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Li Y, Baumert BO, Stratakis N, Goodrich JA, Wu H, Liu SH, Wang H, Beglarian E, Bartell SM, Eckel SP, Walker D, Valvi D, La Merrill MA, Inge TH, Jenkins T, Ryder JR, Sisley S, Kohli R, Xanthakos SA, Vafeiadi M, Margetaki A, Roumeliotaki T, Aung M, McConnell R, Baccarelli A, Conti D, Chatzi L. Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and alterations in plasma microRNA profiles in children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 259:119496. [PMID: 38936497 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119496] [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: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that persist in the environment and can accumulate in humans, leading to adverse health effects. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging biomarkers that can advance the understanding of the mechanisms of PFAS effects on human health. However, little is known about the associations between PFAS exposures and miRNA alterations in humans. OBJECTIVE To investigate associations between PFAS concentrations and miRNA levels in children. METHODS Data from two distinct cohorts were utilized: 176 participants (average age 17.1 years; 75.6% female) from the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) cohort in the United States, and 64 participants (average age 6.5 years, 39.1% female) from the Rhea study, a mother-child cohort in Greece. PFAS concentrations and miRNA levels were assessed in plasma samples from both studies. Associations between individual PFAS and plasma miRNA levels were examined after adjusting for covariates. Additionally, the cumulative effects of PFAS mixtures were evaluated using an exposure burden score. Ingenuity Pathways Analysis was employed to identify potential disease functions of PFAS-associated miRNAs. RESULTS Plasma PFAS concentrations were associated with alterations in 475 miRNAs in the Teen-LABs study and 5 miRNAs in the Rhea study (FDR p < 0.1). Specifically, plasma PFAS concentrations were consistently associated with decreased levels of miR-148b-3p and miR-29a-3p in both cohorts. Pathway analysis indicated that PFAS-related miRNAs were linked to numerous chronic disease pathways, including cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory conditions, and carcinogenesis. CONCLUSION Through miRNA screenings in two independent cohorts, this study identified both known and novel miRNAs associated with PFAS exposure in children. Pathway analysis revealed the involvement of these miRNAs in several cancer and inflammation-related pathways. Further studies are warranted to enhance our understanding of the relationships between PFAS exposure and disease risks, with miRNA emerging as potential biomarkers and/or mediators in these complex pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Li
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brittney O Baumert
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Jesse A Goodrich
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shelley H Liu
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hongxu Wang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emily Beglarian
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Scott M Bartell
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sandrah Proctor Eckel
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Douglas Walker
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Thomas H Inge
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Todd Jenkins
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Justin R Ryder
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephanie Sisley
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rohit Kohli
- Division of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stavra A Xanthakos
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marina Vafeiadi
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Margetaki
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
| | - Max Aung
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrea Baccarelli
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Conti
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lida Chatzi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Timmermann A, Johansen IS, Tolstrup M, Heilmann C, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Tolstrup JS, Nielsen F, Grandjean P. Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in Danish adults exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs): The ENFORCE study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 263:120039. [PMID: 39326653 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have immunotoxic effects in children while studies in adults, including recent studies on the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine response have been less consistent. In a cohort of 50-69-year-olds repeatedly vaccinated against COVID-19 in Denmark from early 2021, we aimed to assess the association between serum-PFAS concentrations and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. METHODS We assessed serum-PFAS concentrations among 371 middle-aged adults from the National Cohort Study of Effectiveness and Safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (ENFORCE) who had received their first vaccination against COVID-19. Following the second dose and the booster (third) Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccination, we measured the specific spike IgG antibody response. Associations between serum-PFAS concentrations at inclusion and spike IgG antibody concentrations after vaccination were assessed using median regression, and analyses were adjusted for age, sex, presence of diabetes, number of vaccines received, and time since vaccination. We further examined the associations between serum-PFAS concentrations at inclusion and changes in spike IgG antibody concentration between the second dose and booster (third) vaccination. RESULTS Serum-PFAS concentrations were not associated with spike IgG antibody concentrations after the SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, but the increase in response after the booster (third) vaccination compared to after the second vaccination was consistently lower at higher serum-PFAS concentrations. Each doubling in the concentration of seven serum-PFASs was associated with a 802 BAU/mL lower median increase in spike IgG antibody response after the booster (third) vaccination (95% CI: -1812; 208) adjusted for confounders. DISCUSSION As many adults were probably not immunological naïve prior to vaccination, our results were likely affected by individual variability in immune response to the vaccination. Despite this uncertainty, the diminished increase in SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody response after the booster (third) vaccination at higher PFAS exposure may potentially reflect an immunotoxic impact of the PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalie Timmermann
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Isik S Johansen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Research Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Martin Tolstrup
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Carsten Heilmann
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunodeficiency, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Janne S Tolstrup
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States.
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3
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Forthun IH, Roelants M, Knutsen HK, Haug LS, Iszatt N, Schell LM, Jugessur A, Bjerknes R, Oehme NB, Madsen A, Bruserud IS, Juliusson PB. Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Timing of Puberty in Norwegian Boys: Data from the Bergen Growth Study 2. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:16336-16346. [PMID: 39226441 PMCID: PMC11411722 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c06062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants with endocrine-disruptive properties. Their impact on puberty in boys is unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the association between PFAS exposure and pubertal timing in 300 Norwegian boys (9-16 years), enrolled in the Bergen Growth Study 2 during 2016. We measured 19 PFAS in serum samples and used objective pubertal markers, including ultrasound-measured testicular volume (USTV), Tanner staging of pubic hair development, and serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. In addition to logistic regression of single pollutants and the sum of PFAS, Bayesian and elastic net regression were used to estimate the contribution of the individual PFAS. Higher levels of the sum of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) were associated with later pubertal onset according to USTV (age-adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29, 3.93) and testosterone level (AOR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.34, 4.36). Bayesian modeling showed that higher levels of PFNA and PFHxS were associated with later pubertal onset by USTV, while higher levels of PFNA and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) were associated with later pubertal onset by testosterone level. Our findings indicate that certain PFAS were associated with delay in male pubertal onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingvild Halsør Forthun
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
- Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Mathieu Roelants
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Helle Katrine Knutsen
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Albany, New York 12144, United States
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Robert Bjerknes
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
- Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ninnie B Oehme
- Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Andre Madsen
- Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Petur Benedikt Juliusson
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
- Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Health Registry Research and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 5808 Bergen, Norway
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4
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Davias A, Lyon-Caen S, Rolland M, Iszatt N, Thomsen C, Haug LS, Sakhi AK, Monot C, Rayah Y, Ilhan ZE, Jovanovic N, Philippat C, Eggesbo M, Lepage P, Slama R. Perinatal Exposure to Phenols and Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Gut Microbiota in One-Year-Old Children. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:15395-15414. [PMID: 39173114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The role of the gut microbiota in human health calls for a better understanding of its determinants. In particular, the possible effects of chemicals with widespread exposure other than pharmaceuticals are little known. Our aim was to characterize the sensitivity of the early-life gut microbiota to specific chemicals with possible antimicrobial action. Within the SEPAGES French couple-child cohort, we assessed 12 phenols in repeated urine samples from 356 pregnant women and their offspring and 19 poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in serum from the pregnant women. We collected stool samples from the children at one year of age, in which the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced, allowing for gut bacterial profiling. Associations of each chemical with α- and β-diversity indices of the gut microbiota and with the relative abundance of the most abundant taxa were assessed using single-pollutant and mixture (BKMR) models. Perinatal exposure to certain parabens was associated with gut microbiota α- and β-diversity and with Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Suggestive associations of certain phenols with genera of the Lachnospiraceae and Enterobacteriaceae families were observed, but these were not maintained after correction for multiple testing. Parabens, which have known antimicrobial properties, might disrupt the child gut microbiota, but larger studies are required to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Davias
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Sarah Lyon-Caen
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Matthieu Rolland
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Cathrine Thomsen
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Amrit Kaur Sakhi
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Celine Monot
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France
| | - Yamina Rayah
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France
| | - Zehra Esra Ilhan
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France
| | - Nicolas Jovanovic
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Claire Philippat
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Merete Eggesbo
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Patricia Lepage
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France
| | - Rémy Slama
- Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, La Tronche 38700, France
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5
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Baumert BO, Maretti-Mira AC, Li Z, Stratakis N, Zhao Y, Walker DI, Wang H, Fischer FC, Jia Q, Valvi D, Bartell SM, Chen C, Inge T, Ryder J, Jenkins T, Sisley S, Xanthakos S, Kohli R, Rock S, Eckel SP, La Merrill MA, Aung MM, Salomon MP, McConnell R, Goodrich J, Conti DV, Golden-Mason L, Chatzi L. PFHpA alters lipid metabolism and increases the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in youth-a translational research framework. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.07.01.24309775. [PMID: 39006440 PMCID: PMC11245066 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.01.24309775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
To address the growing epidemic of liver disease, particularly in pediatric populations, it is crucial to identify modifiable risk factors for the development and progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent ubiquitous chemicals and have emerged as potential risk factors for liver damage. However, their impact on the etiology and severity of MASLD remains largely unexplored in humans. This study aims to bridge the gap between human and in vitro studies to understand how exposure to perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), one of the emerging PFAS replacements which accumulates in high concentrations in the liver, contributes to MASLD risk and progression. First, we showed that PFHpA plasma concentrations were significantly associated with increased risk of MASLD in obese adolescents. Further, we examined the impact of PFHpA on hepatic metabolism using 3D human liver spheroids and single-cell transcriptomics to identify major hepatic pathways affected by PFHpA. Next, we integrated the in vivo and in vitro multi-omics datasets with a novel statistical approach which identified signatures of proteins and metabolites associated with MASLD development triggered by PFHpA exposure. In addition to characterizing the contribution of PFHpA to MASLD progression, our study provides a novel strategy to identify individuals at high risk of PFHpA-induced MASLD and develop early intervention strategies. Notably, our analysis revealed that the proteomic signature exhibited a stronger correlation between both PFHpA exposure and MASLD risk compared to the metabolomic signature. While establishing a clear connection between PFHpA exposure and MASLD progression in humans, our study delved into the molecular mechanisms through which PFHpA disrupts liver metabolism. Our in vitro findings revealed that PFHpA primarily impacts lipid metabolism, leading to a notable increase of lipid accumulation in human hepatocytes after PFHpA exposure. Among the pathways involved in lipid metabolism in hepatocytes, regulation of lipid metabolism by PPAR-a showed a remarkable activation. Moreover, the translational research framework we developed by integrating human and in vitro data provided us biomarkers to identify individuals at a high risk of MASLD due to PFHpA exposure. Our framework can inform policies on PFAS-induced liver disease and identify potential targets for prevention and treatment strategies.
