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Burdette T, Yakimavets V, Panuwet P, Ryan PB, Barr DB, Salamova A. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in senior care facilities and older adult residents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172316. [PMID: 38593875 PMCID: PMC11075449 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172316] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are fluorinated organic compounds used in a variety of consumer products and industrial applications that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate in biological tissues, and can have adverse effects on human health, especially in vulnerable populations. In this study, we focused on PFAS exposures in residents of senior care facilities. To investigate relationships between indoor, personal, and internal PFAS exposures, we analyzed 19 PFAS in matched samples of dust collected from the residents' bedrooms, and wristbands and serum collected from the residents. The median ∑PFAS concentrations (the sum of all PFAS detected in the samples) measured in dust, wristbands, and serum were 120 ng/g, 0.05 ng/g, and 4.0 ng/mL, respectively. The most abundant compounds in serum were linear- and branched-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (L-PFOS and B-PFOS, respectively) at medians of 1.7 ng/mL and 0.83 ng/mL, respectively, followed by the linear perfluorooctanoic acid (L-PFOA) found at a median concentration of 0.59 ng/mL. Overall, these three PFAS comprised 80 % of the serum ∑PFAS concentrations. A similar pattern was observed in dust with L-PFOS and L-PFOA found as the most abundant PFAS (median concentrations of 13 and 7.8 ng/g, respectively), with the overall contribution of 50 % to the ∑PFAS concentration. Only L-PFOA was found in wristbands at a median concentration of 0.02 ng/g. Significant correlations were found between the concentrations of several PFAS in dust and serum, and in dust and wristbands, suggesting that the indoor environment could be a significant contributor to the personal and internal PFAS exposures in seniors. Our findings demonstrate that residents of assisted living facilities are widely exposed to PFAS, with several PFAS found in blood of each study participant and in the assisted living environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tret Burdette
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Volha Yakimavets
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - P Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Dana B Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Amina Salamova
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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2
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Mikhael E, Bouazza A, Gates WP, Gibbs D. Are Geotextiles Silent Contributors of Ultrashort Chain PFASs to the Environment? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:8867-8877. [PMID: 38733414 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08987] [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: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the presence of per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in woven and nonwoven polypropylene geotextiles and four nonwoven polyester geotextiles commonly used in modern geosynthetic composite lining systems for waste containment facilities such as landfills. Targeted analysis for 23 environmentally significant PFAS molecules and methods for examining "PFAS total" concentrations were utilized to assess their occurrence in geotextiles. This analysis showed that most geotextile specimens evaluated in the current investigation contained the ultrashort chain PFAS compound pentafluoropropionic acid (PFPrA). While the concentrations ranged from nondetectable to 10.84 μg/g, the average measured concentrations of PFPrA were higher in polypropylene than in polyester geotextiles. "PFAS total" parameters comprising total fluorine (TF) and total oxidizable precursors (TOPs) indicate that no significant precursor mass nor untargeted intermediates were present in geotextiles. Therefore, this study identified geotextiles as a possible source of ultrashort PFASs in engineered lined waste containment facilities, which may contribute to the overall PFAS total concentrations in leachates or liquors they are in contact with. The findings reported for the first time herein may lead to further implications on the fate and migration of PFASs in geosynthetic composite liners, as previously unidentified concentrations, particularly of ultrashort-chain PFASs, may impact the extent of PFAS migration through and attenuation by constituents of geosynthetic composite liner systems. Given the widespread use of geotextiles in various engineering activities, these findings may have other unknown impacts. The significance of these findings needs to be further elucidated by more extensive studies with larger geotextile sample sizes to allow broader, generalized conclusions to be drawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissar Mikhael
- Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, 23 College Walk, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Abdelmalek Bouazza
- Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, 23 College Walk, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Will P Gates
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Melbourne-Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Melbourne, Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - Daniel Gibbs
- Research and Innovation, Geofabrics, 11 Production Avenue, Molendinar, Queensland 4214, Australia
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3
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Krlovic N, Saracevic E, Derx J, Gundacker C, Krampe J, Zessner M, Zoboli O. A source-based framework to estimate the annual load of PFAS in municipal wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170997. [PMID: 38365022 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent chemicals, whose impact has been observed in various environmental compartments. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered a major emission pathway of PFAS, specifically in the context of the aquatic environment. The goal of this study was to develop a compartmentalized, source-based load estimation model of 7 PFAS within the municipal wastewater influent. Consumer statistics, data from literature on PFAS concentrations and release during use, and specific sampling activities for environmental flows in the related city were used to estimate per capita emission loads. Model results were compared with loads obtained through the monitoring campaign at the municipal WWTP influent. A wide range of discrepancies (≈5 % to ≈90 %) between loads observed in the WWTP influent and source based model estimates was noticed. The loads less accounted by the model were associated with sulfonic acids (PFSAs), whereas for carboxylic acids (PFCAs) most of the observed loads could be reasonably explained by the model, with even an overestimation of nearly 5 % noted for PFNA. Higher heterogeneity in sources was observed in the PFCA group, with a noticeable dominance in the share of consumer products. PFSAs had less of a consumer product input (<20 %), with the rest of the modelled load being attributed to environmental inputs. A large gap of unknown loads of PFSAs indicates a need for examination of other, not yet quantified activities that can potentially explain the remainder of the observed load. Especially commercial activities are considered as potential additional sources for PFSAs. These findings signify the importance of PFAS that originate from both consumer products, as well as environmental inputs in the overall load contribution into the sewage, while identifying the need for further investigation into commercial sources of PFAS emitted into the municipal wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Krlovic
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria.
