up in 2021-22. Along with the collection of samples, a survey questionnaire was administered to gather information on firefighters' employment and demographic characteristics. Regression models were employed to assess the association between these factors and the outcome variable (annual percentage change in serum PFAS concentration). The results indicated a decline in serum PFAS concentrations over time, with the main contaminants being perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The median and Interquartile Range (IQR) of total PFAS (∑PFAS) concentration reduced from 21.5 ng/ml (IQR: 11 to 53 ng/ml) at baseline to 15 ng/ml (IQR: 8 to 33 ng/ml) at follow-up. On average, there was an annual reduction of 13%, 7%, and 4.4% in serum concentrations of PFOS, PFHxS, and PFOA, respectively. Firefighters under the age of 55, those who used PFAS in the past ten years, or those who had little to no frequency of PFAS exposure in their previous employment, encountered a significantly higher annual percentage reduction (P < 0.05) in both ∑PFAS and PFOS concentrations. None of the independent variables analysed could significantly predict the annual percentage change in PFOA and PFHxS. This study provides evidence for a declining temporal trend in serum PFAS concentrations among metropolitan firefighters following workplace interventions that involved the removal of PFAS-containing foams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonatal Mesfin Tefera
- Adelaide Exposure Science and Health, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia; Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Ethiopia.
| | - Sharyn Gaskin
- Adelaide Exposure Science and Health, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Krystle Mitchell
- South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - David Springer
- Envirolab Services, Sydney, New South Wales 2067, Australia
| | - Simon Mills
- Envirolab Services, Sydney, New South Wales 2067, Australia
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Girardi P, Lupo A, Mastromatteo LY, Scrimin S. Behavioral outcomes and exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances among children aged 6-13 years: The TEDDY child study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116049. [PMID: 37207732 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some studies report that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy and early life stages of a child could adversely impact neurodevelopment, literature shows mixed evidence. OBJECTIVES Using an ecological framework for human development, we assessed the association of risk factors for environmental PFAS exposure and childhood PFAS concentrations with behavioral difficulties among school-age children exposed to PFAS from birth, while also controlling for the important influence of the parenting and familial environment. METHODS The study participants included 331 school-age children (6-13 years) born in a PFAS-contaminated area in the Veneto Region (Italy). We study the associations between environmental risk factors of maternal PFAS exposure (residential time, consumption of tap water, residence in Red zone A or B), and breastfeeding duration with parent assessments of children's behavioral problems (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ]), adjusting for socio-demographic, parenting and familial variables. The direct relationships between serum blood PFAS concentrations and SDQ scores was evaluated in a subset of children (n = 79), both with single PFAS and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regressions. RESULTS Poisson regression models reported positive associations between high consumption of tap water and externalizing SDQ scores (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.32) and total difficulty scores (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.26). Childhood perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were associated with higher internalizing SDQ scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06-2.25), externalizing scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFHxS IRR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.09-2.32), and total difficulty scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.71; PFHxS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09-1.90). The WQS regressions confirmed the associations reported by single-PFAS analyses. CONCLUSIONS We observed cross-sectional associations of tap water consumption and childhood PFOS, and PFHxS concentrations with greater behavioral difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Girardi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
| | - Alice Lupo
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
| | | | - Sara Scrimin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
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Kang H, Ding N, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Mukherjee B, Calafat AM, Park SK. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Lipid Trajectories in Women 45-56 Years of Age: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:87004. [PMID: 37552133 PMCID: PMC10408595 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with less favorable blood lipid profiles in epidemiological studies. However, little is known about the potential role of PFAS in longitudinal changes in lipids among midlife women even though women become more susceptible to metabolic alterations during the menopausal transition. OBJECTIVES To examine associations of serum PFAS concentrations with longitudinal trajectories of blood total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in midlife women undergoing menopausal transition. METHODS The sample included 1,130 women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation 45-56 y of age at baseline (1999-2000). We measured serum PFAS concentrations including linear perfluorooctanoic acid (n-PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), linear and branched perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (n-PFOS and Sm-PFOS, respectively), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) at baseline. We used k-means clustering to identify subgroups with different patterns of PFAS mixture. Blood lipids were measured annually or biannually through 2016 with an average follow-up of 14.8 y. We identified longitudinal trajectories of each lipid using latent class growth models. We used multinomial log-linear models adjusted for covariates to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of lipid trajectory classes by PFAS and their mixtures. RESULTS Three distinct trajectories (low, middle, high) of total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol and two distinct trajectories (low and high) of triglycerides were identified. n-PFOS, Sm-PFOS, and PFHxS were positively associated with total and LDL cholesterol trajectories. n-PFOS was inversely associated with triglycerides trajectories. PFAS mixtures (high vs. low) showed positive associations with total and LDL cholesterol trajectories (high vs. low), showing ORs (95% CIs) of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.36, 2.12) and 1.79 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.22), respectively. DISCUSSION Concentrations of serum PFAS were positively associated with trajectories of total and LDL cholesterol, providing a line of evidence supporting adverse effects of PFAS on lipid homeostasis. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12351.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habyeong Kang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Institute of Health Sciences, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ning Ding
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Bhramar Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sung Kyun Park
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Perfluorooctanoic acid induces tight junction injury of Sertoli cells by blocking autophagic flux. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 173:113649. [PMID: 36736878 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a man-made chemical widely used in consumers, could cause male reproductive toxicity by disrupting blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity. Autophagy in Sertoli cells is essential for regulation of spermatogenesis and BTB. However, it remains a mystery that whether PFOA-induced BTB injury is associated with autophagy in Sertoli cells. In this study, we found that PFOA dose-dependently disrupted tight junction (TJ) function in Sertoli cells in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the results from transmission electron microscopy, Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that PFOA induced the accumulation of autophagosome in testicular Sertoli cells as well as TM4 cells. Further study confirmed that autophagosome accumulation resulted from the blockage of autophagic degradation because of disruption of autophagosome and lysosome fusion via downregulation of the expression of α-SNAP. In parallel, the overexpressed MMP9 was also observed in vivo and in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of α-SNAP inhibited the expression of MMP9 in TM4 cells. In conclusion, PFOA blocks autophagic flux through downregulating the expression levels of α-SNAP in Sertoli cells, and then induces the accumulation of MMP9 leading to disruption of TJ function. This finding will provide clues for effective prevention and treatment of PFOA-induced male reproductive toxicity.