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6
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Zhang Y, Gao Y, Liu QS, Zhou Q, Jiang G. Chemical contaminants in blood and their implications in chronic diseases. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133511. [PMID: 38262316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133511] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Artificial chemical products are widely used and ubiquitous worldwide and pose a threat to the environment and human health. Accumulating epidemiological and toxicological evidence has elucidated the contributions of environmental chemical contaminants to the incidence and development of chronic diseases that have a negative impact on quality of life or may be life-threatening. However, the pathways of exposure to these chemicals and their involvements in chronic diseases remain unclear. We comprehensively reviewed the research progress on the exposure risks of humans to environmental contaminants, their body burden as indicated by blood monitoring, and the correlation of blood chemical contaminants with chronic diseases. After entering the human body through various routes of exposure, environmental contaminants are transported to target organs through blood circulation. The application of the modern analytical techniques based on human plasma or serum specimens is promising for determining the body burden of environmental contaminants, including legacy persistent organic pollutants, emerging pollutants, and inorganic elements. Furthermore, their body burden, as indicated by blood monitoring correlates with the incidence and development of metabolic syndromes, cancers, chronic nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive disorders. On this basis, we highlight the urgent need for further research on environmental pollution causing health problems in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Yurou Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Qian S Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China.
| | - Qunfang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, PR China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, PR China
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7
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Brennan Kearns P, van den Dries MA, Julvez J, Kampouri M, López-Vicente M, Maitre L, Philippat C, Småstuen Haug L, Vafeiadi M, Thomsen C, Yang TC, Vrijheid M, Tiemeier H, Guxens M. Association of exposure to mixture of chemicals during pregnancy with cognitive abilities and fine motor function of children. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108490. [PMID: 38364572 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108490] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Chemical exposures often occur in mixtures and exposures during pregnancy may lead to adverse effects on the fetal brain, potentially reducing lower cognitive abilities and fine motor function of the child. We investigated the association of motheŕs exposure to a mixture of chemicals during pregnancy (i.e., organochlorine compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, phenols, phthalates, organophosphate pesticides) with cognitive abilties and fine motor function in their children. We studied 1097 mother-child pairs from five European cohorts participating in the Human Early Life Exposome study (HELIX). Measurement of 26 biomarkers of exposure to chemicals was performed on urine or blood samples of pregnant women (mean age 31 years). Cognitive abilities and fine motor function were assessed in their children (mean age 8 years) with a battery of computerized tests administered in person (Raveńs Coloured Progressive Matrices, Attention Network Test, N-back Test, Trail Making Test, Finger Tapping Test). We estimated the joint effect of prenatal exposure to chemicals on cognitive abilities and fine motor function using the quantile-based g-computation method, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. A quartile increase in all the chemicals in the overall mixture was associated with worse fine motor function, specifically lower scores in the Finger Tapping Test [-8.5 points, 95 % confidence interval (CI) -13.6 to -3.4; -14.5 points, 95 % CI -22.4 to -6.6, and -18.0 points, 95 % CI -28.6 to -7.4) for the second, third and fourth quartile of the overal mixture, respectively, when compared to the first quartile]. Organochlorine compounds, phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contributed most to this association. We did not find a relationship with cognitive abilities. We conclude that exposure to chemical mixtures during pregnancy may influence neurodevelopment, impacting fine motor function of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Brennan Kearns
- Department of Epidemiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Michiel A van den Dries
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jordi Julvez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Clinical and Epidemiological Neuroscience (NeuroÈpia), Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43204 Reus, Spain
| | - Mariza Kampouri
- University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mónica López-Vicente
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Lea Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Claire Philippat
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Food Safety, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Cathrine Thomsen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Food Safety, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tiffany C Yang
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Mònica Guxens
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
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8
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Cserbik D, Casas M, Flores C, Paraian A, Haug LS, Rivas I, Bustamante M, Dadvand P, Sunyer J, Vrijheid M, Villanueva CM. Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paired tap water and blood samples during pregnancy. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:90-96. [PMID: 37749395 PMCID: PMC10907290 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00581-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dora Cserbik
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maribel Casas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cintia Flores
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory/Organic Pollutants, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexandra Paraian
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory/Organic Pollutants, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ioar Rivas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina M Villanueva
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.
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9
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Braun G, Krauss M, Escher BI. Recovery of 400 Chemicals with Three Extraction Methods for Low Volumes of Human Plasma Quantified by Instrumental Analysis and In Vitro Bioassays. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19363-19373. [PMID: 37987701 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Human biomonitoring studies are important for understanding adverse health outcomes caused by exposure to chemicals. Complex mixtures of chemicals detected in blood - the blood exposome - may serve as proxies for systemic exposure. Ideally, several analytical methods are combined with in vitro bioassays to capture chemical mixtures as diverse as possible. How many and which (bio)analyses can be performed is limited by the sample volume and compatibility of extraction and (bio)analytical methods. We compared the extraction efficacy of three extraction methods using pooled human plasma spiked with >400 organic chemicals. Passive equilibrium sampling (PES) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) followed by solid phase extraction (PES + SPE), SPE alone (SPE), and solvent precipitation (SolvPrec) were compared for chemical recovery in LC-HRMS and GC-HRMS as well as effect recovery in four mammalian cell lines (AhR-CALUX, SH-SY5Y, AREc32, PPARγ-BLA). The mean chemical recoveries were 38% for PES + SPE, 27% for SPE, and 61% for SolvPrec. PES + SPE enhanced the mean chemical recovery compared to SPE, especially for neutral hydrophobic chemicals. PES + SPE and SolvPrec had effect recoveries of 100-200% in all four cell lines, outperforming SPE, which had 30-100% effect recovery. Although SolvPrec has the best chemical recoveries, it does not remove matrix like inorganics or lipids, which might pose problems for some (bio)analytical methods. PES + SPE is the most promising method for sample preparation in human biomonitoring as it combines good recoveries with cleanup, enrichment, and potential for high throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Krauss
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
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10
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Baumert BO, Fischer FC, Nielsen F, Grandjean P, Bartell S, Stratakis N, Walker DI, Valvi D, Kohli R, Inge T, Ryder J, Jenkins T, Sisley S, Xanthakos S, Rock S, La Merrill MA, Conti D, McConnell R, Chatzi L. Paired Liver:Plasma PFAS Concentration Ratios from Adolescents in the Teen-LABS Study and Derivation of Empirical and Mass Balance Models to Predict and Explain Liver PFAS Accumulation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14817-14826. [PMID: 37756184 PMCID: PMC10591710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Animal studies have pointed at the liver as a hotspot for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) accumulation and toxicity; however, these findings have not been replicated in human populations. We measured concentrations of seven PFAS in matched liver and plasma samples collected at the time of bariatric surgery from 64 adolescents in the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) study. Liver:plasma concentration ratios were perfectly explained (r2 > 0.99) in a multilinear regression (MLR) model based on toxicokinetic (TK) descriptors consisting of binding to tissue constituents and membrane permeabilities. Of the seven matched plasma and liver PFAS concentrations compared in this study, the liver:plasma concentration ratio of perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) was considerably higher than the liver:plasma concentration ratio of other PFAS congeners. Comparing the MLR model with an equilibrium mass balance model (MBM) suggested that complex kinetic transport processes are driving the unexpectedly high liver:plasma concentration ratio of PFHpA. Intratissue MBM modeling pointed to membrane lipids as the tissue constituents that drive the liver accumulation of long-chain, hydrophobic PFAS, whereas albumin binding of hydrophobic PFAS dominated PFAS distribution in plasma. The liver:plasma concentration data set, empirical MLR model, and mechanistic MBM modeling allow the prediction of liver from plasma concentrations measured in human cohort studies. Our study demonstrates that combining biomonitoring data with mechanistic modeling can identify underlying mechanisms of internal distribution and specific target organ toxicity of PFAS in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney O. Baumert
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90032
| | - Fabian C. Fischer
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, 02134
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark, 5230
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark, 5230
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA, 02881
| | - Scott Bartell
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA, 92697
| | - Nikos Stratakis
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, ISGlobal, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Douglas I. Walker
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Rohit Kohli
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90027
| | - Thomas Inge
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 60611
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA, 60611
| | - Justin Ryder
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 60611
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA, 60611
| | - Todd Jenkins
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 45229
| | - Stephanie Sisley
- Department of Pediatrics, USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, 77030
| | - Stavra Xanthakos
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 45229
| | - Sarah Rock
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90032
| | - Michele A. La Merrill
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA, 95616
| | - David Conti
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90032
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90032
| | - Lida Chatzi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90032
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11
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Philippat C, Coiffier O, Lyon-Caen S, Boudier A, Jovanovic N, Quentin J, Gioria Y, Haug LS, Thomsen C, Bayat S, Slama R, Siroux V. In utero exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances and children respiratory health in the three first years of life. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 234:116544. [PMID: 37406719 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116544] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in a wide range of products. Experimental studies suggested impaired lung development and pro-inflammatory response following exposure to some PFAS. We aimed to assess the associations between prenatal exposure to PFAS and children respiratory health. METHODS The study is based on 433 mother-child pairs. 26 PFAS were measured in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. Lung function parameters were measured at 2 months using tidal breathing flow-volume loops and multiple-breath nitrogen washout and at 36 months using oscillometry. Incidence of respiratory health diseases (asthma, wheeze, bronchitis, bronchiolitis) in the first 36 months of life was assessed by repeated questionnaires. A cluster-based analysis was applied to identify prenatal PFAS exposure patterns. Adjusted linear and logistic regressions were performed to assess the associations between PFAS exposure patterns as well as individual PFAS, and each respiratory health parameter. RESULTS We excluded 13 PFAS due to low quantification (<5%). Relying on the 13 remaining PFAS, we identified three exposure clusters, characterized by low (N = 163), medium (N = 236) and high (N = 51) pregnancy PFAS concentrations. Compared to children belonging to the low exposure group, children in the moderate exposure group had higher reactance at 7 Hz (X7) and lower frequency dependence of resistance between 7 Hz and 19 Hz (R7-19) at 36 months, suggesting better lung function. No association of any exposure metric was detected with respiratory diseases in the first 3 years of life. CONCLUSIONS Our study relying on both mixture and uni-pollutant analyses, does not provide evidence for a deleterious effect of prenatal PFAS exposure on respiratory health at an early age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Philippat
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Ophélie Coiffier
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sarah Lyon-Caen
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Anne Boudier
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France; Pediatrics, CHU Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Nicolas Jovanovic
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Joane Quentin
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France; Department of Pulmonology and Physiology, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Yoann Gioria
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France; Department of Pulmonology and Physiology, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Line Smastuen Haug
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Cathrine Thomsen
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sam Bayat
- Department of Pulmonology and Physiology, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Rémy Slama
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Valérie Siroux
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences 38000, Grenoble, France
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12
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Lin EZ, Nason SL, Zhong A, Fortner J, Godri Pollitt KJ. Trace analysis of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in dried blood spots - Demonstration of reproducibility and comparability to venous blood samples. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 883:163530. [PMID: 37094673 PMCID: PMC10248884 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163530] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used in consumer, personal care, and household products for their stain- and water-repellent properties. PFAS exposure has been linked to various adverse health outcomes. Such exposure has commonly been evaluated in venous blood samples. While this sample type can be obtained from healthy adults, a less invasive method of blood collection is required when evaluating vulnerable populations. Dried blood spots (DBS) have gained attention as a biomatrix for exposure assessment given the relative ease of collection, transport, and storage. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method to measure PFAS in DBS. A workflow is presented for extracting PFAS from DBS, chemical analysis by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, normalization for blood mass, and blank correction to account for potential contamination. Over 80 % recovery was achieved for the 22 PFAS measured with an average coefficient of variation of 14 %. Comparison of PFAS concentrations detected in DBS and paired whole blood samples from six healthy adults was correlated (R2 > 0.9). Findings demonstrate trace levels of a broad range of PFAS in DBS can be reproducibly measured and are comparable to liquid whole blood samples. DBS can offer novel insights to environmental exposures, including during critical windows of susceptibility (i.e., in utero, early life), which have been largely uncharacterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Z Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sara L Nason