| | - E Saracevic
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Derx
- Interuniversity Cooperation Centre for Water and Health (ICC Water & Health), Vienna, Austria; TU Wien, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Vienna, Austria
| | - C Gundacker
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Krampe
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - M Zessner
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - O Zoboli
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
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Liu S, Zhan Z, Zhang X, Chen X, Xu J, Wang Q, Zhang M, Liu Y. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) mixtures induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disruption in silkworm (Bombyx mori L.). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169782. [PMID: 38176555 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Mixed legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are commonly found in soil and dust; however, the potential toxicity of PFAS mixtures (mPFASs) in insects is unknown. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), we evaluated the adverse effects of mPFASs on silkworms, a typical lepidopteran insect. After exposure to mPFASs, the silkworm midgut was enriched with high levels of PFASs, which induced histopathological changes. The composition of the midgut microbiota was significantly affected by mPFAS exposure, and functional predictions revealed significant disruption of some metabolic pathways. RNA-seq analysis revealed that mPFASs significantly changed the transcription profiles. Functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes also revealed that biological processes related to metabolic pathways and the digestive system were significantly affected, similar to the results of the gut microbiota analysis, suggesting that mPFAS exposure had an adverse effect on the metabolic function of silkworms and may further affect their normal growth. Finally, the significant correlation between abundance changes in the gut microbiota and metabolism/digestion-related genes further highlighted the role of the gut microbiota in mPFAS-related processes affecting the metabolic functions of silkworms. To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the toxic effects of mPFASs in insects and provide basic data for further PFAS toxicity investigations in insects and comprehensive ecological risk assessments of mPFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Zhigao Zhan
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Xinghui Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China; College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Jiaojiao Xu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Qiyu Wang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China.
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Ao J, Tang W, Liu X, Ao Y, Zhang Q, Zhang J. Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) as PFAS substitutes and precursors: An overview. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 464:133018. [PMID: 37984148 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133018] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) are emerging substitutes for legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are widely applied in consumer products and closely related to people's daily lives. Increasing concern has been raised about the safety of PAPs due to their metabolism into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) in vivo. This review summarizes the current knowledge on PAPs and highlights the knowledge gaps. PAPs dominated the PFAS profiles in wastewater, sludge, household dust, food-contact materials, paper products, paints, and cosmetics. They exhibit biomagnification due to their higher levels in top predators. PAPs have been detected in human blood worldwide, with the highest mean levels being found in the United States (1.9 ng/mL) and China (0.4 ng/mL). 6:2 diPAP is the predominant PAP among all identified matrices, followed by 8:2 diPAP. Toxicokinetic studies suggest that after entering the body, most PAPs undergo biotransformation, generating phase Ⅰ (i.e., PFCAs), phase II, and intermediate products with toxicity to be verified. Several epidemiological and toxicological studies have reported the antiandrogenic effect, estrogenic effect, thyroid disruption, oxidative damage, and reproductive toxicity of PAPs. More research is urgently needed on the source and fate of PAPs, human exposure pathways, toxicity other than reproductive and endocrine systems, toxic effects of metabolites, and mixed exposure effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Ao
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Weifeng Tang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaoning Liu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yan Ao
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qianlong Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
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Chen X, Lv Z, Yang Y, Yang R, Shan G, Zhu L. Screening Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Human Blood Based on Nontarget Analysis and Underestimated Potential Health Risks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:150-159. [PMID: 38153813 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06675] [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: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Nontarget analysis has gained prominence in screening novel perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment, yet remaining limited in human biological matrices. In this study, 155 whole blood samples were collected from the general population in Shijiazhuang City, China. By nontarget analysis, 31 legacy and novel PFASs were assigned with the confidence level of 3 or above. For the first time, 11 PFASs were identified in human blood, including C1 and C3 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs), C4 ether PFSA, C8 ether perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (ether PFCA), C4-5 unsaturated perfluoroalkyl alcohols, C9-10 carboxylic acid-perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (CA-PFSMs), and C1 perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide. It is surprising that the targeted PFASs were the highest in the suburban population which was impacted by industrial emission, while the novel PFASs identified by nontarget analysis, such as C1 PFSA and C9-11 CA-PFSMs, were the highest in the rural population who often drank contaminated groundwater. Combining the toxicity prediction results of the bioaccumulation potential, lethality to rats, and binding affinity to target proteins, C3 PFSA, C4 and C7 ether PFSAs, and C9-11 CA-PFSMs exhibit great health risks. These findings emphasize the necessity of broadening nontarget analysis in assessing the PFAS exposure risks, particularly in rural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Zixuan Lv
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Rongyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Guoqiang Shan
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Lingyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
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Zheng G, Eick SM, Salamova A. Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15782-15793. [PMID: 37818968 PMCID: PMC10603771 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) make up a large group of fluorinated organic compounds extensively used in consumer products and industrial applications. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the two perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with 8 carbons in their structure, have been phased out on a global scale because of their high environmental persistence and toxicity. As a result, shorter-chain PFAAs with less than 8 carbons in their structure are being used as their replacements and are now widely detected in the environment, raising concerns about their effects on human health. In this study, 47 PFAAs and their precursors were measured in paired samples of dust and drinking water collected from residential homes in Indiana, United States, and in blood and urine samples collected from the residents of these homes. Ultrashort- (with 2 or 3 carbons [C2-C3]) and short-chain (with 4-7 carbons [C4-C7]) PFAAs were the most abundant in all four matrices and constituted on average 69-100% of the total PFAA concentrations. Specifically, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, C2) and perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA, C3) were the predominant PFAAs in most of the samples. Significant positive correlations (n = 81; r = 0.23-0.42; p < 0.05) were found between TFA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA, C7) concentrations in dust or water and those in serum, suggesting dust ingestion and/or drinking water consumption as important exposure pathways for these compounds. This study demonstrates that ultrashort- and short-chain PFAAs are now abundant in the indoor environment and in humans and warrants further research on potential adverse health effects of these exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guomao Zheng