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Ehrlich V, Bil W, Vandebriel R, Granum B, Luijten M, Lindeman B, Grandjean P, Kaiser AM, Hauzenberger I, Hartmann C, Gundacker C, Uhl M. Consideration of pathways for immunotoxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Environ Health 2023; 22:19. [PMID: 36814257 PMCID: PMC9944481 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00958-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of public health concern, because of their ubiquitous and extremely persistent occurrence, and depending on their structure, their bio-accumulative, mobile and toxic properties. Human health effects associated with exposure to PFAS include adverse effects on the immune system. In 2020, EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) defined adverse effects on the immune system as the most critical effect for human health risk assessment, based on reduced antibody responses to childhood vaccines and similar effects observed in experimental animal studies. Likewise, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers PFAS-induced immunotoxicity, especially in children, as the critical effect for risk assessment. However, the mechanisms by which antibody concentrations are impacted are not completely understood. Furthermore, other targets of the immune system functions have been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to explore PFAS-associated immune-related effects. This includes, relevant mechanisms that may underlie the observed effects on the immune system, immunosuppression as well as immunoenhancement, such as i) modulation of cell signalling and nuclear receptors, such as NF-κB and PPARs; ii) alteration of calcium signalling and homoeostasis in immune cells; iii) modulation of immune cell populations; iv) oxidative stress and v) impact on fatty acid metabolism & secondary effects on the immune system. METHODS A literature research was conducted using three databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), which were searched in July 2021 for relevant studies published in the time frame from 2018 to 2021. In total, 487 publications were identified as potentially eligible and following expert-based judgement, articles relevant for mechanisms of PFAS induced immunotoxicity are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, we show that there is substantial evidence from both in vitro and in vivo experimental as well as epidemiological studies, supporting that various PFAS, not only PFOA and PFOS, affect multiple aspects of the immune system. Timing of exposure is critical, because the developing immune system is especially vulnerable to toxic insults, resulting in a higher risk of particularly adverse immune effects but also other organs later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Ehrlich
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wieneke Bil
- Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Vandebriel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Berit Granum
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mirjam Luijten
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Birgitte Lindeman
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Andreas-Marius Kaiser
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ingrid Hauzenberger
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Hartmann
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Gundacker
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Uhl
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Sun S, Li X, Zhang L, Zhong Z, Chen C, Zuo Y, Chen Y, Hu H, Liu F, Xiong G, Lu H, Chen J, Dai J. Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) disturbs embryonic liver and biliary system development in zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160087. [PMID: 36372181 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA), a novel alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has emerged as a potential environmental pollutant. Here, to investigate the toxic effects of HFPO-TA on liver and biliary system development, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 50, 100, or 200 mg/L HFPO-TA from 6 to 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). Results showed that the 50 % lethal concentration (LC50) of HFPO-TA was 231 mg/L at 120 hpf, lower than that of PFOA. HFPO-TA exposure decreased embryonic hatching, survival, and body length. Furthermore, HFPO-TA exerted higher toxicity at the specification stage than during the differentiation and maturation stages, leading to small-sized livers in Tg(fabp10a: DsRed) transgenic larvae and histopathological changes. Significant decreases in the mRNA expression of genes related to liver formation were observed. Alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL) levels were significantly increased. HFPO-TA decreased total cholesterol (TCHO) and triglyceride (TG) activities, disturbed lipid metabolism through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway, and induced an inflammatory response. Furthermore, HFPO-TA inhibited intrahepatic biliary development in Tg(Tp1:eGFP) transgenic larvae and interfered with transcription of genes associated with biliary duct development. HFPO-TA reduced bile acid synthesis but increased bile acid transport, resulting in disruption of bile acid metabolism. Therefore, HFPO-TA influenced embryonic liver and biliary system morphogenesis, caused liver injury, and may be an unsafe alternative for PFOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujie Sun
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Xue Li
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Zilin Zhong
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Yuhua Zuo
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Hongmei Hu
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Fasheng Liu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Xiong
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China.
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China.