- Department of Environmental Science and Forestry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Alexander Zhong
- Department of Quantitative Theory and Methods, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - John Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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13
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Forthun IH, Roelants M, Haug LS, Knutsen HK, Schell LM, Jugessur A, Bjerknes R, Sabaredzovic A, Bruserud IS, Juliusson PB. Levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Norwegian children stratified by age and sex - Data from the Bergen Growth Study 2. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114199. [PMID: 37295275 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Due to the persistence, bioaccumulation and potential adverse health effects, there have been restrictions and phase out in the production of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) since the early 2000s. Published serum levels of PFAS during childhood are variable and may reflect the impact of age, sex, sampling year and exposure history. Surveying the concentrations of PFAS in children is vital to provide information regarding exposure during this critical time of development. The aim of the current study was therefore to evaluate serum concentrations of PFAS in Norwegian schoolchildren according to age and sex. MATERIAL AND METHODS Serum samples from 1094 children (645 girls and 449 boys) aged 6-16 years, attending schools in Bergen, Norway, were analyzed for 19 PFAS. The samples were collected in 2016 as part of the Bergen Growth Study 2. Statistical analyses included Student t-test, one-way ANOVA and Spearman's correlation analysis of log-transformed data. RESULTS Of the 19 PFAS examined, 11 were detected in the serum samples. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononaoic acid (PFNA) were present in all samples with geometric means of 2.67, 1.35, 0.47 and 0.68 ng/mL, respectively. In total, 203 children (19%) had PFAS levels above the safety limits set by the German Human Biomonitoring Commission. Significantly higher serum concentrations were found in boys compared to girls for PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS and perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS). Furthermore, serum concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFHpS were significantly higher in children under the age of 12 years than in older children. CONCLUSIONS PFAS exposure was widespread in the sample population of Norwegian children analyzed in this study. Approximately one out of five children had PFAS levels above safety limits, indicating a potential risk of negative health effects. The majority of the analyzed PFAS showed higher levels in boys than in girls and decreased serum concentrations with age, which may be explained by changes related to growth and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingvild Halsør Forthun
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Mathieu Roelants
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helle Katrine Knutsen
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Robert Bjerknes
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Ingvild Særvold Bruserud
- Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Faculty of Health, VID Specialized University, Bergen, Norway
| | - Petur Benedikt Juliusson
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Health Registry Research and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
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14
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Fábelová L, Beneito A, Casas M, Colles A, Dalsager L, Den Hond E, Dereumeaux C, Ferguson K, Gilles L, Govarts E, Irizar A, Lopez Espinosa MJ, Montazeri P, Morrens B, Patayová H, Rausová K, Richterová D, Rodriguez Martin L, Santa-Marina L, Schettgen T, Schoeters G, Haug LS, Uhl M, Villanger GD, Vrijheid M, Zaros C, Palkovičová Murínová Ľ. PFAS levels and exposure determinants in sensitive population groups. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137530. [PMID: 36509187 PMCID: PMC9846180 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants. The first exposure to PFAS occurs in utero, after birth it continues via breast milk, food intake, environment, and consumer products that contain these chemicals. Our aim was to identify determinants of PFAS concentrations in sensitive population subgroups- pregnant women and newborns. METHODS Nine European birth cohorts provided exposure data on PFAS in pregnant women (INMA-Gipuzkoa, Sabadell, Valencia, ELFE and MoBa; total N = 5897) or newborns (3xG study, FLEHS 2, FLEHS 3 and PRENATAL; total N = 940). PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA concentrations were measured in maternal or cord blood, depending on the cohort (FLEHS 2 measured only PFOS and PFOA). PFAS concentrations were analysed according to maternal characteristics (age, BMI, parity, previous breastfeeding, smoking, and food consumption during pregnancy) and parental educational level. The association between potential determinants and PFAS concentrations was evaluated using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS We observed significant variations in PFAS concentrations among cohorts. Higher PFAS concentrations were associated with higher maternal age, primipara birth, and educational level, both for maternal blood and cord blood. Higher PFAS concentrations in maternal blood were associated with higher consumption of fish and seafood, meat, offal and eggs. In cord blood, higher PFHxS concentrations were associated with daily meat consumption and higher PFNA with offal consumption. Daily milk and dairy consumption were associated with lower concentrations of PFAS in both, pregnant women and newborns. CONCLUSION High detection rates of the four most abundant PFAS demonstrate ubiquitous exposure of sensitive populations, which is of concern. This study identified several determinants of PFAS exposure in pregnant women and newborns, including dietary factors, and these findings can be used for proposing measures to reduce PFAS exposure, particularly from dietary sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Fábelová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - A Beneito
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - M Casas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Colles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Dalsager
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - E Den Hond
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene (PIH), Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - K Ferguson
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), North Carolina, USA
| | - L Gilles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - E Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - A Irizar
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia, Epidemiology and Public Health Area, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - M J Lopez Espinosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - B Morrens
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - H Patayová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - K Rausová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - D Richterová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - L Rodriguez Martin
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Santa-Marina
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia, Epidemiology and Public Health Area, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, 20013 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - T Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - G Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - M Uhl
- Umweltbundesamt, Vienna, Austria
| | - G D Villanger
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - M Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - C Zaros
- Institut national d'études démographiques (INED), Aubervilliers, France
| | - Ľ Palkovičová Murínová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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15
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Blomberg A, Mortensen J, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Bone mass density following developmental exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): a longitudinal cohort study. Environ Health 2022; 21:113. [PMID: 36402982 PMCID: PMC9675242 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00929-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposures to industrial chemicals, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), may play a role in bone development and future risk of osteoporosis. However, as prospective evidence is limited, the role of developmental PFAS exposures in bone density changes in childhood is unclear. The objective of this study was to estimate associations between serum-PFAS concentrations measured in infancy and early childhood and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measured at age 9 years in a birth cohort of children from the Faroe Islands. METHODS We prospectively measured concentrations of five PFAS in cord serum and serum collected at 18 months, 5 years and 9 years, and conducted whole-body DXA scans at the 9-year clinical visit. Our study included 366 mother-child pairs with DXA scans and at least one PFAS measurement. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations of individual PFAS concentrations with age-, sex- and height-adjusted aBMD z-scores using multivariable regression models and applied formal mediation analysis to estimate the possible impact of by several measures of body composition. We also evaluated whether associations were modified by child sex. RESULTS We found PFAS exposures in childhood to be negatively associated with aBMD z-scores, with the strongest association seen for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) at age 5 years. A doubling in age-5 PFNA was associated with a 0.15 decrease in aBMD z-score (95% CI: - 0.26, - 0.039). The PFNA-aBMD association was significantly stronger in males than females, although effect modification by sex was not significant for other PFAS exposures. Results from the mediation analysis suggested that any potential associations between aBMD and 18-month PFAS concentrations may be mediated by total body fat and BMI, although most estimated total effects for PFAS exposures at age 18 months were non-significant. PFAS exposures at age 9 were not associated with age-9 aBMD z-scores. CONCLUSIONS The PFAS-aBMD associations identified in this and previous studies suggest that bone may be a target tissue for PFAS. Pediatric bone density has been demonstrated to strongly track through young adulthood and possibly beyond; therefore, these prospective results may have important public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, 22363, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Jann Mortensen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Medicine, The Faroese National Hospital, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
- Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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16
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Lochhead P, Khalili H, Ananthakrishnan AN, Burke KE, Richter JM, Sun Q, Grandjean P, Chan AT. Plasma concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances and risk of inflammatory bowel diseases in women: A nested case control analysis in the Nurses' Health Study cohorts. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112222. [PMID: 34662575 PMCID: PMC9960490 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic compounds used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications. An association between PFAS exposure and risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been reported in a highly exposed population. However, data are limited on risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) among individuals with background population levels of PFAS exposure. OBJECTIVES We set out to examine the association between plasma PFAS concentrations and risk of IBD among women in two population-based, prospective cohort studies in which pre-diagnostic blood specimens were available. METHODS We conducted a nested case-control study in the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II cohorts. We identified 73 participants with incident Crohn's disease (CD) and 80 participants with incident UC who had provided blood samples before diagnosis. Cases were matched 1:2 to IBD-free controls. Plasma concentrations of five major PFASs were measured by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. We used conditional logistic models to estimated odds ratios for risk of IBD according to log10-transformed PFAS concentrations, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS In multivariable models, we observed inverse associations between plasma concentrations of three PFASs and risk of CD (all P ≤ 0.012 for a standard deviation increase in log10PFAS). The inverse association with CD was strongest for perfluorodecanoate, where, compared to the lowest tertile, the odds ratio (OR) for the highest tertile was 0.39 (95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.92). No associations were observed between PFAS concentrations and UC risk. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the hypothesis that elevated PFAS exposure is associated with higher risk of UC. Contrary to expectation, our data suggest that circulating concentrations of some PFASs may be inversely associated with CD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Lochhead
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hamed Khalili
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashwin N Ananthakrishnan
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristin E Burke
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James M Richter
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew T Chan
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Starnes HM, Rock KD, Jackson TW, Belcher SM. A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:881584. [PMID: 35480070 PMCID: PMC9035516 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.881584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of structurally diverse synthetic organic chemicals that are chemically stable, resistant to degradation, and persistent in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Widespread use of PFAS in industrial processing and manufacturing over the last 70 years has led to global contamination of built and natural environments. The brain is a lipid rich and highly vascularized organ composed of long-lived neurons and glial cells that are especially vulnerable to the impacts of persistent and lipophilic toxicants. Generally, PFAS partition to protein-rich tissues of the body, primarily the liver and blood, but are also detected in the brains of humans, wildlife, and laboratory animals. Here we review factors impacting the absorption, distribution, and accumulation of PFAS in the brain, and currently available evidence for neurotoxic impacts defined by disruption of neurochemical, neurophysiological, and behavioral endpoints. Emphasis is placed on the neurotoxic potential of exposures during critical periods of development and in sensitive populations, and factors that may exacerbate neurotoxicity of PFAS. While limitations and inconsistencies across studies exist, the available body of evidence suggests that the neurobehavioral impacts of long-chain PFAS exposures during development are more pronounced than impacts resulting from exposure during adulthood. There is a paucity of experimental studies evaluating neurobehavioral and molecular mechanisms of short-chain PFAS, and even greater data gaps in the analysis of neurotoxicity for PFAS outside of the perfluoroalkyl acids. Whereas most experimental studies were focused on acute and subchronic impacts resulting from high dose exposures to a single PFAS congener, more realistic exposures for humans and wildlife are mixtures exposures that are relatively chronic and low dose in nature. Our evaluation of the available human epidemiological, experimental, and wildlife data also indicates heightened accumulation of perfluoroalkyl acids in the brain after environmental exposure, in comparison to the experimental studies. These findings highlight the need for additional experimental analysis of neurodevelopmental impacts of environmentally relevant concentrations and complex mixtures of PFAS.