- School
of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Stephanie M. Eick
- Gangarosa
Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Department
of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Amina Salamova
- Gangarosa
Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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Ma X, Fisher JA, VoPham T, Vasiliou V, Jones RR. Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, liver function, and daily alcohol consumption in a sample of U.S. adults. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 235:116651. [PMID: 37451576 PMCID: PMC10948014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment and in the serum of the U.S. POPULATION We sought to evaluate the association of PFAS independently and jointly with alcohol intake on liver function biomarkers in a sample of the U.S. general population. METHODS Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2016; N = 11,794), we examined the five most historically prevalent PFAS with >75% detection rates. We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between PFAS (quartiles and log-transformed continuous, ng/mL) and high levels (>95th percentile) of liver injury biomarkers using logistic regression models adjusted for key confounders. We evaluated interactions between PFAS and alcohol consumption and sex via stratified analyses and conducted sub-analyses adjusting for daily alcohol intake among those with available drinking history (N = 10,316). RESULT Serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was positively associated with high levels of alanine transferase (ALT) without monotonic trend (ORQ4vsQ1 = 1.45, CI: 0.99-2.12; p-trend = 0.18), and with increased aspartate transaminase when modeled continuously (OR = 1.15, CI: 1.02-1.30; p-trend = 0.03). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were both inversely associated with alkaline phosphatase while a trend was evident only for PFHxS (p = 0.02). A non-monotonic inverse association was observed with PFOA (p-trend = 0.10). The highest quartile of PFOS was associated with high total bilirubin (TB; ORQ4vsQ1 = 1.57, CI: 1.01-2.43, p-trend = 0.02). No significant associations were found between any PFAS and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. We found no associations for perfluorodecanoic acid and perfluorononanoic acid. We observed some suggestive interactions with alcohol intake, particularly among heavy drinkers. CONCLUSION Consistent with other studies, serum levels of PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA were positively associated with high levels of ALT, and we also observed weak positive associations between some PFAS and TB. Associations observed among heavy drinkers warrant additional evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqi Ma
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Jared A Fisher
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Trang VoPham
- Epidemiology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rena R Jones
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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9
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Haug M, Dunder L, Lind PM, Lind L, Salihovic S. Associations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with lipid and lipoprotein profiles. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:757-765. [PMID: 37019983 PMCID: PMC10541331 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00545-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals with unique properties that are widely distributed in humans and the environment. Recent studies suggest that PFAS are involved in cholesterol metabolism, however, the mechanisms underlying the associations are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate associations of plasma PFAS with detailed lipid and lipoprotein subfractions in an adult population of men and women. METHODS We measured concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides in lipoprotein subfractions, apolipoprotein subclasses, as well as fatty acid and different phospholipid measures, using serum proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), and four plasma PFAS using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Measurements were available for 493 participants (all aged 50 years, 50% female). Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the association of four PFAS with 43 different 1H-NMR measures, with adjustment for body mass index (BMI), smoking, education, and physical activity. RESULTS We found that perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), but not perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), concentrations were consistently positively associated with concentrations of cholesterol in lipoprotein subfractions, apolipoproteins, as well as composite fatty acid- and phospholipid profiles. The most consistent associations were found for the relationship of PFAS with total cholesterol in intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), across all low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions and small high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Moreover, we found weak to null evidence for an association of any of the measured 13 triglyceride lipoprotein subfractions with PFAS. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that plasma PFAS concentrations are associated with cholesterol in small HDL, IDL and all LDL subfractions, as well as apolipoproteins and composite fatty acid and phospholipid profiles but to a lesser extent with triglycerides in lipoproteins. Our findings draw attention to the need for more detailed measurements of lipids across various lipoprotein subfractions and subclasses in assessing the role of PFAS in lipid metabolism. IMPACT By performing an in-depth characterization of circulating cholesterol and triglycerides in lipoprotein subfractions, apolipoprotein, fatty acid, and phospholipid concentrations, this study has expanded upon the limited literature available on the associations of plasma PFAS concentrations beyond clinical routine laboratory testing for lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Haug
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Linda Dunder
- Department of Medical Sciences, Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Uppsala Univeristy, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - P Monica Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Uppsala Univeristy, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Samira Salihovic
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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10
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Zango ZU, Ethiraj B, Al-Mubaddel FS, Alam MM, Lawal MA, Kadir HA, Khoo KS, Garba ZN, Usman F, Zango MU, Lim JW. An overview on human exposure, toxicity, solid-phase microextraction and adsorptive removal of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) from water matrices. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116102. [PMID: 37196688 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are sub-class of perfluoroalkyl substances commonly detected in water matrices. They are persistent in the environment, hence highly toxic to living organisms. Their occurrence at trace amount, complex nature and prone to matrix interference make their extraction and detection a challenge. This study consolidates current advancements in solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques for the trace-level analysis of PFCAs from water matrices. The advantages of the methods in terms of ease of applications, low-cost, robustness, low solvents consumption, high pre-concentration factors, better extraction efficiency, good selectivity and recovery of the analytes have been emphasized. The article also demonstrated effectiveness of some porous materials for the adsorptive removal of the PFCAs from the water matrices. Mechanisms of the SPE/adsorption techniques have been discussed. The success and limitations of the processes have been elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakariyya Uba Zango
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Applied Science, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria; Institute of Semi-Arid Zone Studies, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria.