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Relative rates of cancers and deaths in Australian communities with PFAS environmental contamination associated with firefighting foams: A cohort study using linked data. Cancer Epidemiol 2023; 82:102296. [PMID: 36508965 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2022.102296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants that are potentially harmful to health. We examined if rates of selected cancers and causes of deaths were elevated in three Australian communities with local environmental contamination caused by firefighting foams containing PFAS. The affected Australian communities were Katherine in Northern Territory, Oakey in Queensland and Williamtown in New South Wales. METHODS All residents identified in the Medicare Enrolment File (1983-2019)-a consumer directory for Australia's universal healthcare-who ever lived in an exposure area (Katherine, Oakey and Williamtown), and a sample of those who ever lived in selected comparison areas, were linked to the Australian Cancer Database (1982-2017) and National Death Index (1980-2019). We estimated standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for 23 cancer outcomes, four causes of death and three control outcomes, adjusting for sex, age and calendar time of diagnosis. FINDINGS We observed higher rates of prostate cancer (SIR=1·76, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1·36-2·24) in Katherine; laryngeal cancer (SIR=2·71, 95 % CI 1·30-4·98), kidney cancer (SIR=1·82, 95 % CI 1·04-2·96) and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality (SIR=1·81, 95 % CI 1·46-2·33) in Oakey; and lung cancer (SIR=1·83, 95 % CI 1·39-2·38) and CHD mortality (SIR=1·22, 95 % CI 1·01-1·47) in Williamtown. We also saw elevated SIRs for control outcomes. SIRs for all other outcomes and overall cancer were similar across exposure and comparison areas. INTERPRETATION There was limited evidence to support an association between living in a PFAS exposure area and risks of cancers or cause-specific deaths.
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Crawford L, Halperin SA, Dzierlenga MW, Skidmore B, Linakis MW, Nakagawa S, Longnecker MP. Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic data on vaccine response in relation to exposure to five principal perfluoroalkyl substances. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107734. [PMID: 36764183 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies of serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and antibody response to vaccines have suggested an adverse association, but the consistency and magnitude of this association remain unclear. OBJECTIVE The goal of this systematic review was to determine the size of the association between a doubling in perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) serum concentration and difference in loge antibody concentration following a vaccine, with a focus on five PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA). DATA SOURCE We conducted online searches of PubMed and Web of Science through May 17, 2022 and identified 14 eligible reports published from 2012 to 2022. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS We included studies conducted in humans, including mother-child pairs, which examined serum PFAS concentration in relation to serum concentration of antibody to a specific antigen following a vaccine. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS We used the risk of bias assessment for non-randomized studies of exposure and certainty assessment method proposed by Morgan et al. (2019). Using a multilevel meta-regression model, we quantitatively synthesized the data. RESULTS The 14 reports represented 13 unique groups of subjects; the frequency of studies of a given antibody was Tetanus (n = 7); followed by Diphtheria (6); Measles (4); Rubella (3); Haemophilus influenzae type b and Influenza A H1N1 (2 each); and Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza A H2N3, Influenza B, and Mumps (1 each). There were approximately 4,830 unique participants included in the analyses across the 14 reports. The models of coefficients between antibody concentration and the five principal PFAS showed homogeneity of associations across antibody types for each principal PFAS. In the models with all antibodies treated as one type, evidence of effect modification by life stage was present for PFOA and PFOS, and for consistency, all associations were evaluated for all ages and for children. The summary associations (coefficients for difference in loge[antibody concentration] per doubling of serum PFAS) with 95% confidence intervals that excluded zero ("statistical support"), and certainty of evidence ratings were as follows: for PFOA and all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.06 (-0.10, -0.01; moderate) and in children, -0.10 (-0.16, -0.03; moderate); for Diphtheria in children, -0.12 (-0.23, -0.00; high); for Rubella in all ages, -0.09 (-0.17, -0.01; moderate), and for Tetanus in children, -0.12 (-0.24, -0.00; moderate). For PFOS the summary associations were, for all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.06 (-0.11, -0.01; moderate) and in children, -0.10 (-0.18, -0.03; moderate); for Rubella in all ages, -0.09 (-0.15, -0.03; high) and in children, -0.12 (-0.20, -0.04; high). For PFHxS the summary associations were, for all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.03 (-0.06, -0.00; moderate) and in children, -0.05 (-0.09, -0.00; low); and for Rubella in children, -0.07 (-0.11, -0.02; high). Summary associations for PFNA and PFDA did not have statistical support, but all PFAS studied tended to have an inverse association with antibody concentrations. LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Epidemiologic data on immunosuppression and five principal PFAS suggest an association, with support across antibodies against multiple types of antigens. Data on Diphtheria, Rubella, and Tetanus were more supportive of an association than for other antibodies, and support was greater for associations with PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS, than for PFNA or PFDA. The data on any specific antibody were scarce. Confounding factors that might account for the relation were not identified. Nearly all studies evaluated were judged to have a low or moderate risk of bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Crawford
- Ramboll U.S. Consulting, Inc., 28 Amity St., Suite 2A, Amherst, MA 01002, USA.
| | - Scott A Halperin
- Canadian Center for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, Canada.
| | - Michael W Dzierlenga
- Ramboll U.S. Consulting, Inc., Raleigh, NC 27612 Current address, U.S. E.P.A., Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Becky Skidmore
- Skidmore Research & Information Consulting Inc., Address: 3104 Apple Hill Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1T 3Z2, Canada.
| | | | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
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Fustinoni S, Consonni D. Historical Trend of Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Surfactants PFOA, ADV, and cC6O4 and its Management in Two Perfluoroalkyl Polymers Plants, Italy. Ann Work Expo Health 2023; 67:518-535. [PMID: 36715212 PMCID: PMC10119700 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxac095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Perfluoroalkyl acid surfactants are used in the chemical industry for the synthesis of perfluoroalkyl polymers. In one Italian fluoropolymer plant and in the research and innovation center, two major perfluoroalkyl surfactants have been historically used: PFOA and ADV and a third, cC6O4 substituted PFOA from mid-2013. This work is summarizing occupational exposure to these chemicals in the period 2004-2021, assessed by biological monitoring. Moreover, taking advantage of the phasing out of PFOA, the elimination kinetics of PFOA in humans is investigated. METHODS Workers exposed to PFOA (from beginning of the sixties to 2013), ADV (since 1996), and/or cC6O4 (since 2012) in the production of fluoropolymers, in the synthesis, research, and analysis, were periodically surveyed from 2004, measuring the concentration of perfluoroalkyl acid surfactants in serum. Workers of the same plants, not directly exposed, were surveyed as well. Applying the first-order kinetics model, the half-life of PFOA was calculated. RESULTS 809 Workers were investigated with measurements of PFOA (n = 3692), ADV (n = 4288) and cC6O4 (n = 2272) in serum. In the production plant, median PFOA ranged from 1900 to 14 µg/l from 2004 to 2021; median ADV ranged from 434 to 86 µg/l from 2011 to 2021. For cC6O4 the detection percentage ranged from 9 to 47%; in detected samples median cC6O4 ranged from 3 to 16 µg/l in the period 2013-2021. Adopted mitigation measurements included: the phasing out of PFOA, the improvement of the plastomer and elastomer post-treatments; the reinforcement of the staff involved in prevention. Decreasing trends were observed for all chemicals along years (P value for linear trend of means < 0.01). For PFOA, a half-life of 3.16 (95% CI 2.98-3.37) years was calculated. CONCLUSIONS In the study plants, several initiatives to reduce exposure and the risk associated with perfluoroalkyl surfactants were undertaken; results of biomonitoring show that they were effective, with a 5- to 136-fold reduction in the concentration of perfluoroalkyl compounds in the serum of workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Fustinoni
- Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via S. Barnaba, 8 - 20122, Milano, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza, 35 - 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Consonni
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza, 35 - 20122, Milan, Italy
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Schillemans T, Bergdahl IA, Hanhineva K, Shi L, Donat-Vargas C, Koponen J, Kiviranta H, Landberg R, Åkesson A, Brunius C. Associations of PFAS-related plasma metabolites with cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114570. [PMID: 36243049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The wide-spread environmental pollutants per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have repeatedly been associated with elevated serum cholesterol in humans. However, underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Furthermore, we have previously observed inverse associations with plasma triglycerides. To better understand PFAS-induced effects on lipid pathways we investigated associations of PFAS-related metabolite features with plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. We used 290 PFAS-related metabolite features that we previously discovered from untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectometry metabolomics in a case-control study within the Swedish Västerbotten Intervention Programme cohort. Herein, we studied associations of these PFAS-related metabolite features with plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in plasma samples from 187 healthy control subjects collected on two occasions between 1991 and 2013. The PFAS-related features did not associate with cholesterol, but 50 features were associated with triglycerides. Principal component analysis on these features indicated that one metabolite pattern, dominated by glycerophospholipids, correlated with longer chain PFAS and associated inversely with triglycerides (both cross-sectionally and prospectively), after adjustment for confounders. The observed time-trend of the metabolite pattern resembled that of the longer chain PFAS, with higher levels during the years 2004-2010. Mechanisms linking PFAS exposures to triglycerides may thus occur via longer chain PFAS affecting glycerophospholipid metabolism. If the results reflect a cause-effect association, as implied by the time-trend and prospective analyses, this may affect the general adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Schillemans
- Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - I A Bergdahl
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - K Hanhineva
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - L Shi
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; School of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an, China
| | - C Donat-Vargas
- Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, CEI UAM+CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Koponen
- Department for Health Security, Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - H Kiviranta
- Department for Health Security, Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - R Landberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - A Åkesson
- Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Brunius
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Maranhao Neto GA, Polcrova AB, Pospisilova A, Blaha L, Klanova J, Bobak M, Gonzalez-Rivas JP. Associations between Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers in Adults of Czechia: The Kardiovize Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13898. [PMID: 36360776 PMCID: PMC9656035 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Even though there is evidence of decreasing trends of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Czechia, there are still major sources of PFAS pollution. Regarding the still-inconsistent results of the relationship between cardiometabolic health and PFAS, the present study sought to determine the association between PFAS levels and the presence of cardiometabolic biomarkers, including blood pressure and dysglycemia drivers in the Czech population. A cross-sectional study with 479 subjects (56.4% women, median: 53 years, range: 25-89) was conducted. Four PFAS were measured in serum: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The associations between natural log (ln)-transformed PFAS and cardiometabolic biomarkers were assessed through generalized additive models using linear regression and smoothing thin plate splines, adjusted for potential confounders. There were positive and significant (p < 0.05) associations between the ln-transformed PFOA and glucose (β = 0.01), systolic (β = 0.76) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.65); total cholesterol (β = 0.07) and LDL-c (β = 0.04); and PFOS with glucose (β = 0.03), BMI (β = 2.26), waist circumference (β = 7.89), systolic blood pressure (β = 1.18), total cholesterol (β = 0.13), and HDL-c (β = 0.04). When significant, the correlations of PFNA and PFDA were negative. Of the four PFAS, only PFOA and PFOS showed a positive association, even in serum levels not as high as the values from the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldo A. Maranhao Neto
- International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne’s University Hospital (FNUSA) Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Bartoskova Polcrova
- International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne’s University Hospital (FNUSA) Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Pospisilova