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18
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Shih YH, Blomberg AJ, Jørgensen LH, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Early-life exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances in relation to serum adipokines in a longitudinal birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:111905. [PMID: 34419464 PMCID: PMC10926841 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been linked to metabolic health outcomes such as obesity, and changes in adipokine hormones may be one of the underlying biological mechanisms. We prospectively evaluated the associations between prenatal and early childhood exposures to PFASs and adipokines in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS PFAS concentrations were measured in serum samples collected at birth, 18 months, and 5 and 9 years, and adiponectin, leptin, leptin receptor, and resistin were measured in serum samples collected at birth and 9 years. We used multivariable linear regression models to estimate the percent change in serum-adipokine concentrations for a doubling in serum-PFAS concentrations. The potential sex-specific effect of PFAS was assessed by including an interaction term between PFAS and sex in each model. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was implemented to evaluate the overall effect of PFAS mixtures. RESULTS Significant associations with leptin, leptin receptor, and resistin at age 9 years were observed for serum-PFAS concentrations at 18 months and 5 and 9 years, whereas associations for PFAS concentrations at birth were mostly null. However, we observed a positive association between serum-PFHxS at birth and leptin receptor at birth. We found limited evidence regarding modification effect of sex on serum-PFAS concentrations. BKMR findings were consistent and suggested some significant effects of the overall PFAS mixtures at 18 months and 5 and 9 years on adipokine concentrations at 9 years. CONCLUSIONS Given the associations of PFAS exposure with both adipokine hormones and metabolic functions, future studies should include assessment of adipokine hormones when examining PFAS-associated metabolic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsuan Shih
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Annelise J Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Louise Helskov Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
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19
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Timmermann CAG, Andersen MS, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Boye H, Nielsen F, Jensen RC, Bruun S, Husby S, Grandjean P, Jensen TK. Pregnancy Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Associations With Prolactin Concentrations and Breastfeeding in the Odense Child Cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e631-e642. [PMID: 34529060 PMCID: PMC8764222 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with reduced duration of breastfeeding, although not consistently so, and mechanisms by which PFAS might affect breastfeeding are unknown. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between early pregnancy serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination and to elucidate the potential role of serum-prolactin concentrations in pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pregnant women from the Odense Child Cohort provided blood samples for analysis of 5 major PFAS (n = 1300) and prolactin concentrations (n = 924). They subsequently provided information about the duration of breastfeeding in questionnaires at 3 and 18 months postpartum, and a subgroup also provided breastfeeding information via weekly cell phone text messages. Associations between serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination were analyzed using Cox regressions, while linear regression was used to assess associations between serum-PFAS and prolactin concentrations. RESULTS Increased serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and ∑PFAS were associated with a 16% (95% CI: 4%-30%), 14% (95% CI: 2%-26%), 14% (95% CI: 3%-27%), and 20% (95% CI: 6%-36%), respectively, increased risk of terminating breastfeeding at any given time after childbirth. Serum-PFAS concentrations were not associated with serum-prolactin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS These findings are of public health importance due to the global exposures to PFAS. Because breastfeeding is crucial to promote both child health and maternal health, adverse PFAS effects on the ability to breastfeed may have long-term health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann, MSc, PhD, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | | | - Henriette Boye
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Richard Christian Jensen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Signe Bruun
- Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Strategic Business Unit Pediatric, Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S, Viby J, Denmark
| | - Steffen Husby
- Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Open Patient data Exploratory Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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20
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Frigerio G, Cafagna S, Polledri E, Mercadante R, Fustinoni S. Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of 30 legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human plasma, including HFPO-DA, DONA, and cC6O4. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 414:1259-1278. [PMID: 34907451 PMCID: PMC8760233 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03762-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) include persistent organic pollutants whose spread is still ubiquitous. Efforts to substitute substances of high concern with fluorinated alternatives, such as HFPO-DA (GenX), DONA (ADONA), and cC6O4, have been made. The aim of this work was to develop and validate an isotopic dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method suitable to quantify 30 PFASs in human plasma. Analytes included legacy PFASs (PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS), fluorinated alternatives (PFBA, PFBS, 6:2 FTSA, HFPO-DA, DONA, and cC6O4), and newly identified compounds (F-53B and PFECHS). The sample preparation was rapid and consisted of simple protein precipitation and centrifugation. Calibration standards and quality control solutions were prepared with a human pooled plasma containing relatively low background levels of the considered analytes. A complete validation was carried out: the lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) ranged from 0.009 to 0.245 µg/L; suitable linearity (determination coefficients, R2 0.989–0.999), precision (2.0–19.5%, relative standard deviation), and accuracy (87.9–113.1% of theoretical) were obtained for considered concentration ranges. No significant variations of analyte responses were recorded under investigated storage conditions and during matrix effect tests. The external verification confirmed the accuracy of the method, although limited to 12 analytes. The method was also applied to 38 human plasma samples to confirm its applicability. The developed assay is suitable for large-scale analyses of a wide range of legacy and emerging PFASs in human plasma. To our knowledge, this is the first published method including cC6O4 for human biomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Frigerio
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via S. Barnaba, 8, 20122, Milan, Italy.,Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Cafagna
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Polledri
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via S. Barnaba, 8, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosa Mercadante
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via S. Barnaba, 8, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via S. Barnaba, 8, 20122, Milan, Italy. .,Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
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21
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Shih YH, Blomberg AJ, Bind MA, Holm D, Nielsen F, Heilmann C, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Serum vaccine antibody concentrations in adults exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: A birth cohort in the Faroe Islands. J Immunotoxicol 2021; 18:85-92. [PMID: 34143710 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2021.1922957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are highly persistent in the environment and may cause depressed immune function. Previous studies have linked PFAS exposure to lower vaccine responses in children, but research in adults is limited. Therefore, the present study evaluated the associations between exposure to PFASs and serum antibody concentrations in adults vaccinated at age 28 years in the Faroe Islands. PFAS concentrations were determined from cord-blood collected at birth and serum samples collected at ages 7, 14, 22, and 28 years. Serum antibody concentrations against hepatitis type A and B, diphtheria, and tetanus were analyzed from blood samples collected about 6 mo after the first vaccine inoculation at age 28 years. Linear regression models were used to estimate changes in antibody concentration for each doubling of PFAS concentration. Potential effect modification by sex was assessed by including an interaction term between PFAS and sex. Although the 95% confidence intervals contain the null value, inverse trends were observed between serum perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) at ages 14 and 28 years and hepatitis type A antibody (anti-HAV) concentrations, as revealed by an estimated decrease of 0.71 (95% CI: -1.52, 0.09) and 0.24 (95% CI: -0.59, 0.10) signal-to-cutoff ratio for each doubling of exposure, respectively. Inverse trends were also observed between serum PFOA at ages 22 and 28 years and hepatitis type B antibody (anti-HBs) concentration, with an estimated decrease of 21% (95% CI: -42.20%, 7.34%) and of 17% (95% CI: -35.47%, 7.35%) in anti-HBs for each doubling of exposure, respectively. Sex-specific associations with anti-HAV were observed for cord-blood PFASs and serum PFAS concentrations at ages 7 and 14 years. No inverse associations of PFAS exposure were found with diphtheria and tetanus antibody concentrations. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and further investigate the effects of PFASs on adult immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsuan Shih
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Annelise J Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marie-Abèle Bind
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dorte Holm
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Carsten Heilmann
- Pediatric Clinic, National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Centre of Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands.,Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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22
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Marks KJ, Northstone K, Papadopoulou E, Brantsæter AL, Haug LS, Howards PP, Smarr MM, Flanders WD, Hartman TJ. Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and exposure to persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals in two European birth cohorts. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANCES 2021; 6:10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100130. [PMID: 35979229 PMCID: PMC9380587 DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Food consumption, particularly of animal-based products, is considered the most important contributor to persistent endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure. This study aims to describe the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and exposure to persistent EDCs using dietary pattern analysis. This study is based on subsamples of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (N=422) and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (N=276) which uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). Women in both studies completed food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) during pregnancy, from which consumption data were categorized into 38 aggregated food groups. Maternal blood samples were collected during pregnancy and concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in serum/plasma were measured. Dietary patterns were identified using reduced rank regression, with blood EDC concentrations as response variables. Within ALSPAC, all patterns (PFAS, PCB, and OCP) were characterized by high consumption of meat, poultry, white fish, and biscuits. In MoBa, high consumption of sausages and burgers (representing processed meats), pasta, and chocolate bars characterized PCB and OCP dietary patterns, while high consumption of cheese characterized the PFAS pattern. Across both cohorts, PFAS patterns were characterized by high consumption of cheese, PCB patterns by high consumption of rice, and OCP patterns by poultry. Dietary patterns explained between 8 and 20% of the variation in serum EDC concentrations, with explained variance being the highest for PCBs in both cohorts. In conclusion, dietary patterns high in animal-based products appear to be associated with persistent EDC concentrations among pregnant women. Diet explains more variation in PCB concentrations than for other persistent EDC classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, 100 ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - Eleni Papadopoulou
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Lise Brantsæter
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Penelope P. Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Melissa M. Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - W. Dana Flanders
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Terryl J. Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
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23
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Papadopoulou E, Stratakis N, Basagaña X, Brantsæter AL, Casas M, Fossati S, Gražulevičienė R, Småstuen Haug L, Heude B, Maitre L, McEachan RRC, Robinson O, Roumeliotaki T, Sabidó E, Borràs E, Urquiza J, Vafeiadi M, Zhao Y, Slama R, Wright J, Conti DV, Vrijheid M, Chatzi L. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to PFAS and cardiometabolic factors and inflammation status in children from six European cohorts. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 157:106853. [PMID: 34500361 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Developing children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals. We hypothesized that early life exposure to PFASs is associated with poor metabolic health in children. We studied the association between prenatal and postnatal PFASs mixture exposure and cardiometabolic health in children, and the role of inflammatory proteins. In 1,101 mothers-child pairs from the Human Early Life Exposome project, we measured the concentrations of PFAS in blood collected in pregnancy and at 8 years (range = 6-12 years). We applied Bayesian Kernel Machine regression (BKMR) to estimate the associations between exposure to PFAS mixture and the cardiometabolic factors as age and sex- specific z-scores of waist circumference (WC), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP), and concentrations of triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol. We measured thirty six inflammatory biomarkers in child plasma and examined the underlying role of inflammatory status for the exposure-outcome association by integrating the three panels into a network. Exposure to the PFAS mixture was positively associated with HDL-C and systolic BP, and negatively associated with WC, LDL-C and TG. When we examined the independent effects of the individual chemicals in the mixture, prenatal PFHxS was negatively associated with HDL-C and prenatal PFNA was positively associated with WC and these were opposing directions from the overall mixture. Further, the network consisted of five distinct communities connected with positive and negative correlations. The selected inflammatory biomarkers were positively, while the postnatal PFAS were negatively related with the included cardiometabolic factors, and only prenatal PFOA was positively related with the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta and WC. Our study supports that prenatal, rather than postnatal, PFAS exposure might contribute to an unfavorable lipidemic profile and adiposity in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikos Stratakis
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA; Department of Complex Genetics and Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Xavier Basagaña
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Maribel Casas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Serena Fossati
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Barbara Heude
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics, INSERM, Université de Paris, INRAe, Paris, France
| | - Léa Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosemary R C McEachan
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Oliver Robinson
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Eduard Sabidó
- Proteomics Unit, Centre de Regulació Genòmica, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Borràs
- Proteomics Unit, Centre de Regulació Genòmica, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Urquiza
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Vafeiadi
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Yinqi Zhao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Rémy Slama
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Inserm, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Joint research center (U1209), La Tronche, Grenoble, France
| | - John Wright
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - David V Conti
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lida Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
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Skogheim TS, Weyde KVF, Aase H, Engel SM, Surén P, Øie MG, Biele G, Reichborn-Kjennerud T, Brantsæter AL, Haug LS, Sabaredzovic A, Auyeung B, Villanger GD. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and associations with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder in children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 202:111692. [PMID: 34293314 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be a risk factor for neurodevelopmental deficits and disorders, but evidence is inconsistent. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether prenatal exposure to PFAS were associated with childhood diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS This study was based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study and included n = 821 ADHD cases, n = 400 ASD cases and n = 980 controls. Diagnostic cases were identified by linkage with the Norwegian Patient Registry. In addition, we used data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. The study included the following PFAS measured in maternal plasma sampled mid-pregnancy: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Relationships between individual PFAS and ADHD or ASD diagnoses were examined using multivariable adjusted logistic regression models. We also tested for possible non-linear exposure-outcome associations. Further, we investigated the PFAS mixture associations with ASD and ADHD diagnoses using a quantile-based g-computation approach. RESULTS Odds of ASD was significantly elevated in PFOA quartile 2 [OR = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.45)] compared to quartile 1, and PFOA appeared to have a non-linear, inverted U-shaped dose-response relationship with ASD. PFOA was also associated with increased odds of ADHD, mainly in quartile 2 [OR = 1.54 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.04)] compared to quartile 1, and displayed a non-linear relationship in the restricted cubic spline model. Several PFAS (PFUnDA, PFDA, and PFOS) were inversely associated with odds of ADHD and/or ASD. Some of the associations were modified by child sex and maternal education. The overall PFAS mixture was inversely associated with ASD [OR = 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.90)] as well as the carboxylate mixture [OR = 0.79 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.93)] and the sulfonate mixture [OR = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.96)]. CONCLUSION Prenatal exposure to PFOA was associated with increased risk of ASD and ADHD in children. For some PFAS, as well as their mixtures, there were inverse associations with ASD and/or ADHD. However, the inverse associations reported herein should not be interpreted as protective effects, but rather that there could be some unresolved confounding for these relationships. The epidemiologic literature linking PFAS exposures with neurodevelopmental outcomes is still inconclusive, suggesting the need for more research to elucidate the neurotoxicological potential of PFAS during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea S Skogheim
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Kjell Vegard F Weyde
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Heidi Aase
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stephanie M Engel
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7435, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435, USA
| | - Pål Surén
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Merete G Øie
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1094, Blindern, N-0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Guido Biele
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1171, Blindern, N-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Lise Brantsæter
- Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line S Haug
- Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Azemira Sabaredzovic
- Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bonnie Auyeung
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK; Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK
| | - Gro D Villanger
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
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Peripherally administered persistent organic pollutants distribute to the brain of developing chicken embryo in concentrations relevant for human exposure. Neurotoxicology 2021; 88:79-87. [PMID: 34757084 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2021.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can reach the fetal brain and contribute to developmental neurotoxicity. To explore the distribution of POPs to the fetal brain, we exposed chicken embryos to a POP mixture, containing 29 different compounds with concentrations based on blood levels measured in the Scandinavian human population. The mixture was injected into the allantois at embryonic day 13 (E13), aiming at a theoretical concentration of 10 times human blood levels. POPs concentrations in the brain were measured at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after administration. Twenty-seven of the individual compounds were detected during at least one of the time-points analyzed. Generally, the concentrations of most of the measured compounds were within the order of magnitude of those reported in human brain samples. Differences in the speed of distribution to the brain were observed between the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which have protein binding potential, and the lipophilic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Based on pharmacokinetic modeling, PFASs were best described by a one compartment model. PFASs displayed relatively slow elimination (Kel) and persisted at high levels in the brain. Lipophilic OCPs and PCBs could be fitted to a 2-compartment model. These showed high levels in the brain relative to the dose administrated as calculated by area under the curve (AUC)/Dose. Altogether, our study showed that chicken is a suitable model to explore the distribution of POPs into the developing brain at concentrations which are relevant for humans.