| | - Baranitharan Ethiraj
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - Fahad S Al-Mubaddel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11421, Saudi Arabia; Fellow, King Abdullah City for Renewable and Atomic Energy: Energy Research and Innovation Center, (ERIC), Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Mahtab Alam
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Haliru Aivada Kadir
- Department of Quality Assurance and Control, Dangote Cement Plc, Kogi State, Nigeria
| | - Kuan Shiong Khoo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | | | - Fahad Usman
- Institute of Semi-Arid Zone Studies, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria
| | - Muttaqa Uba Zango
- Department of Civil Engineering, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, P.M.B. 3244, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Jun Wei Lim
- HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
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11
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Zhou Y, Lin X, Xing Y, Zhang X, Lee HK, Huang Z. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Personal Hygiene Products: The Implications for Human Exposure and Emission to the Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:8484-8495. [PMID: 37262408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been related to reproductive toxicity in humans, but their occurrence in some specific personal hygiene products, i.e., sanitary pads, panty liners, tampons, paper diapers, menstrual cups, and bactericidal liquids, has not been extensively studied. This work investigated 31 representative PFAS in six categories of such personal hygiene products (n = 91). Perfluorinated carboxylic acids were the primary PFAS found in the samples, accounting for over 85% of the total concentrations of PFAS. Paper diapers contained the highest sum of PFAS concentrations (64.6 ng/g) followed by sanitary pads (52.3 ng/g) and menstrual cups (21.1 ng/g). The estimated exposure doses of perfluorooctanoic acid through dermal absorption from the use of menstrual cups and paper diapers for infants (adults) were 0.77 and 2.1 (1.2) ng/kg-bw/day, which contributed more than normal dust ingestion. The estimated emission of paper diapers and sanitary pads into the environment was 2.58 and 322 kg/year with an assumed leaching rate of 100%. The potential exposure of PFAS through the use of personal hygiene products observed in this work suggests a previously unreported exposure pathway of these chemicals to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Yudong Xing
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Hian Kee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Zhenzhen Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
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12
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Zhao L, Cheng Z, Zhu H, Chen H, Yao Y, Baqar M, Yu H, Qiao B, Sun H. Electronic-waste-associated pollution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Environmental occurrence and human exposure. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 451:131204. [PMID: 36931218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131204] [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: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is of serious concern because their adverse health effects. Nevertheless, knowledge regarding contamination in e-waste dismantling regions is rather scarce. We therefore analysed seven neutral PFASs (n-PFASs) and forty ionized PFASs (i-PFASs) in dust and hand wipes collected from an e-waste dismantling plant and homes. Both dust (1370 ng/g) and workers' hand wipe (1100 ng/m2) in e-waste dismantling workshops contained significantly higher median levels of ∑PFASs than those from homes (684 ng/g and 444 ng/m2) (p < 0.01). ∑PFAS concentrations in dust and on workers' hand wipes from workshops were significantly higher than those from storage area. 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol was the dominant n-PFAS in workshop dust (70.7%) and on worker's hand wipes (46.6%). Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (C2 -C3) were the significant components (based on concentration) of i-PFASs in dust (57.9%) and on hand wipes (89.6%). A significant positive correlation (p < 0.001) of ∑PFAS concentrations between workshop dust and workers' hand wipes was observed, indicating that they come from common sources. Compared to dust ingestion, hand-to-mouth contact was highlighted as a vital exposure route, accounting for 68.8% for workers and 72.2% for residential population, respectively, of the sum of two exposure doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leicheng Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zhipeng Cheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Hongkai Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Hao Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yiming Yao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Mujtaba Baqar
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Hao Yu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Biting Qiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Hongwen Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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13
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Timshina AS, Sobczak WJ, Griffin EK, Lin AM, Townsend TG, Bowden JA. Up in the air: Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) in airborne dust captured by air conditioning (AC) filters. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 325:138307. [PMID: 36878365 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138307] [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: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitously present in our indoor living environments. Dust is thought to accumulate PFAS released indoors and serve as an exposure pathway for humans. Here, we investigated whether spent air conditioning (AC) filters can be exploited as opportunistic samplers of airborne dust for assessing PFAS burden in indoor environments. Used AC filters from campus facilities (n = 19) and homes (n = 11) were analyzed for 92 PFAS via targeted ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). While 27 PFAS were measured (in at least one filter), the predominant species were polyfluorinated dialkylated phosphate esters (diPAPs), with the sum of 6:2-, 8:2-, and 6:2/8:2diPAPs accounting for approximately 95 and 98 percent of ∑27PFAS in campus and household filters, respectively. Exploratory screening of a subset of the filters revealed the presence of additional species of mono-, di-, and tri-PAPs. Considering the constant human exposure to dust indoors and the potential of PAPs to degrade into terminal species with well-established toxicological risks, assessing dust for these precursor PFAS warrants further investigation with respect to both human health and PFAS loading to landfills from this under studied waste stream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina S Timshina
- University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - William J Sobczak
- University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Emily K Griffin
- University of Florida, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology & Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ashley M Lin
- University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Timothy G Townsend
- University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - John A Bowden
- University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; University of Florida, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology & Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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14