- International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne’s University Hospital (FNUSA) Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ludek Blaha
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klanova
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Bobak
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Juan P. Gonzalez-Rivas
- International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne’s University Hospital (FNUSA) Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Foundation for Clinic, Public Health, and Epidemiology Research of Venezuela (FISPEVEN INC), Caracas 3001, Venezuela
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02138, USA
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Wang W, Nadagouda MN, Mukhopadhyay SM. Advances in Matrix-Supported Palladium Nanocatalysts for Water Treatment. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:3593. [PMID: 36296782 PMCID: PMC9612339 DOI: 10.3390/nano12203593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Advanced catalysts are crucial for a wide range of chemical, pharmaceutical, energy, and environmental applications. They can reduce energy barriers and increase reaction rates for desirable transformations, making many critical large-scale processes feasible, eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and affordable. Advances in nanotechnology have ushered in a new era for heterogeneous catalysis. Nanoscale catalytic materials are known to surpass their conventional macro-sized counterparts in performance and precision, owing it to their ultra-high surface activities and unique size-dependent quantum properties. In water treatment, nanocatalysts can offer significant promise for novel and ecofriendly pollutant degradation technologies that can be tailored for customer-specific needs. In particular, nano-palladium catalysts have shown promise in degrading larger molecules, making them attractive for mitigating emerging contaminants. However, the applicability of nanomaterials, including nanocatalysts, in practical deployable and ecofriendly devices, is severely limited due to their easy proliferation into the service environment, which raises concerns of toxicity, material retrieval, reusability, and related cost and safety issues. To overcome this limitation, matrix-supported hybrid nanostructures, where nanocatalysts are integrated with other solids for stability and durability, can be employed. The interaction between the support and nanocatalysts becomes important in these materials and needs to be well investigated to better understand their physical, chemical, and catalytic behavior. This review paper presents an overview of recent studies on matrix-supported Pd-nanocatalysts and highlights some of the novel emerging concepts. The focus is on suitable approaches to integrate nanocatalysts in water treatment applications to mitigate emerging contaminants including halogenated molecules. The state-of-the-art supports for palladium nanocatalysts that can be deployed in water treatment systems are reviewed. In addition, research opportunities are emphasized to design robust, reusable, and ecofriendly nanocatalyst architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhu Wang
- Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies (FIRST), The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | | | - Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay
- Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies (FIRST), The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
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Zhou Y, Qiao Y, Zhang X, Ma X, Liu H, Wang L. PFOA exposure causes variations of Acot1 among tissues in rats, and Acot1 in serum can be potentially used as a sensitive marker for health monitoring. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2022; 11:872-880. [PMID: 36337235 PMCID: PMC9618101 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfac065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a type of 8-carbon perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) widely used in industrial and domestic products, which now is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) found in the environment. Its structure is similar to fatty acids, which enables it to induce the expression of ACOT genes. To investigate the expression levels of Acot1 in various tissues and organs after exposure to PFOA for 28 days in rats, and to compare the variations of Acot1 expression in different tissues, we sectioned samples and incubated with Acot1 antibody. The results show that the transcription and protein expression levels of Acot1 in the liver and kidney of rats increased significantly. Meanwhile, the transcription and protein expression of Acot1 gene were also detected in testis, muscle, and adipose. The results of immunohistochemistry were also verified by western blot detection, and we detected the transcription of Acot1 gene in these tissues and found that they all increased in varying degrees. In this study, the expression of Acot1 protein in rat serum was detected for the first time, and the expression of Acot1 in rat serum was found to be significantly increased after PFOA exposure. In addition, the expression level of Acot1 in rat organism was found to be higher than that in the control group after 4 days of depuration for 7 days of acute PFOA exposure, and Acot1 protein expression also showed an increase with increasing exposure time, indicating that Acot1 can be used as a sensitive biomarker for health monitoring of PFOA occupational workers or exposed persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbing Zhou
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
| | - Ying Qiao
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
| | - Xuemin Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Laboratory Medicine, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Immunology in Chronic Diseases, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
| | - Xingzhuang Ma
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Laboratory Medicine, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Immunology in Chronic Diseases, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, PR China
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40
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Liu M, Li A, Li Y, Zhang Q, Jiang G. Response to Comment on "Associations between Novel and Legacy Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Human Serum and Thyroid Cancer: A Case and Healthy Population in Shandong Province, East China". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13512-13514. [PMID: 36048160 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
| | - An Li
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois60612, United States
| | - Yingming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310000, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310000, China
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Sandys O, Te Velde A. Raising the Alarm: Environmental Factors in the Onset and Maintenance of Chronic (Low-Grade) Inflammation in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 2022; 67:4355-4368. [PMID: 34981314 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-021-07327-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is defined by several pathophysiological characteristics, such as dysbiosis of the microbiota, epithelial barrier hyperpermeability, systemic dissemination of endotoxins and chronic inflammation. In addition to well-reported environmental factors in non-communicable disease, such as smoking, diet, and exercise, humans are frequently exposed to myriads more environmental factors, from pesticides to food additives. Such factors are ubiquitous across both our diet and indoor/outdoor environments. A major route of human exposure to these factors is ingestion, which frequently occurs due to their intentional addition (intentional food additives) and/or unintentional contamination (unintentional food contaminants) of food products-often linked to environmental pollution. Understanding how this persistent, diverse exposure impacts GI health is of paramount importance, as deterioration of the GI barrier is proposed to be the first step towards systemic inflammation and chronic disease. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the impact of ingestion of environmental factors on inflammatory processes in the GI tract. In this review, we highlight human exposure to intentional food additives (e.g. emulsifiers, bulking agents) and unintentional food contaminants (e.g. persistent organic pollutants, pesticides, microplastics), then present evidence for their association with chronic disease, modification of the GI microbiota, increased permeability of the GI barrier, systemic dissemination of endotoxins, local (and distal) pro-inflammatory signalling, and induction of oxidative stress and/or endoplasmic reticulum stress. We also propose a link to NLRP3-inflammasome activation. These findings highlight the contribution of common environmental factors towards deterioration of GI health and the induction of pathophysiology associated with onset and maintenance of chronic inflammation in the GI tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Sandys