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Brieudes V, Mikropoulou EV, Kallergis E, Kaliora AC, Papada E, Gkiouvetidis P, Angelis A, Halabalaki M. Development, Validation and Application of a UHPLC-MS Method for the Quantification of Chios Mastic Gum Triterpenoids in Human Plasma. PLANTA MEDICA 2021; 87:1101-1109. [PMID: 33784768 DOI: 10.1055/a-1408-9338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Chios mastic gum is the resinous secretion obtained from the barks of the shrub Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, which is endemic to the Greek island of Chios. Since antiquity, Chios mastic gum has found several uses as a phytotherapeutic remedy, primarily for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders while recently, Chios mastic gum was also recognized by EMA as an herbal medicinal product with specific indications. Chios mastic gum's biological properties are attributed to triterpenes which comprise the major chemical group (approx. 70%) and notably isomasticadienonic acid and masticadienonic acid. However, due to their structural characteristics, the isolation thereof in high yield and purity is challenging and since they are not commercially available, pharmacological studies aiming to assess their biological properties are limited. In the present work, mastic's phytochemical investigation by UPLC-HRMS is followed by the isolation and characterization of isomasticadienonic acid and masticadienonic acid to be used as analytical standards for their accurate and reliable quantification in human plasma. A UHPLC-tQ-MS method that was developed and validated (in terms of specificity, linearity, limit of quantification, accuracy and precision), for the direct quantification of the targeted compounds in the low ng/mL range of concentration, was subsequently implemented on plasma samples of healthy volunteers thus demonstrating its fitness for purpose. The results presented herein might provide insight to the understanding of this traditional natural product consumed notably for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and lipid lowering properties. Moreover, this method might serve as a starting point for any study aiming to monitor bioactive triterpenes in biological fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Brieudes
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni V Mikropoulou
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Errikos Kallergis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Andriana C Kaliora
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences and Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
| | - Efstathia Papada
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences and Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Gkiouvetidis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolis Angelis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Halabalaki
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens, Greece
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Blomberg AJ, Shih YH, Messerlian C, Jørgensen LH, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Early-life associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and serum lipids in a longitudinal birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111400. [PMID: 34081971 PMCID: PMC8403652 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may affect metabolic outcomes, including lipid concentrations in the blood. However, few studies have evaluated potential associations between PFASs and lipids longitudinally. OBJECTIVES We estimated associations between PFAS and lipid concentrations at birth and at several points in childhood. METHODS We measured concentrations of five major PFASs in cord serum and in serum collected at 18 months, five years and nine years in 490 children from a prospective cohort in the Faroe Islands. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were measured at birth, 18 months and nine years. We estimated associations between PFAS and lipid concentrations and evaluated possible effect modification by sex. We also tested whether PFAS associations with age-nine lipids varied by exposure period. RESULTS Serum PFAS concentrations at ages five and nine were positively associated with lipid concentrations at age nine. Cross-sectional associations between PFASs and lipids at age nine were the strongest, with increases in serum concentrations of perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) associated with increases in TC, HDL-C and LDL-C. We found statistically significant differences in estimated PFAS effects by sex, where girls had stronger positive associations between PFASs and TC and LDL-C and boys had stronger positive associations with HDL-C. In repeated measure models, exposure period was a significant modifier of PFAS effects. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that childhood PFAS exposures may be associated with elevated serum lipid concentrations. This is a public health concern, as a detrimental lipid profile in childhood is a risk factor for later development of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise J Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Yu-Hsuan Shih
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carmen Messerlian
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Louise Helskov Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Thomsen ML, Henriksen LS, Tinggaard J, Nielsen F, Jensen TK, Main KM. Associations between exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and body fat evaluated by DXA and MRI in 109 adolescent boys. Environ Health 2021; 20:73. [PMID: 34187491 PMCID: PMC8244201 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00758-3] [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: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been associated with changes in body mass index and adiposity, but evidence is inconsistent as study design, population age, follow-up periods and exposure levels vary between studies. We investigated associations between PFAS exposure and body fat in a cross-sectional study of healthy boys. METHODS In 109 boys (10-14 years old), magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were performed to evaluate abdominal, visceral fat, total body, android, gynoid, android/gynoid ratio, and total fat percentage standard deviation score. Serum was analysed for perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid using liquid chromatography and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Data were analysed by multivariate linear regression. RESULTS Serum concentrations of PFASs were low. Generally, no clear associations between PFAS exposure and body fat measures were found; however, PFOS was negatively associated with abdominal fat (β = -0.18, P = 0.046), android fat (β = -0.34, P = 0.022), android/gynoid ratio (β = -0.21, P = 0.004), as well as total body fat (β = -0.21, P = 0.079) when adjusting for Tanner stage. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we found no consistent associations between PFAS exposure and body fat. This could be due to our cross-sectional study design. Furthermore, we assessed PFAS exposure in adolescence and not in utero, which is considered a more vulnerable time window of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Lolk Thomsen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise Scheutz Henriksen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jeanette Tinggaard
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Katharina M. Main
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Christensen JVR, Bangash KK, Weihe P, Grandjean P, Nielsen F, Jensen TK, Petersen MS. Maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl chemicals and anogenital distance in the offspring: A Faroese cohort study. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 104:52-57. [PMID: 34182087 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has in some studies been associated with reduced anogenital distance (AGD) in newborns as a sensitive indicator of prenatal anti-androgenic exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal PFAS exposure and offspring AGD in a population with wide ranges of PFAS exposures. Participants were recruited in the Faroe Islands in 2007-2009, and information on AGD and PFAS exposure was obtained from 463 mother-infant pairs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured in maternal serum. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for birth weight, child age at examination, parity, and maternal education level. Among boys, higher maternal serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA were significantly associated with a longer AGD, both with the exposure entered as a continuous variable and as quartiles. Boys in the highest quartile of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA exposure had an increase in AGD of 1.2 mm (95 % CI 0.1;2.2), 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.3), 1.0 mm (95 % CI 0.0:2.0) and 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.4), respectively, when compared to boys in the lowest quartile of exposure (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between male AGD and PFHxS. No association was found for girls. In conclusion, elevated maternal exposure to major PFASs was significantly associated with a longer AGD in boys. No significant associations were found among girls, thus suggesting a sex-dimorphic effect of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Khushal Khan Bangash
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroes Hospital System, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Phillippe Grandjean
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroes Hospital System, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
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Hölzer J, Lilienthal H, Schümann M. Human Biomonitoring (HBM)-I values for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) - Description, derivation and discussion. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2021; 121:104862. [PMID: 33444659 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.104862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In 2016, the German Human Biomonitoring Commission (HBM-C) published a statement on its decision to develop HBM-I values for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (Bundesgesundheitsbl 2016, 59:1364 DOI 10.1007/s00103-016-2437-1). The HBM-I value corresponds to the concentration of a substance in a human biological material below which no adverse health effects are expected, according to current knowledge and assessment by the HBM-C, and, consequently, there is no need for action. Evidence for associations between PFOA- and PFOS-body burden and health outcomes was found for fertility and pregnancy, weights of newborns at birth, lipid metabolism, immunity, sex hormones and age at puberty/menarche, thyroid hormones, onset of menopause as well as uric acid metabolism. Significant contrasts were reported for human blood plasma concentrations between 1 and 10 ng PFOA/mL, and 1-15 ng PFOS/mL, respectively. Within the reported ranges, the HBM-C has decided to set the HBM-I-values at 2 ng PFOA/mL and 5 ng PFOS/mL blood plasma. The underlying pathomechanisms do not appear to be sufficiently clarified to provide an unambiguous explanation of the effects observed. Consistency of toxicological and epidemiological data has been considered. The available data do not indicate an unequivocal proof of a genotoxicity of PFOA and PFOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Hölzer
- Department for Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, MA 1/31, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Hellmuth Lilienthal
- Department for Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, MA 1/31, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michael Schümann
- Department for Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, MA 1/31, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
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Vorkamp K, Castaño A, Antignac JP, Boada LD, Cequier E, Covaci A, Esteban López M, Haug LS, Kasper-Sonnenberg M, Koch HM, Pérez Luzardo O, Osīte A, Rambaud L, Pinorini MT, Sabbioni G, Thomsen C. Biomarkers, matrices and analytical methods targeting human exposure to chemicals selected for a European human biomonitoring initiative. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106082. [PMID: 33227583 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The major purpose of human biomonitoring is the mapping and assessment of human exposure to chemicals. The European initiative HBM4EU has prioritized seven substance groups and two metals relevant for human exposure: Phthalates and substitutes (1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, DINCH), bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), halogenated and organophosphorous flame retardants (HFRs and OPFRs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arylamines, cadmium and chromium. As a first step towards comparable European-wide data, the most suitable biomarkers, human matrices and analytical methods for each substance group or metal were selected from the scientific literature, based on a set of selection criteria. The biomarkers included parent compounds of PFASs and HFRs in serum, of bisphenols and arylamines in urine, metabolites of phthalates, DINCH, OPFRs and PAHs in urine as well as metals in blood and urine, with a preference to measure Cr in erythrocytes representing Cr (VI) exposure. High performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was the method of choice for bisphenols, PFASs, the HFR hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), phenolic HFRs as well as the metabolites of phthalates, DINCH, OPFRs and PAHs in urine. Gas chromatographic (GC) methods were selected for the remaining compounds, e.g. GC-low resolution MS with electron capture negative ionization (ECNI) for HFRs. Both GC-MS and LC-MS/MS were suitable for arylamines. New developments towards increased applications of GC-MS/MS may offer alternatives to GC-MS or LC-MS/MS approaches, e.g. for bisphenols. The metals were best determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-MS, with the particular challenge of avoiding interferences in the Cd determination in urine. The evaluation process revealed research needs towards higher sensitivity and non-invasive sampling as well as a need for more stringent quality assurance/quality control applications and assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Vorkamp
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Denmark.
| | - Argelia Castaño
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, National Centre for Environmental Health, Spain.
| | | | - Luis D Boada
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Institute for Biomedical and Health Research, Spain.
| | | | - Adrian Covaci
- University of Antwerp, Toxicological Centre, Belgium.
| | - Marta Esteban López
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, National Centre for Environmental Health, Spain.
| | - Line S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway.
| | - Monika Kasper-Sonnenberg
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr-University, Germany.
| | - Holger M Koch
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr-University, Germany.
| | - Octavio Pérez Luzardo
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Institute for Biomedical and Health Research, Spain.
| | - Agnese Osīte
- University of Latvia, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Latvia.
| | - Loïc Rambaud
- Santé Publique France, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, France.