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Zhu L, Hajeb P, Fauser P, Vorkamp K. Endocrine disrupting chemicals in indoor dust: A review of temporal and spatial trends, and human exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162374. [PMID: 36828075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Several chemicals with widespread consumer uses have been identified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), with a potential risk to humans. The occurrence in indoor dust and resulting human exposure have been reviewed for six groups of known and suspected EDCs, including phthalates and non-phthalate plasticizers, flame retardants, bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), biocides and personal care product additives (PCPs). Some banned or restricted EDCs, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), bisphenol A (BPA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are still widely detected in indoor dust in most countries, even as the predominating compounds of their group, but generally with decreasing trends. Meanwhile, alternatives that are also potential EDCs, such as bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), and PFAS precursors, such as fluorotelomer alcohols, have been detected in indoor dust with increasing frequencies and concentrations. Associations between some known and suspected EDCs, such as phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers, FRs and BPs, in indoor dust and paired human samples indicate indoor dust as an important human exposure pathway. Although the estimated daily intake (EDI) of most of the investigated compounds was mostly below reference values, the co-exposure to a multitude of known or suspected EDCs requires a better understanding of mixture effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyan Zhu
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Parvaneh Hajeb
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Patrik Fauser
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Katrin Vorkamp
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
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15
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Bowers BB, Thornton JA, Sullivan RC. Evaluation of iodide chemical ionization mass spectrometry for gas and aerosol-phase per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:277-287. [PMID: 36189623 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00275b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of ultra-persistent anthropogenic contaminants. PFAS are ubiquitous in environmental and built systems, but very few online methods exist for their characterization in atmospheric gases and aerosols. Iodide time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometry (iodide-ToF-CIMS) is a promising technology for online characterization of PFAS in the atmosphere. Previous work using iodide-ToF-CIMS was successful in measuring gas-phase perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and fluorotelomer alcohols, but those are just two of the myriad classes of PFAS that are atmospherically relevant. Therefore, our first objective was to test other sample introduction methods coupled to iodide-TOF-CIMS to evaluate its ability to measure a wider suite of PFAS in both gas and aerosol phases. Using a variety of sample introduction techniques, we successfully measured gas-phase fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), gas and aerosol-phase perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), and aerosol-phase perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids and polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters (PFSAs and diPAPs). We also determined iodide-ToF-CIMS response factors for these compounds by introducing known quantities using a Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsols (FIGAERO). These response factors ranged from 400 to 6 × 104 ions per nanogram, demonstrating low limits of detection. Furthermore, PFAS are a poorly understood diverse class of molecules that exhibit unusual and often unexpected physicochemical properties due to their highly fluorinated nature. Since detection of PFAS with iodide-ToF-CIMS relies on the analyte molecule to either undergo proton transfer or adduct formation with iodide, understanding PFAS behavior during chemical ionization gives rise to a more fundamental understanding of these compounds. Through voltage scanning experiments and DFT calculations, we found that PFCAs and FTOHs readily form iodide adducts, while PFSAs and diPAPs preferentially undergo proton transfer to iodide. Generally, binding energy increased with increasing linear chain length, and PFCAs had stronger binding than FTOHs. Overall, our results suggest that iodide-ToF-CIMS can be used to measure even nonvolatile PFAS such as PFSAs and diPAPs in the aerosol phase in a semi-continuous online fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey B Bowers
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joel A Thornton
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ryan C Sullivan
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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16
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Aker A, Ayotte P, Caron-Beaudoin É, De Silva A, Ricard S, Lemire M. Associations between dietary profiles and perfluoroalkyl acids in Inuit youth and adults. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159557. [PMID: 36272489 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subset of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and consumer applications. They are exceptionally stable and highly mobile in the environment, and were detected in high concentrations in Arctic wildlife and Nunavik Inuit. The study's objective was to study the association between dietary profiles in Nunavik and plasma PFAAs concentrations. METHODS The study used data from the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017) (N = 1172) on Inuit adults aged 16-80 years. Nine PFAAs congeners were measured in plasma samples (six were detected). Dietary profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Two sets of dietary profiles were included; the first included market (store-bought) and country foods (harvested/hunted from the land), and the second included only country foods. Multiple linear regression models regressed log-transformed PFAAs concentrations against the dietary profiles, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. RESULTS We identified statistically significant 24.54-57.55 % increases in all PFAAs congeners (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, and PFOS) in the dietary profile defined by frequent country food consumption compared to the dietary profile defined by frequent market food consumption. Individuals defined by low consumption of foods (related to food insecurity) had higher concentrations of six PFAAs compared to individuals with frequent market food consumption. The associations were stronger with profiles defined by more frequent country food consumption, and particularly those with increased marine mammal consumption. PFDA, PFUnDA, and PFOS were particularly associated with high country food consumption frequency, such that their concentrations increased by approximately 67-83 % compared to those reporting no or very little consumption of any country foods. CONCLUSIONS Increased country food consumption was strongly associated with higher PFAAs concentrations, particularly PFOS, PFDA, and PFUnDA. The results provide further evidence that the quality of country foods is being threatened by PFAAs contamination. Additional national and international regulations are required to protect the Arctic and its inhabitants from these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Aker
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Toxicologie du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amila De Silva
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Water Science Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sylvie Ricard
- Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq, QC, Canada
| | - Mélanie Lemire
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
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17