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AGEM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anje Te Velde
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, AGEM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Rosen EM, Kotlarz N, Knappe DR, Lea CS, Collier DN, Richardson DB, Hoppin JA. Drinking Water-Associated PFAS and Fluoroethers and Lipid Outcomes in the GenX Exposure Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:97002. [PMID: 36069575 PMCID: PMC9450637 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residents of Wilmington, North, Carolina, were exposed to drinking water contaminated by fluoroethers and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), with fluoroether exposure occurring from 1980 to 2017. PFOA and PFOS have previously been associated with metabolic dysfunction; however, few prior studies have examined associations between other PFAS and lipid levels. OBJECTIVES We measured the association between serum fluoroether and legacy PFAS levels and various cholesterol outcomes. METHODS Participants in the GenX Exposure Study contributed nonfasting blood samples in November 2017 and May 2018 that were analyzed for 20 PFAS (10 legacy, 10 fluoroethers) and serum lipids [total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides] and calculated non-HDL cholesterol. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations between quartiles of exposure to each of the PFAS measures (as well as the summed concentrations of legacy PFAS, fluoroethers, and all 10 targeted PFAS) and lipid outcomes by fitting inverse probability of treatment weighted linear regressions. RESULTS In this cross-sectional study of 326 participants (age range 6-86 y), eight PFAS were detected in > 50 % of the population. For PFOS and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), non-HDL cholesterol was approximately 5 mg / dL higher per exposure quartile increase: [PFOS: 4.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10, 9.68 and PFNA: 5.25 (95% CI: 0.39, 10.1)], whereas total cholesterol was approximately 6 mg / dL higher per quartile [PFOS: 5.71 (95% CI: 0.38, 11.0), PFNA: 5.92 (95% CI: 0.19, 11.7)]. In age-stratified analyses, associations were strongest among the oldest participants. Two fluoroethers were associated with higher HDL, whereas other fluoroether compounds were not associated with serum lipid levels. DISCUSSION PFNA and PFOS were associated with higher levels of total and non-HDL cholesterol, with associations larger in magnitude among older adults. In the presence of these legacy PFAS, fluoroethers appeared to be associated with HDL but not non-HDL lipid measures. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11033.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M. Rosen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina (UNC) Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nadine Kotlarz
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Detlef R.U. Knappe
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - C. Suzanne Lea
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Public Health, East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - David N. Collier
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Brody School of Medicine, ECU, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - David B. Richardson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina (UNC) Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of California Irvine Public Health, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Steenland K, Hofmann JN, Silverman DT, Bartell SM. Risk assessment for PFOA and kidney cancer based on a pooled analysis of two studies. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107425. [PMID: 35905598 PMCID: PMC9378494 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been associated with kidney cancer in human studies. METHODS We conducted a pooled analysis of two large studies of PFOA and renal cell carcinoma (RCC, the most common type of kidney cancer); one from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (324 cases and controls), and a second from the C8 Science Panel (103 cases and 511 controls). Serum PFOA levels were estimated a median of 8 years before diagnosis. Analyses were conducted via conditional logistic regression. Lifetime risk of kidney cancer per unit serum PFOA concentration and per unit dose were calculated. RESULTS The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles of serum PFOA levels were 4.8, 7.3, and 23.9 ng/ml for the pooled analysis. The preferred model for the pooled datawas a two-piece linear spline model (knot at 12.5 ng/ml serum PFOA); the log odds of RCC increased 0.1349 per 1 ng/ml increase in serum PFOA up to the knot (eg, an OR of 2.02 (1.45-2.80) from the median to the knot), and was flat thereafter. The estimated lifetime excess risk (cancer slope factor) with an exposure of 1 ng/ml was 0.0018, similar to the excess risk of 0.0026 recently reported by CalEPA based on different methods. Assuming a serum half-life of 2.3 years and a distribution volume of 170 ml/kg for PFOA, our results are equivalent to 0.0128 per ng/kg/d of PFOA intake. To limit excess lifetime kidney cancer risk to 1/1,000,000, our data suggest a limit of 0.0015 ng/L (0.0015 ppt) for PFOA in drinking water, similar to CalEPA's proposed Public Health Goal and the new US EPA Drinking Water Health Advisory. CONCLUSIONS Our results correspond reasonably well with cancer slope factors developed by other investigators using published summary data, and suggest drinking water limits similar to new recommendations by the US EPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Steenland
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, USA.
| | - J N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - D T Silverman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - S M Bartell
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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The effect of chronic exposure to a low concentration of perfluorooctanoic acid on cognitive function and intestinal health of obese mice induced by a high-fat diet. Food Chem Toxicol 2022; 168:113395. [PMID: 36049591 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2022.113395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a persistent organic pollutant associated with many adverse health risks. Evidence suggests that obese individuals may be more susceptible to environmental substances. In the present work, we explored the effects of PFOA exposure on the cognitive function and intestinal health of obese mice. Obese mice induced by a high-fat diet were exposed to PFOA (0.5 mg/kg (bw)/day) via drinking water for 100 days. After exposure to PFOA, decreased body weight, enlarged liver, abnormal behavior, impaired synapse structure, neuroinflammation, activated glial cell, decreased nerve growth factor, altered gut microbiota, and disturbed serum metabolites were observed, while the gut inflammation and intestinal barrier were not significantly influenced. These results suggest that exposure to PFOA is associated with cognitive impairment in obese mice.