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Severity of COVID-19 at elevated exposure to perfluorinated alkylates. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244815. [PMID: 33382826 PMCID: PMC7774856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seems to be aggravated by air pollution, and some industrial chemicals, such as the perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs), are immunotoxic and may contribute to an association with disease severity. Methods From Danish biobanks, we obtained plasma samples from 323 subjects aged 30–70 years with known SARS-CoV-2 infection. The PFAS concentrations measured at the background exposures included five PFASs known to be immunotoxic. Register data was obtained to classify disease status, other health information, and demographic variables. We used ordered logistic regression analyses to determine associations between PFAS concentrations and disease outcome. Results Plasma-PFAS concentrations were higher in males, in subjects with Western European background, and tended to increase with age, but were not associated with the presence of chronic disease. Of the study population, 108 (33%) had not been hospitalized, and of those hospitalized, 53 (16%) had been in intensive care or were deceased. Among the five PFASs considered, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) showed an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.19 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.39–3.46) for increasing severities of the disease. Among those hospitalized, the fully adjusted OR for getting into intensive care or expiring was 5.18 (1.29, 20.72) when based on plasma samples obtained at the time of diagnosis or up to one week before. Conclusions Measures of individual exposures to immunotoxic PFASs included short-chain PFBA known to accumulate in the lungs. Elevated plasma-PFBA concentrations were associated with an increased risk of a more severe course of COVID-19. Given the low background exposure levels in this study, the role of exposure to PFASs in COVID-19 needs to be ascertained in populations with elevated exposures.
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Salihovic S, Lind L, Larsson A, Lind PM. Plasma perfluoroalkyls are associated with decreased levels of proteomic inflammatory markers in a cross-sectional study of an elderly population. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 145:106099. [PMID: 32916415 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to immunotoxicity in experimental studies. Although PFAS exposure is associated with altered immune response in epidemiological studies of children, it is less known whether this is observed also in elderly adults. Eight PFAS and 86 proteins were measured in plasma from 965 elderly individuals from Sweden (all aged 70, 50% women). PFAS were measured using isotope-dilution ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Proteins were measured using a multiplex proximity extension assay (PEA) and covered among others inflammatory marker proteins such as monocyte chemoattractant proteins, tumor necrosis factors, and interleukins. We examined cross-sectional associations using multivariable linear regression at two levels of adjustment. We observed significant decreases in levels of 24 proteins in relation to a ln-unit increase in PFAS concentrations following adjustment for sex, sample storage time in freezer, and correction for multiple testing. Associations of PFAS and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) remained significant (p-value <0.05) following full covariate adjustment for smoking, exercise habits, education, energy, and alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), glomular filtration rate (GFR) as well as corticoid- and COX-inhibitor treatment. CSF-1 was inversely associated with perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) β: -0.08: 95% confidence interval (CI); -0.13, -0.02), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) β: -0.04: 95% CI; -0.07, -0.006, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) β: -0.04: 95% CI; -0.08, -0.003, perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) β: -0.03: 95% CI; -0.06, -0.003, and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) β: -0.05: 95% CI; -0.08, -0.02. The magnitude and direction of PFAS vs protein relationships were similar also for HGF. Our findings implicate PFAS exposure with decreased levels of proteomic markers of inflammation in elderly humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Salihovic
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; School of Science and Technology, MTM Research Centre, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - L Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A Larsson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - P M Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Grandjean P, Timmermann CAG, Kruse M, Nielsen F, Vinholt PJ, Boding L, Heilmann C, Mølbak K. Severity of COVID-19 at elevated exposure to perfluorinated alkylates. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.10.22.20217562. [PMID: 33140071 PMCID: PMC7605584 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.22.20217562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seems to be aggravated by air pollution, and some industrial chemicals, such as the perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs), are immunotoxic and may contribute as well. Methods From Danish biobanks, we obtained plasma samples from 323 subjects aged 30-70 years with known SARS-CoV-2 infection. The PFAS concentrations measured at the background exposures included five PFASs known to be immunotoxic. Register data was obtained to classify disease status, other health information, and demographic variables. We used ordinal and ordered logistic regression analyses to determine associations between PFAS concentrations and disease outcome. Results Plasma-PFAS concentrations were higher in males, in subjects with Western European background, and tended to increase with age, but were not associated with the presence of chronic disease. Of the study population, 108 (33%) had not been hospitalized, and of those hospitalized, 53 (16%) had been in intensive care or were deceased. Among the five PFASs considered, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) showed an odds ratio (OR) of 2.19 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.39-3.46) for increasing severities of the disease, although the OR decreased to 1.77 (95% CI, 1.09, 2.87) after adjustment for age, sex, sampling site and interval between blood sampling and diagnosis. Conclusions Measures of individual exposures to immunotoxic PFASs included PFBA that accumulates in the lungs. Elevated plasma-PFBA concentrations were associated with an increased risk of more severe course of CIVID-19. Given the low background exposure levels in this study, the role of PFAS exposure in COVID-19 needs to be ascertained in populations with elevated exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Grandjean
- The Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- the Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - C A G Timmermann
- the Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - M Kruse
- the Department of Health Economics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - F Nielsen
- the Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - P Just Vinholt
- the Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - L Boding
- the Department of Epidemiology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C Heilmann
- Pediatric Clinic, Rigshospitalet - National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K Mølbak
- the Department of Epidemiology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
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Da Silva BF, Ahmadireskety A, Aristizabal-Henao JJ, Bowden JA. A rapid and simple method to quantify per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in plasma and serum using 96-well plates. MethodsX 2020; 7:101111. [PMID: 33134102 PMCID: PMC7588704 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.101111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic organic compounds that over the past several years, have witnessed a dramatic increase in scientific attention. As PFAS are predominantly accumulated in plasma, monitoring individual burden levels in plasma are typically achieved via some combination of protein precipitation and/or solid phase extraction (SPE), either in online or offline modes. This work describes an updated PFAS extraction workflow, using 96-well plate technology and protein precipitation that is rapid, simple, inexpensive, and amenable for large cohort studies. In brief, plasma proteins were precipitated using methanol and the resulting centrifuged supernatant was directly analyzed using UHPLC-MS/MS. We monitored 51 PFAS, which were quantified via isotope dilution and the effectiveness of the method was demonstrated by using NIST blood-based Standard Reference Materials (SRMs). This method resulted in recoveries ranging between 70 and 89% for all analytes. The 96-well design exhibited low limits of detection and only required sample volumes of 100 µL, thus resulting in an amenable method for high-throughput plasma/serum PFAS screening. • PFAS were directly quantified in plasma and serum samples; • No SPE needed after protein precipitation; • SRMs can be used to validate PFAS measurement in plasma/serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Ferreira Da Silva
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Juan J Aristizabal-Henao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John A Bowden
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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36
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Timmermann CAG, Jensen KJ, Nielsen F, Budtz-Jørgensen E, van der Klis F, Benn CS, Grandjean P, Fisker AB. Serum Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Vaccine Responses, and Morbidity in a Cohort of Guinea-Bissau Children. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:87002. [PMID: 32772733 PMCID: PMC7416537 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of widely used persistent chemicals with suspected immunotoxic effects. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to examine the association between infant PFAS exposure and antibody responses to measles vaccination as well as morbidity in a low-income country. METHODS In a randomized controlled trial, children from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, were followed from inclusion (4-7 months of age) through 2 years of age. Half the children received two measles vaccinations (at inclusion and at 9 months of age), and the other half received only one (at 9 months of age). In a subset of 237 children, six PFAS were quantified in serum at inclusion, and measles antibody concentrations were assessed at inclusion and at approximately 9 months and 2 years of age. At inclusion and at the 9-month visit, mothers were interviewed about infant morbidity. RESULTS All but one child had detectable serum concentrations of all six PFAS, although levels were lower than seen elsewhere. A doubling in perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were associated with 21% (95% CI: 2, 37%) and 25% (95% CI: 1, 43%), respectively, lower measles antibody concentrations at the 9-month visit among the children who had received a measles vaccine at inclusion. Elevated serum PFAS concentrations were also associated with reduced prevaccination measles antibody concentrations and increased morbidity. DISCUSSION The present study documents that PFAS exposure has reached West Africa and that infants show PFAS-associated increases in morbidity and decreases in measles-specific antibody concentrations before and after vaccination. These findings support the evidence on PFAS immunotoxicity at comparatively low serum concentrations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6517.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristoffer Jarlov Jensen
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Research Unit of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Fiona van der Klis
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Christine Stabell Benn
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Open Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Research Unit of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ane Bærent Fisker
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Open Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Bandim Health Project, Indepth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
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37
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Villanger GD, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C, Haug LS, Sabaredzovic A, Jenssen BM, Routti H. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard - A comparison of concentrations in plasma sampled 15 years apart. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114497. [PMID: 32302893 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to investigate recent concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard and compare them to concentrations found in white whales sampled from that same area 15 years ago. Plasma collected from live-captured white whales from two time periods (2013-2014, n = 9, and 1996-2001, n = 11) were analysed for 19 different PFASs. The 11 PFASs detected included seven C8-C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) and three C6-C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) as well as perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA). Recent plasma concentrations (2013-2014) of the dominant PFAS in white whales, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; geometric mean = 22.8 ng/mL), was close to an order of magnitude lower than reported in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard. PFOS concentrations in white whales were about half the concentrations in harbour (Phoca vitulina) and ringed (Pusa hispida) seals, similar to hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) and higher than in walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) from that same area. From 1996 to 2001 to 2013-2014, plasma concentrations of PFOS decreased by 44%, whereas four C9-12 PFCAs and total PFCAs increased by 35-141%. These results follow a similar trend to what has been reported in other studies of Arctic marine mammals from Svalbard. The most dramatic change has been the decline of PFOS concentrations since 2000, corresponding to the production phase-out of PFOS and related compounds in many countries around the year 2000 and a global restriction on these substances in 2009. Still, the continued dominance of PFOS in white whales, and increasing concentration trends for several PFCAs, even though exposure is relatively low, calls for continued monitoring of concentrations of both PFCAs and PFSAs and investigation of biological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gro D Villanger
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway.