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Hassan HF, Bou Ghanem H, Abi Kharma J, Abiad MG, Elaridi J, Bassil M. Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in Human Milk: First Survey from Lebanon. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20010821. [PMID: 36613141 PMCID: PMC9819430 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Human milk is the primary source of nutrition for infants in their first year of life. Its potential contamination with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a group of toxic man-made chemicals, is a health concern that may threatens infants' health. Our study aims to assess the levels of PFOA and PFOS in the breast milk of Lebanese lactating mothers and the maternal factors associated with their presence. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a Micromass Quattro micro API triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to detect the level of contamination in 57 collected human milk samples. PFOA and PFOS were present in 82.5% and 85.7% of the samples, respectively, while PFOA levels ranged between 120 and 247 pg/mL with a median of 147 pg/mL, and those of PFOS ranged between 12 and 86 pg/mL with a median of 27.5 pg/mL. The median contamination for PFOA exceeded the threshold set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (60 pg/mL); however, that of PFOS was below the threshold (73 pg/mL). The consumption of bread, pasta, meat, and chicken more than twice per week and that of white tubers and roots at least once per week was significantly associated with higher levels of PFOA (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between maternal age, BMI, parity, level of education, place of residence, source of water used, and smoking with the levels of PFOA and PFOS in the human milk. Additionally, the consumption of cereals at least twice per week was significantly associated with higher levels of PFOS. These findings call for actions to improve the local environmental and agricultural practices, and the regulations and standards for inspecting imported food. It is important to highlight that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the reported contamination with PFOS and PFOA in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein F. Hassan
- Nutrition Program, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon
| | - Haneen Bou Ghanem
- Nutrition Program, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon
| | - Joelle Abi Kharma
- Nutrition Program, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon
| | - Mohamad G. Abiad
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
- LEAF—The Laboratories for the Environment, Agriculture and Food, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Jomana Elaridi
- Chemistry Program, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon
| | - Maya Bassil
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
- Correspondence:
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18
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Medeiros FS, Mota C, Chaudhuri P. Perfluoropropionic Acid-Driven Nucleation of Atmospheric Molecules under Ambient Conditions. J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:8449-8458. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c05068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Flávio Soares Medeiros
- Department of Physics, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus69080-900, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Cicero Mota
- Department of Mathematics, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus69080-900, Amazonas, Brazil
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19
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Gustafsson Å, Wang B, Gerde P, Bergman Å, Yeung LWY. Bioavailability of inhaled or ingested PFOA adsorbed to house dust. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:78698-78710. [PMID: 35699877 PMCID: PMC9587079 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Indoor environments may impact human health due to chemical pollutants in the indoor air and house dust. This study aimed at comparing the bioavailability and distribution of PFOA following both an inhalation and an oral exposure to PFOA coated house dust in rats. In addition, extractable organofluorine (EOF) was measured in different tissue samples to assess any potential influence of other organofluorine compounds in the experimental house dust. Blood samples were collected at sequential time points after exposure and at the time of termination; the lungs, liver, and kidney were collected for quantification of PFOA and EOF. The concentration of PFOA in plasma increased rapidly in both exposure groups attaining a Cmax at 3 h post exposure. The Cmax following inhalation was four times higher compared to oral exposures. At 48 h post exposure, the levels of PFOA in the plasma, liver, and kidney were twice as high from inhalation exposures. This shows that PFOA is readily bioavailable and has a rapid systemic distribution following an inhalation or oral exposure to house dust coated with PFOA. The proportion of PFOA to EOF corresponded to 65-71% and 74-87% in plasma and tissues, respectively. The mass balance between EOF and target PFOA indicates that there might be other unknown PFAS precursor and/or fluorinated compounds that co-existed in the house dust sample that can have accumulated in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åsa Gustafsson
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Bei Wang
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Per Gerde
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Inhalation Sciences AB, Hälsovägen 7-9, SE-141 57, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Åke Bergman
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leo W Y Yeung
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
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20
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Xia C, Diamond ML, Peaslee GF, Peng H, Blum A, Wang Z, Shalin A, Whitehead HD, Green M, Schwartz-Narbonne H, Yang D, Venier M. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in North American School Uniforms. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13845-13857. [PMID: 36129192 PMCID: PMC9535897 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We analyzed 72 children's textile products marketed as stain-resistant from US and Canadian stores, particularly school uniforms, to assess if clothing represents a significant route of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Products were first screened for total fluorine (total F) using particle-induced γ-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy (n = 72), followed by targeted analysis of 49 neutral and ionic PFAS (n = 57). PFAS were detected in all products from both markets, with the most abundant compound being 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH). Total targeted PFAS concentrations for all products collected from both countries ranged from 0.250 to 153 000 ng/g with a median of 117 ng/g (0.0281-38 100 μg/m2, median: 24.0 μg/m2). Total targeted PFAS levels in school uniforms were significantly higher than in other items such as bibs, hats, stroller covers, and swimsuits, but comparable to outdoor wear. Higher total targeted PFAS concentrations were found in school uniforms made of 100% cotton than synthetic blends. Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) precursors were abundant in school uniforms based on the results of hydrolysis and total oxidizable precursor assay. The estimated median potential children's exposure to PFAS via dermal exposure through school uniforms was 1.03 ng/kg bw/day. Substance flow analysis estimated that ∼3 tonnes/year (ranging from 0.05 to 33 tonnes/year) of PFAS are used in US children's uniforms, mostly of polymeric PFAS but with ∼0.1 tonne/year of mobile, nonpolymeric PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjie Xia
- Paul
H O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Miriam L. Diamond
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada
- School
of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E8, Canada
| | - Graham F. Peaslee
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Notre Dame, Notre
Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Hui Peng
- School
of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E8, Canada
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Arlene Blum
- Green Science
Policy Institute, Berkeley, California 94709, United States
| | - Zhanyun Wang
- Empa
− Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Institute
of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Shalin
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada