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45
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Kidd J, Fabricatore E, Jackson D. Current and future federal and state sampling guidance for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in environmental matrices. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155523. [PMID: 35504374 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of emerging contaminants composed of an estimated 5000 to 10,000 human-made, fluorinated, organic chemicals. Due to the complexity of PFAS, the need for multiple environmental matrix considerations and the absence of a promulgated federal standard for environmental sampling and analysis, U.S. states have begun developing health-based regulatory and/or guidance values for a limited number of PFAS in environmental matrices. As there is a growing body of science to inform PFAS sampling guidance standard development, it is important to understand which U.S. states are implementing sampling guidelines and how they plan to handle emerging PFAS. This critical review discusses the current and impending federal and state sampling guidelines for PFAS in environmental matrices, the data gaps surrounding PFAS sampling guidance in U.S. states, and the future impacts of impending guidance documents and regulations. Ten federal guidance documents are available for PFAS sampling guidance and analysis. The maximum number of PFAS covered in these guidance documents is 25 analytes spanning across 8 unique media. While the EPA has developed several different sampling and analytical guidelines for PFAS, there is no formal regulation of PFAS or requirements of states to enforce these guidelines. As a result, only 31 states have informally adopted sampling guidelines, while the other 19 states have no guidance documentation in place for PFAS. The introduction of new PFAS sampling guidelines by the EPA, as well as updated analytical guidelines that target more PFAS or total organofluoride, is expected to continuously shift the landscape of federal and state guidance for PFAS sampling moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Kidd
- Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC 29808, United States.
| | - Emily Fabricatore
- Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC 29808, United States.
| | - Dennis Jackson
- Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC 29808, United States.
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Dickman RA, Aga DS. A review of recent studies on toxicity, sequestration, and degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 436:129120. [PMID: 35643010 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The fate, effects, and treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), an anthropogenic class of chemicals used in industrial and commercial production, are topics of great interest in recent research and news cycles. This interest stems from the ubiquity of PFAS in the global environment as well as their significant toxicological effects in humans and wildlife. Research on toxicity, sequestration, removal, and degradation of PFAS has grown rapidly, leading to a flood of valuable knowledge that can get swamped out in the perpetual rise in the number of publications. Selected papers from the Journal of Hazardous Materials between January 2018 and May 2022 on the toxicity, sequestration, and degradation of PFAS are reviewed in this article and made available as open-access publications for one year, in order to facilitate the distribution of critical knowledge surrounding PFAS. This review discusses routes of toxicity as observed in mammalian and cellular models, and the observed human health effects in exposed communities. Studies that evaluate of toxicity through in-silico approaches are highlighted in this paper. Removal of PFAS through modified carbon sorbents, nanoparticles, and anion exchange materials are discussed while comparing treatment efficiencies for different classes of PFAS. Finally, various biotic and abiotic degradation techniques, and the pathways and mechanisms involved are reviewed to provide a better understanding on the removal efficiencies and cost effectiveness of existing treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Dickman
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States
| | - Diana S Aga
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States.
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Girardi P, Lupo A, Mastromatteo LY, Scrimin S. Mothers living with contamination of perfluoroalkyl substances: an assessment of the perceived health risk and self-reported diseases. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:60491-60507. [PMID: 35426015 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20085-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Widespread contamination of the superficial, drinking, and groundwater by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was discovered in the Veneto Region (northeast of Italy) in 2013. Mothers from the contaminated area were concerned about the effects of PFAS on their own and their children's health. We determined the factors that influenced the perceived risk of PFAS and the presence of self-reported diseases by conducting a study with 384 mothers of children aged 1-13 years living in the contaminated area (Red Zone, Veneto, Italy). Information on demography, the sources of exposure, and the health condition of the mothers was collected through an online survey. The serum PFAS concentration was recorded for some of the participants. We determined the factors influencing the perceived risk, risk of health outcomes, and serum PFAS levels through regression analyses. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers increased with an increase in the trust in scientific institutions and social media, and when many friends were present, trust in politics and full-time employment had a protective effect. The PFAS perceived risk increased the occurrences of self-reported and autoimmune diseases. Longer residence (> 20 years) in the most exposed area (Red Zone A) increased the frequency of some health outcomes. Serum PFAS concentrations decreased with breastfeeding, but increased with tap water consumption, residence in Red Zone A, and residence time. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers was associated with many factors that influenced reporting of health issues. The association between PFAS exposure and health outcomes needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Girardi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
| | - Alice Lupo