| | | | | | - Line S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Young SA, Capacio BR. Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Verification of Sulfur Mustard Exposure in Humans through the Conversion of Protein Adducts to Free Sulfur Mustard. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:1941-1949. [PMID: 32567850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Exposures to sulfur mustard (HD; bis(2-chloroethyll) sulfide) are well-known to result in the formation of adducts with free aspartate and glutamate residues of plasma proteins (Lawrence, R. J., Smith, J. R., and Capacio, B. R. 2008 32, (1), 31-36). A modified version of the analytical method reported previously for the verification of HD exposure has been developed (Lawrence, R. J., Smith, J. R., and Capacio, B. R. 2008 32, (1), 31-36). The method reported herein involves the reaction of hydrochloric acid with HD-adducted plasma proteins, resulting in the simultaneous cleavage and conversion of the adduct to free HD. A water scavenger, 2,2-dimethoxypropane, was added to the mixture to increase the reaction yield. Deuterated (d8) thiodiglycol was added as an internal standard and underwent conversion to deuterated sulfur mustard. The analytes were isolated by hexane liquid-liquid extraction and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). An interday and intraday study was performed to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the method. Individual calibration curves with quality control (QC) standards were prepared on 5 days, and a calibration curve with five sets of QCs was prepared on a single day. All results were within the acceptable limits of the validation criteria. Linearity, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation were also verified for each calibration curve. This highly sensitive (pg/mL limit of detection) method can be used for rapid analysis of a definitive marker of sulfur mustard exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena A Young
- U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5400, United States
| | - Benedict R Capacio
- U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5400, United States
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Timmermann CAG, Pedersen HS, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Bjerregaard P, Oulhote Y, Weihe P, Nielsen F, Grandjean P. Environmental chemical exposures among Greenlandic children in relation to diet and residence. Int J Circumpolar Health 2020; 78:1642090. [PMID: 31339476 PMCID: PMC6711189 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2019.1642090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify geographic, dietary, and other predictors for childhood exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury in Greenlandic children. The study includes cross-sectional data from 367 Greenlandic children aged 7 to 12 years examined during 2012-2015. A parent or guardian participated in a structured interview, and a blood sample from the child was analysed for PFASs, PCBs and total mercury. Predictors for the environmental exposures were identified using linear regression. Area of residence was found to have the strongest explanatory power, accounting for 24% to 68% of the variance in the serum concentrations. Information about diet was available for two-thirds of the children, and among these, consumption of traditional Greenlandic food accounted for 2% to 10% of the variance in the biomarker concentrations. Models including all predictors associated with at least one of the environmental chemicals explained 19% to 54% of the total variance. In conclusion, area is a likely proxy for a traditional marine diet, and together area and diet constitute the most important predictors of exposure to methylmercury, PCBs and PFASs among Greenlandic children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henning Sloth Pedersen
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.,b Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland , Nuuk , Greenland
| | | | - Peter Bjerregaard
- b Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland , Nuuk , Greenland.,d National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark , Copenhagen K , Denmark
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- e Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Pál Weihe
- f Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands.,g Center of Health Science, University of The Faroe Islands , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.,e Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
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Xiao C, Grandjean P, Valvi D, Nielsen F, Jensen TK, Weihe P, Oulhote Y. Associations of Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances With Thyroid Hormone Concentrations and Birth Size. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:dgz147. [PMID: 31665456 PMCID: PMC7112969 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgz147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adequate thyroid function during pregnancy is essential for optimal fetal growth. Gestational exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can negatively affect birth size and disrupt maternal and neonatal thyroid function, although the interrelationship is unclear. OBJECTIVE We aimed to quantify the associations between maternal serum-PFAS concentrations and birth weight, birth length, and cranial circumference. We also aimed to estimate associations between PFAS and thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations, thereby elucidating whether THs potentially mediate the associations between PFAS concentrations and birth size. METHODS We studied a population-based prospective cohort of 172 mother-singleton pairs from the Faroe Islands. Twelve PFAS were measured in maternal serum obtained at 34 weeks of gestation. THs were measured in maternal and cord serum. Associations between PFAS concentrations and birth size and TH concentrations were estimated using multivariable linear regressions. Sex-stratified analyses along with a mediation analysis were performed to estimate potential mediating effects of THs in the association between PFAS and birth outcomes. RESULTS Several PFASs were negatively associated with birth weight, length, and head circumference, and a general positive association between maternal serum-PFASs and cord serum-thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH; also known as thyrotropin) was found. For instance, a doubling in perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was associated with a 53% (95% CI, 18%-99%) and 40% (95% CI, 8%-81%) increases in TSH concentrations, respectively. There was little evidence of sexually dimorphic associations. Overall, THs were not found to mediate associations between PFASs and birth size. CONCLUSION In this study, several PFASs were negatively associated with birth size and increased THs; however, this did not explain lower birth weight among children exposed to PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Xiao
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes, France
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pal Weihe
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Massachusetts
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41
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Liu G, Zhang B, Hu Y, Rood J, Liang L, Qi L, Bray GA, DeJonge L, Coull B, Grandjean P, Furtado JD, Sun Q. Associations of Perfluoroalkyl substances with blood lipids and Apolipoproteins in lipoprotein subspecies: the POUNDS-lost study. Environ Health 2020; 19:5. [PMID: 31931806 PMCID: PMC6958662 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-0561-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The associations of perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure with blood lipids and lipoproteins are inconsistent, and existing studies did not account for metabolic heterogeneity of lipoprotein subspecies. This study aimed to examine the associations between plasma PFAS concentrations and lipoprotein and apolipoprotein subspecies. METHODS The study included 326 men and women from the 2-year Prevention of Obesity Using Novel Dietary Strategies (POUNDS) Lost randomized trial. Five PFASs, including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), were measured in plasma at baseline. For lipoprotein and apolipoprotein subspecies, total plasma was fractionated first by apolipoprotein (apo) C-III content and then by density. Each subfraction was then measured for apoB, apoC-III, and apoE concentrations, as well as triglyceride and cholesterol contents, both at baseline and at 2 years. RESULTS For lipids and apolipoproteins in total plasma at baseline, elevated plasma PFAS concentrations were significantly associated with higher apoB and apoC-III concentrations, but not with total cholesterol or triglycerides. After multivariate adjustment of lifestyle factors, lipid-lowering medication use, and dietary intervention groups, PFAS concentrations were primarily associated with lipids or apolipoprotein concentrations in intermediate-to-low density lipoprotein (IDL + LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) that contain apoC-III. Comparing the highest and lowest tertiles of PFOA, the least-square means (SE) (mg/dl) were 4.16 (0.4) vs 3.47 (0.4) for apoB (P trend = 0.04), 2.03 (0.2) vs 1.66 (0.2) for apoC-III (P trend = 0.04), and 8.4 (0.8) vs 6.8 (0.8) for triglycerides (P trend = 0.03) in IDL + LDL fraction that contains apoC-III. For HDL that contains apoC-III, comparing the highest and lowest tertiles of PFOA, the least-square means (SE) (mg/dl) of apoC-III were 11.9 (0.7) vs 10.4 (0.7) (P trend = 0.01). In addition, elevated PFNA and PFDA concentrations were also significantly associated with higher concentrations of apoE in HDL that contains apoC-III (P trend< 0.01). Similar patterns of associations were demonstrated between baseline PFAS concentrations and lipoprotein subspecies measured at 2 years. Baseline PFAS levels were not associated with changes in lipoprotein subspecies during the intervention. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that plasma PFAS concentrations are primarily associated with blood lipids and apolipoproteins in subspecies of IDL, LDL, and HDL that contain apoC-III, which are associated with elevated cardiovascular risk in epidemiological studies. Future studies of PFAS-associated cardiovascular risk should focus on lipid subfractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer Rood
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Liming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lu Qi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - George A Bray
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Lilian DeJonge
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Envrionmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeremy D Furtado
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Skogheim TS, Villanger GD, Weyde KVF, Engel SM, Surén P, Øie MG, Skogan AH, Biele G, Zeiner P, Øvergaard KR, Haug LS, Sabaredzovic A, Aase H. Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and associations with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and cognitive functions in preschool children. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020; 223:80-92. [PMID: 31653559 PMCID: PMC6922090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic pollutants that are suspected to be neurodevelopmental toxicants, but epidemiological evidence on neurodevelopmental effects of PFAS exposure is inconsistent. We investigated the associations between prenatal exposure to PFASs and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cognitive functioning (language skills, estimated IQ and working memory) in preschool children, as well as effect modification by child sex. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included 944 mother-child pairs enrolled in a longitudinal prospective study of ADHD symptoms (the ADHD Study), with participants recruited from The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Boys and girls aged three and a half years, participated in extensive clinical assessments using well-validated tools; The Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment interview, Child Development Inventory and Stanford-Binet (5th revision). Prenatal levels of 19 PFASs were measured in maternal blood at week 17 of gestation. Multivariable adjusted regression models were used to examine exposure-outcome associations with two principal components extracted from the seven detected PFASs. Based on these results, we performed regression analyses of individual PFASs categorized into quintiles. RESULTS PFAS component 1 was mainly explained by perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFAS component 2 was mainly explained by perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). Regression models showed a negative association between PFAS component 1 and nonverbal working memory [β = -0.08 (CI: -0.12, -0.03)] and a positive association between PFAS component 2 and verbal working memory [β = 0.07 (CI: 0.01, 0.12)]. There were no associations with ADHD symptoms, language skills or IQ. For verbal working memory and PFAS component 2, we found evidence for effect modification by child sex, with associations only for boys. The results of quintile models with individual PFASs, showed the same pattern for working memory as the results in the component regression analyses. There were negative associations between nonverbal working memory and quintiles of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpS and PFOS and positive associations between verbal working memory and quintiles of PFOA, PFNA, PFDA and PFUnDA, with significant relationships mainly in the highest concentration groups. CONCLUSIONS Based on our results, we did not find consistent evidence to conclude that prenatal exposure to PFASs are associated with ADHD symptoms or cognitive dysfunctions in preschool children aged three and a half years, which is in line with the majority of studies in this area. Our results showed some associations between PFASs and working memory, particularly negative relationships with nonverbal working memory, but also positive relationships with verbal working memory. The relationships were weak, as well as both positive and negative, which suggest no clear association - and need for replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea S Skogheim
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Gro D Villanger
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Stephanie M Engel
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2104C McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB 7435, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Pål Surén
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Merete G Øie
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1094, Blindern, N-0317, Oslo, Norway; Research Department, Innlandet Hospital Trust, PO Box 104, N-2381, Brumunddal, Norway
| | - Annette H Skogan
- The National Centre for Epilepsy, PO Box 4956, Nydalen, N-0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Guido Biele
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pål Zeiner
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4956, Nydalen, N-0424, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1171, N-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin R Øvergaard
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4956, Nydalen, N-0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Heidi Aase
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
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Kvalem HE, Nygaard UC, Lødrup Carlsen KC, Carlsen KH, Haug LS, Granum B. Perfluoroalkyl substances, airways infections, allergy and asthma related health outcomes - implications of gender, exposure period and study design. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 134:105259. [PMID: 31733527 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been inconsistently associated with asthma, allergic diseases and airways infections in early childhood. The aim of the study was, therefore, to investigate the effect of childhood exposure to PFASs on asthma and allergy related outcomes and on airways infections before and during puberty using the prospective birth cohort Environment and Childhood Asthma (ECA) Study. Aspects of gender, exposure period and study design (cross-sectional and longitudinal) were also taken into consideration. MATERIAL AND METHODS Included in the study was 378 participants with PFAS measurements at age 10 years and follow-up data at ages 10 years (cross sectional data) and 16 years (longitudinal data). Eight PFASs with at least 70% of measurements above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in the child's serum were included in the present study: perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluourononanoate (PFNA), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The PFAS levels were converted into interquartile range (IQR). In addition, perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) detected in 60% of the samples, was recoded into "not detected /detected". Binomial, multinomial and linear regression were used, followed by Bonferroni adjustment to correct for multiple comparisons. Sensitivity analyses evaluating the effect of extreme PFAS values and gender were performed. RESULTS In the cross sectional data at 10 years a positive statistically significant association was seen between PFHpA and asthma in girls. In the longitudinal data, PFNA, PFDA and PFUnDA were inversely associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) in girls and with PFHxS in all participants and in boys. Further, PFNA and PFHpS were positively associated with rhinitis in girls and with PFOA in all participants. There seems to be a suggestive pattern of increased risk of allergic sensitisation in all participants and a decreased risk in boys, but due to different results in main and sensitivity analyses these findings should be interpreted with caution. No associations were found between PFASs and lung function. For airways infections and longitudinal data, PFDA was inversely associated with common cold, while positive association was found for PFHpA, PFOA, PFHpS and PFOS and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Our results lend further support for an immunosuppressive effect of PFASs on AD and LRTI. Gender seems to be important for some exposure-health associations. No clear pattern in exposure-health associations was observed with regard to exposure period or study design, with the exception of asthma where significant findings have mostly been reported in cross-sectional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Kvalem
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - U C Nygaard
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - K C Lødrup Carlsen
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - K H Carlsen
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - L S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - B Granum
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway.