| | - Heather D. Whitehead
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Megan Green
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Notre Dame, Notre
Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | | | - Diwen Yang
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Marta Venier
- Paul
H O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
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21
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Gustafsson Å, Bergman Å, Weiss JM. Estimated daily intake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances related to different particle size fractions of house dust. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 303:135061. [PMID: 35649447 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Indoor environmental pollutants are a threat to human health. In the current study, we analysed 25 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in seven different size fraction of house dust including the two relevant for exposure via ingestion and inhalation. The highest PFAS concentration is found in the inhalable particulate fraction which is explained by the increased surface area as the particulate's sizes decrease. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of the individual PFAS and exposure pathways were calculated for children and adults. In addition, the total EDI for PFOA and its precursors was estimated. The polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters (diPAP), followed by PFOA and PFHxA fluortelomer, showed the highest concentrations of PFAS analysed. The cumulative EDI of PFAS for children was 3.0 ng/kg bw per day, a worst-case scenario, which is 17 times higher than the calculated EDI for adults. For children, ingestion of dust was found to result in 800 times higher PFOA exposure than via inhalation. The contribution from PFOA precursors corresponded to only 1% of the EDI from dust indicating PFOA as the main source of exposure. The EDI's of PFOA and PFOS from dust were lower than the calculated EDI's from food ingestion reported by the Swedish Food Agency. Our data indicate that the EDI for the sum of four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS from dust intake alone is close to the established tolerable weakly intake of 4.4 ng/kg bw in children, set by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020. The combined EDI levels PFOA and PFOS from both dust and food exceeded the EFSA TWI for both children and adults. This study demonstrates that dust is a relevant exposure pathway for PFAS intake and that analysis of relevant particle size fractions is important for evaluation of dust as an exposure pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åsa Gustafsson
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Åke Bergman
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden; Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jana M Weiss
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Sonego E, Simonetti G, Di Filippo P, Riccardi C, Buiarelli F, Fresta A, Olivastri M, Pomata D. Characterization of organophosphate esters (OPEs) and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFASs) in settled dust in specific workplaces. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:52302-52316. [PMID: 35258734 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19486-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
An analytical method for detecting flame retardants was slightly modified and optimized for the simultaneous determination of 11 organophosphate esters (OPEs) and 26 polyfluoralkyl substances (PFASs) contained in dust. All the analytes were determined in HPLC/MS-MS, and OPEs were also analyzed in GC/MS, and the results were compared. The study was conducted through the investigation of the Standard Reference Material SRM 2585 of the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST). The results were compared with the available reference mass fraction reported in the NIST certificate. The mass fraction obtained for the other OPEs and PFASs was compared to available data in the literature. After verifying the reliability of the results, the method was applied to environmental samples of settled dust, collected in four workplaces, where OPE and PFAS content is expected to be higher than in house dust: a mechanical workshop, an electronic repair center, a disassembly site, and a shredding site of two electronic waste recycling plants. By analyzing both PFASs and OPEs in the same samples, the present work demonstrated that the selected working places were more polluted in OPEs than houses; on the contrary, PFAS content in house dust proved to be more than ten times higher than that in workplaces. Additional research is necessary to confirm these data. Nevertheless, because this preliminary study showed not negligible concentrations of OPEs in some workplaces and of PFASs in houses, their monitoring should be extended to other domestic and selected working sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Sonego
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Buiarelli
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Alice Fresta
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Olivastri
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
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23
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Ahmadireskety A, Da Silva BF, Robey NM, Douglas TE, Aufmuth J, Solo-Gabriele HM, Yost RA, Townsend TG, Bowden JA. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Street Sweepings. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6069-6077. [PMID: 34596397 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One hundred and seventeen street sweeping samples were collected and analyzed for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Fifty-six samples were collected in one city (Gainesville, Florida) allowing for an in-depth city-wide characterization. Street sweepings from five other urban areas, (Orlando, n = 15; Key West, n = 15; Pensacola, n = 12; Tampa, n = 13; and Daytona Beach, n = 6) were analyzed to provide a city-to-city comparison of PFAS. Within our analytical workflow, 37 PFAS were quantified across all samples, while the maximum number of PFAS quantified at one site was 26. Of those PFAS quantified in Gainesville, 60% were perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and 33% were precursors to PFAA. Among the PFAAs, short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were the dominant class representing 26% of the total PFAS by concentration. In the comparison across different urban cities, the dominant compound by concentration and frequency of detection varied; however, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOSlin) were the two PFAS that were detected the most frequently. This study documents the first-time detection of hexadecafluorosebacic acid and perfluoro-3,6,9-trioxaundecane-1,11-dioic acid within environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atiye Ahmadireskety
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Bianca F Da Silva
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
| | - Nicole M Robey
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Thomas E Douglas
- Public Works Department, Solid Waste Division, City of Gainesville, Gainesville, Florida 32653, United States
| | - Joe Aufmuth
- George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32603, United States
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, College of Engineering, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, United States
| | - Richard A Yost
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Timothy G Townsend
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - John A Bowden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
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24