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Sara Scrimin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Obsekov V, Kahn LG, Trasande L. Leveraging Systematic Reviews to Explore Disease Burden and Costs of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposures in the United States. EXPOSURE AND HEALTH 2022; 15:373-394. [PMID: 37213870 PMCID: PMC10198842 DOI: 10.1007/s12403-022-00496-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Accelerating evidence confirms the contribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to disease burden and disability across the lifespan. Given that policy makers raise the high cost of remediation and of substituting PFAS with safer alternatives in consumer products as barriers to confronting adverse health outcomes associated with PFAS exposure, it is important to document the costs of inaction even in the presence of uncertainty. We therefore quantified disease burdens and related economic costs due to legacy PFAS exposures in the US in 2018. We leveraged systematic reviews and used meta-analytic inputs whenever possible, identified previously published exposure-response relationships, and calculated PFOA- and PFOS-attributable increases in 13 conditions. These increments were then applied to census data to determine total annual PFOA- and PFOS-attributable cases of disease, from which we calculated economic costs due to medical care and lost productivity using previously published cost-of-illness data. We identified PFAS-attributable disease costs in the US of $5.52 billion across five primary disease endpoints shown to be associated with PFAS exposure in meta-analyses. This estimate represented the lower bound, with sensitivity analyses revealing as much as $62.6 billion in overall costs. While further work is needed to assess probability of causation and establish with greater certainty effects of the broader category of PFAS, the results confirm further that public health and policy interventions are still necessary to reduce exposure to PFOA and PFOS and their endocrine-disrupting effects. This study demonstrates the large potential economic implications of regulatory inaction. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12403-022-00496-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav Obsekov
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Linda G. Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
- Department of Environmental Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
- NYU Wagner School of Public Service, New York, NY USA
- NYU School of Global Public Health, New York, NY USA
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Grouping of PFAS for human health risk assessment: Findings from an independent panel of experts. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 134:105226. [PMID: 35817206 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2022.105226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
An expert panel was convened to provide insight and guidance on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) grouping for the purposes of protecting human health from drinking water exposures, and how risks to PFAS mixtures should be assessed. These questions were addressed through multiple rounds of blind, independent responses to charge questions, and review and comments on co-panelists responses. The experts agreed that the lack of consistent interpretations of human health risk for well-studied PFAS and the lack of information for the vast majority of PFAS present significant challenges for any mixtures risk assessment approach. Most experts agreed that "all PFAS" should not be grouped together, persistence alone is not sufficient for grouping PFAS for the purposes of assessing human health risk, and that the definition of appropriate subgroups can only be defined on a case-by-case manner. Most panelists agreed that it is inappropriate to assume equal toxicity/potency across the diverse class of PFAS. A tiered approach combining multiple lines of evidence was presented as a possible viable means for addressing PFAS that lack analytical and/or toxicological studies. Most PFAS risk assessments will need to employ assumptions that are more likely to overestimate risk than to underestimate risk, given the choice of assumptions regarding dose-response model, uncertainty factors, and exposure information.
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Fromme H, Fuchs V, Albrecht M, Aschenbrenner B, Röhl C, Janitzki N, Herber-Jonat S, Wöckner M, Völkel W, Flemmer AW, Schober W. Polychlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), polybrominated dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/F), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in German breast milk samples (LUPE 8). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:154066. [PMID: 35217048 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Most organic pollutants (POP) are persistent in the environment, accumulate in fatty tissues, and so a transfer through the food chain is probably, thereby causing various health effects. We quantified PCDD/F, PBDD/F, PCB, PBDE, perfluorinated substances, and ADONA in breast milk samples collected in two German federal states and breast milk and blood samples from subjects additionally exposed to PFOA. The median (95th percentile) concentrations were 2.43 (6.58) pgWHO2005TEQ/g l.w. for PCDD/F, 2.45 (4.82) pgWHO2005TEQ/g l.w. for dioxin-like PCB (dl-PCB), and 0.62 (2.69) pgWHO2005TEQ/g l.w. for PBDD/F. The relative contributions of the median values of PCDD/F, dl-PCB, and PBDD/F to the total-TEQ were approximately 41%, 42%, and 11%, respectively. Nondioxin-like PCB (ndl-PCB) concentrations were clearly dominated by the higher chlorinated PCB congeners, with medians of 23.2 ng/g l.w. for PCB 153, 13.9 ng/g l.w. for PCB 138, and 13.0 ng/g l.w. for PCB 180. The sum of the 3 congeners (PCB 138, 153, and 180) were multiplied with 1.64 (total PCB) and showed a median of 82.16 ng/g l.w. and a 95th percentile of 173.3 ng/g l.w. Only PFOA and PFOS could be quantified in 29% and 17% of in total 180 samples with 95th percentiles of 53 ng/l and 33 ng/l, respectively. Milk samples (n = 13) from subjects living on PFOA contaminated sites showed higher levels between 33 and 854 ng/l PFOA (mean: 199 ng/l), whilst PFOS could be quantified only in three samples. The sum of 17 PBDE congeners showed medians (95th percentile) of 1737 pg/g l.w. (22,806 pg/g l.w.), with the highest medians of 422 pg/g l.w. for BDE 209 and 378 pg/g l.w. for BDE 153. Overall, our study confirms the declining contamination level in breast milk during the last decade, but points out the need to further reduce the environmental contamination with persistent substances and subsequently the exposure in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Fromme
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Ziemssenstrasse 1, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
| | - Veronika Fuchs
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Albrecht
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Dioxins, Irradiation, Nitrosamines, Radioactivity, Veterinaerstrasse 2, D-85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Bettina Aschenbrenner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Röhl
- Schleswig-Holstein State Agency for Social Services, Department of Environmental Health Protection, Gartenstrasse 24, D-24534 Neumünster, Germany
| | - Nora Janitzki
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Herber-Jonat
- Division of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Dr. V. Hauner and Perinatal Center, LMU Hospital, Marchioninistrasse 15, Munich D-81377, Germany
| | - Mandy Wöckner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Völkel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas W Flemmer
- Division of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Dr. V. Hauner and Perinatal Center, LMU Hospital, Marchioninistrasse 15, Munich D-81377, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schober
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology, Pfarrstrasse 3, D-80538 Munich, Germany
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