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Hu Y, Liu G, Rood J, Liang L, Bray GA, de Jonge L, Coull B, Furtado JD, Qi L, Grandjean P, Sun Q. Perfluoroalkyl substances and changes in bone mineral density: A prospective analysis in the POUNDS-LOST study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 179:108775. [PMID: 31593837 PMCID: PMC6905427 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies suggested an inverse association between exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and bone mineral density (BMD). Whether exposures to PFASs are also associated with changes in BMD has not been examined. METHODS Five major PFASs (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, PFOS; perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA; perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, PFHxS; perfluorononanoic acid, PFNA; perfluorodecanoic acid, PFDA) and BMD (g/cm2) at six bone sites (spine, total hip, femoral neck, hip intertrochanteric area, hip trochanter, and hip Ward's triangle area) were measured at baseline among 294 participants in the POUNDS-LOST study, a weight-loss trial, of whom a total of 175 participants had BMD measured at both baseline and year 2. Linear regression was used to model the differences or changes in BMD for each SD increment of PFAS concentrations. In a secondary analysis, interactions between PFASs and baseline body mass index (BMI), as well as a BMI-related genetic risk score (GRS) derived from 97 BMI-predicting SNPs were examined in relation to changes in BMD. RESULTS At baseline, both PFOS and PFOA were significantly associated with lower BMD at several sites. For each SD increase of PFOS, the βs (95% CIs) for BMD were -0.020(-0.037, -0.003) for spine, -0.013(-0.026, 0.001) for total hip, -0.014(-0.028, 0.000) for femoral neck, and -0.013(-0.026, 0.000) for hip trochanter. For PFOA, the corresponding figures were -0.021(-0.038, -0.004) for spine, -0.015(-0.029, -0.001) for total hip, and -0.015(-0.029, -0.002) for femoral neck. After adjusting for baseline covariates and 2-year weight change, higher baseline plasma concentrations of PFOS, PFNA, and PFDA were associated with greater reduction in BMD in the hip; the βs (95% CIs) were -0.005(-0.009, -0.001), -0.006(-0.010, -0.001), and -0.005(-0.009, -0.001), respectively. Similar associations were found in hip intertrochanteric area for all PFASs except PFHxS, with βs ranging from -0.006 for PFOA to -0.008 for PFOS and PFNA. Participants with a higher GRS tended to have less PFAS-related BMD decline in total hip (Pinteraction = 0.005) and the hip intertrochanteric area (Pinteraction = 0.021). There were similar PFAS-related BMD changes by baseline BMI levels, although the interactions did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that higher plasma PFAS concentrations were not only associated with a lower BMD at baseline, but also a faster BMD loss in a weight-loss trial setting. Genetic predisposition to larger body size may somewhat attenuate the deleterious effects of PFASs on BMD. Further exploration of the possible impact of PFAS exposures on bone density is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Hu
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety and the Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jennifer Rood
- LSU, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Liming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George A Bray
- LSU, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Lilian de Jonge
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeremy D Furtado
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lu Qi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Oulhote Y, Coull B, Bind MA, Debes F, Nielsen F, Tamayo I, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Joint and independent neurotoxic effects of early life exposures to a chemical mixture: A multi-pollutant approach combining ensemble learning and g-computation. Environ Epidemiol 2019; 3:e063. [PMID: 32051926 PMCID: PMC7015154 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to mercury (Hg) is associated with adverse developmental effects. However, Hg occurs with a multitude of chemicals. We assessed the associations of developmental exposure to multiple pollutants with children's neurodevelopment using a novel approach. METHODS Hg, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and perfluoroalkyl substances were measured in maternal and children's blood at 5-years (n=449 and 419). At 7-years, children were administered Boston Naming Test (BNT) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We used the G-formula combined with SuperLearner to estimate independent and joint effects of chemicals at both ages. We constructed flexible exposure-response relationships and assessed interactions. RESULTS Most chemicals showed negative relationships with BNT scores. An inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in maternal Hg and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was associated with 0.15 standard deviation [SD] (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: -0.29,-0.03) and 0.14 SD (95%CI: -0.26,-0.05) lower scores in BNT, whereas a joint IQR increase in the mixture of chemicals was associated with 0.48 SD (95%CI: -0.69,-0.25) lower scores in BNT. An IQR increase in PFOA was associated with 0.11 SD (95%CI: 0.02,0.26) higher total SDQ difficulties scores. Maternal ∑PCBs concentrations were associated with lower SDQ scores (β=-0.09 SD; 95%CI: -0.19,0), whereas 5-years ∑PCBs showed a negative association (β=-0.09 SD; 95%CI: -0.21,0). Finally, a joint IQR increase in the mixture was associated with 0.22 SD (95%CI: 0.04,0.4) higher SDQ scores. CONCLUSIONS Using a novel statistical approach, we confirmed associations between prenatal mercury exposure and lower cognitive function. The potential developmental effects of PFASs need additional attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, UMASS- Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marie-Abele Bind
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Frodi Debes
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Ibon Tamayo
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Pal Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Eryasa B, Grandjean P, Nielsen F, Valvi D, Zmirou-Navier D, Sunderland E, Weihe P, Oulhote Y. Physico-chemical properties and gestational diabetes predict transplacental transfer and partitioning of perfluoroalkyl substances. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 130:104874. [PMID: 31200157 PMCID: PMC7029428 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.05.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a growing public health concern. Some longer chain PFASs bioaccumulate and many compounds persist in the environment for long time periods. Recent studies have established their ability to pass through placenta, yet data on the transplacental transfer efficiency and partitioning of short and long chain PFASs in blood matrices are limited. OBJECTIVES To assess predictors of the partitioning of 17 PFAS compounds detected in the maternal serum, umbilical cord serum and whole cord blood samples from matched mother-newborn pairs from two Faroe Islands cohorts. METHODS We examined 151 mother-newborn pairs from two successive Faroese birth cohorts. Cord:maternal serum (transplacental transfer) and serum:whole cord blood (blood partitioning) ratios were estimated for 17 PFAS compounds. We also examined the relationships of these ratios with maternal, newborns', and physico-chemical properties using multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS Moderate to high correlations were observed between maternal and cord serum PFAS concentrations (ρ: 0.41 to 0.95), indicating significant transfer of these compounds from the mother to the fetus. Median transplacental transfer ratios were generally below 1, except for perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and ranged between 0.36 for perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA) and 1.21 for FOSA. Most PFASs exhibited a preference to the serum component of the blood, except FOSA and perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), with blood partitioning ratios ranging from 0.36 for FOSA to 2.75 for PFUnDA. Both the functional groups and carbon chain length of different PFASs were important predictors of transplacental transfer and blood partitioning. We observed a U-shaped relationship between transplacental transfer ratios and carbon chain length for perfluorocarboxylates and perfluorosulfonates. Importantly, gestational diabetes was also a strong predictor of transplacental transfer ratios, with significantly higher transfer in mothers with gestational diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a better understanding of the transplacental transfer and blood partitioning of a large number of PFAS compounds. Results elucidate the importance of chemical structure for future risk assessments and choice of appropriate blood matrices for measurement of PFAS compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berrak Eryasa
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America; EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes, France
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America; University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Elsie Sunderland
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America; Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Pal Weihe
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America.
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Hu XC, Tokranov AK, Liddie J, Zhang X, Grandjean P, Hart JE, Laden F, Sun Q, Yeung LWY, Sunderland EM. Tap Water Contributions to Plasma Concentrations of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in a Nationwide Prospective Cohort of U.S. Women. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2019; 127:67006. [PMID: 31170009 PMCID: PMC6792361 DOI: 10.1289/ehp4093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Between 2013 and 2015, concentrations of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in public drinking water supplies serving at least six million individuals exceeded the level set forth in the health advisory established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Other than data reported for contaminated sites, no systematic or prospective data exist on the relative source contribution (RSC) of drinking water to human PFAS exposures. OBJECTIVES This study estimates the RSC of tap water to overall PFAS exposure among members of the general U.S. POPULATION METHODS We measured concentrations of 15 PFAS in home tap water samples collected in 1989-1990 from 225 participants in a nationwide prospective cohort of U.S. women: the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). We used a one-compartment toxicokinetic model to estimate plasma concentrations corresponding to tap water intake of PFAS. We compared modeled results with measured plasma PFAS concentrations among a subset of 110 NHS participants. RESULTS Tap water perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were statistically significant predictors of plasma concentrations among individuals who consumed [Formula: see text] cups of tap water per day. Modeled median contributions of tap water to measured plasma concentrations were: PFOA 12% (95% probability interval 11%-14%), PFNA 13% (8.7%-21%), linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (nPFOS) 2.2% (2.0%-2.5%), branched perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (brPFOS) 3.0% (2.5%-3.2%), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) 34% (29%-39%). In five locations, comparisons of PFASs in community tap water collected in the period 2013-2016 with samples from 1989-1990 indicated increases in quantifiable PFAS and extractable organic fluorine (a proxy for unquantified PFAS). CONCLUSIONS Our results for 1989-1990 compare well with the default RSC of 20% used in risk assessments for legacy PFAS by many agencies. Future evaluation of drinking water exposures should incorporate emerging PFAS. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4093.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindi C. Hu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrea K. Tokranov
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jahred Liddie
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xianming Zhang
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jaime E. Hart
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Leo W. Y. Yeung
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Elsie M. Sunderland
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Workman CE, Becker AB, Azad MB, Moraes TJ, Mandhane PJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Brook JR, Sears MR, Wong CS. Associations between concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in human plasma and maternal, infant, and home characteristics in Winnipeg, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 249:758-766. [PMID: 30933773 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are known to be toxic, bioaccumulative, and persistent. However, exposure routes and toxic effects to humans are still widely unknown. Our objectives were to evaluate potential correlations between concentrations of PFASs in maternal plasma and infant cord blood with home characteristics and developmental effects, including wheezing. The concentrations of 17 PFASs were measured in plasma from prenatal women (n = 414), postnatal women (n = 247), and cord blood (n = 50) from a subset of participants in a population-based birth cohort in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, using online solid phase extraction (SPE) with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Multiple linear regression and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate possible associations with PFAS concentrations. Surveys were used to collect information regarding maternal characteristics (e.g. age, parity, duration of breastfeeding), infant characteristics (e.g. birth weight, birth length, head circumference, gestational age, and incidence of recurrent wheezing), and home characteristics (e.g. home age,carpet coverage in the most used room, presence of new furniture, or recent home renovations). PFASs in plasma were associated with maternal characteristics but not home characteristics or early childhood wheezing. PFASs were not associated with developmental effects, with the exception that perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA) was negatively associated with birth weight. Further studies investigating the potential influences of PFUA on birth weight are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Workman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - Allan B Becker
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Meghan B Azad
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Theo J Moraes
- Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Piush J Mandhane
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Stuart E Turvey
- Department of Pediatrics, Child & Family Research Institute, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Padmaja Subbarao
- Department of Pediatrics & Physiology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R Brook
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Malcolm R Sears
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles S Wong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences, The University of Winnipeg, Richardson College for the Environment, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Chemistry, The University of Winnipeg, Richardson College for the Environment, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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49
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Perfluorinated substances, risk factors for multiple sclerosis and cellular immune activation. J Neuroimmunol 2019; 330:90-95. [PMID: 30852181 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs) have immunomodulatory effects but the impact on multiple sclerosis (MS) and cellular immune functions is only sparsely described. In the present study, we found lower concentrations of the long chain PFAS perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in MS than in healthy controls (HC). In HC, we did not detect associations between PFOS concentrations and immune phenotypes. Analyzing the impact of known MS risk factors on cellular immune functions, we found that smoking and Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 antibodies were associated with distinct circulating immune cell changes. In summary, current background PFAS exposure is not an important risk factor for MS.
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50
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Ramhøj L, Hass U, Boberg J, Scholze M, Christiansen S, Nielsen F, Axelstad M. Perfluorohexane Sulfonate (PFHxS) and a Mixture of Endocrine Disrupters Reduce Thyroxine Levels and Cause Antiandrogenic Effects in Rats. Toxicol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29518214 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental toxicity of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) is largely unknown despite widespread environmental contamination and presence in human serum, tissues and milk. To thoroughly investigate PFHxS toxicity in developing rats and to mimic a realistic human exposure situation, we examined a low dose close to human relevant PFHxS exposure, and combined the dose-response studies of PFHxS with a fixed dose of 12 environmentally relevant endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDmix). Two reproductive toxicity studies in time-mated Wistar rats exposed throughout gestation and lactation were performed. Study 1 included control, two doses of PFHxS, and two doses of PFHxS + EDmix (n = 5-7). Study 2 included control, 0.05, 5, or 25 mg/kg body weight/day PFHxS, EDmix-only, 0.05, 5, or 25 mg PFHxS/kg plus EDmix (n = 13-20). PFHxS caused no overt toxicity in dams and offspring but decreased male pup birth weight and slightly increased liver weights at high doses and in combination with the EDmix. A marked effect on T4 levels was seen in both dams and offspring, with significant reductions from 5 mg/kg/day. The EDmix caused antiandrogenic effects in male offspring, manifested as slight decreases in anogenital distance, increased nipple retention and reductions of the weight of epididymides, ventral prostrate, and vesicular seminalis. PFHxS can induce developmental toxicity and in addition results of the co-exposure studies indicated that PFHxS and the EDmix potentiate the effect of each other on various endpoints, despite their different modes of action. Hence, risk assessment may underestimate toxicity when mixture toxicity and background exposures are not taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Ramhøj
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ulla Hass
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Julie Boberg
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Martin Scholze
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Sofie Christiansen
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Marta Axelstad
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
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