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Eichler CMA, Bi C, Wang C, Little JC. A modular mechanistic framework for estimating exposure to SVOCs: Next steps for modeling emission and partitioning of plasticizers and PFAS. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:356-365. [PMID: 35318457 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00419-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Estimates of human exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) such as phthalates, phthalate alternatives, and some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are required for the risk-based evaluation of chemicals. Recently, a modular mechanistic modeling framework to rapidly predict SVOC emission and partitioning in indoor environments has been presented, in which several mechanistically consistent source emission categories (SECs) were identified. However, not all SECs have well-developed emission models. In addition, data on model parameters are missing even for frequently studied SVOCs. These knowledge gaps impede the comprehensive prediction of the fate of SVOCs indoors. In this paper, sets of high-priority phthalates, phthalate alternatives, and PFAS were identified based on chemical occurrence indoors and additional selection criteria. These high-priority chemicals served as the basis for exploring model parameter availability for existing indoor SVOC emission and partitioning models. The results reveal that additional experimental and modeling work is needed to fully understand the behavior of SVOCs indoors and to predict exposures with greater confidence and lower uncertainty. Modeling approaches to fill some of the identified gaps are proposed. The prioritized sets of chemicals and proposed new modeling approaches will help guide future research. The inclusion of polar phases in the framework will further expand its applicability and scope. IMPACT STATEMENT: This paper compiles data on high-priority chemicals commonly found indoors and information on the availability of applicable models and model parameters to predict emission, partitioning, and subsequent exposure to these chemicals. Modeling approaches for a selection of the missing SECs (source emission categories) are proposed, to illustrate the path forward. The comprehensive data set helps inform researchers, exposure assessors, and policy makers to better understand the state of the science regarding modeling of indoor exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara M A Eichler
- Virginia Tech, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Chenyang Bi
- Virginia Tech, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Chunyi Wang
- Virginia Tech, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - John C Little
- Virginia Tech, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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25
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DeLuca NM, Minucci JM, Mullikin A, Slover R, Cohen Hubal EA. Human exposure pathways to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from indoor media: A systematic review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 162:107149. [PMID: 35240384 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been primarily attributed to contaminated food and drinking water. There is information indicating other sources and pathways of exposure in residential environments, but few studies report relationships between these indoor media and human biomonitoring measurements. METHODS This study adapts existing systematic review tools and methodologies to synthesize evidence for PFAS exposure pathways from indoor environment media including consumer products, household articles, cleaning products, personal care products, and indoor air and dust. Studies were identified using innovative machine learning approaches and pathway-specific search strings to reduce time needed for literature search and screening. The included studies and systematic review were evaluated using tools modified specifically for exposure studies. The systematic review was conducted following a previously published protocol (DeLuca et al., 2021) that describes the systematic review methodology used in detail. RESULTS Only 7 studies were identified that measured the targeted subset of 8 PFAS chemicals in concordant household media (primarily house dust) and participant serum. Data extracted from the included studies were used to calculate exposure intake rates and estimate a percentage of occupant serum concentrations that could be attributed to the indoor exposure pathways. These calculations showed that exposure to PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS from contaminated house dust could account for 13%, 3%, 7%, and 25% of serum concentrations, respectively. Inhalation of PFAS in indoor air could account for less than 4% of serum PFOA concentrations and less than 2% of serum PFOS and PFNA concentrations. A risk of bias was identified due to participant profiles in most of the studies being skewed towards white, female, and higher socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS Along with synthesizing evidence for estimated contributions to serum PFAS levels from indoor exposure media, this systematic review also identifies a consistent risk of bias across exposure study populations that should be considered in future studies. It highlights a major research gap and need for studies that measure concordant data from both indoor exposure media and participant serum and the need for continued research on exposure modeling parameters for many PFAS chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M DeLuca
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Jeffrey M Minucci
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Ashley Mullikin
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Rachel Slover
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Elaine A Cohen Hubal
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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26
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Jia S, Marques Dos Santos M, Li C, Snyder SA. Recent advances in mass spectrometry analytical techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:2795-2807. [PMID: 35132477 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-03905-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitous presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various environments has led to increasing concern, and these chemicals have been confirmed as global contaminants. Following the chemical regulatory restrictions imposed, PFAS alternatives that are presumed to be less toxic have been manufactured to replace the traditional ones in the market. However, owing to the original release and alternative usage, continuous accumulation of PFAS has been reported in environmental and human samples, with uncertain consequences for ecosystem and human health. It is crucial to promote and improve existing analytical techniques to facilitate the detection of trace amounts of PFAS in diverse environmental matrices. This review summarizes analytical methods that have been applied to and advanced for targeted detection and suspect screening of PFAS, which mainly include (i) sampling and sample preparation methods for various environment matrices and organisms, and quality assurance/quality control during the analysis process, and (ii) quantitative methods for targeted analysis and automated suspect screening strategies for non-targeted PFAS analysis, together with their applications, advantages, shortcomings, and need for new method development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenglan Jia
- Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Mauricius Marques Dos Santos
- Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Caixia Li
- Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Shane A Snyder
- Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, Singapore, 637141, Singapore.
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27
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Zhang Y, Pan C, Ren Y, Wang Z, Luo J, Ding G, Vinturache A, Wang X, Shi R, Ouyang F, Zhang J, Li J, Gao Y, Tian Y. Association of maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluroalkyl substances with infant growth from birth to 12 months: A prospective cohort study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151303. [PMID: 34749968 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although maternal perfluoroalkyl and polyfluroalkyl substances (PFASs) were associated with adverse birth outcomes, much less is known about their impact on infant growth during early infancy. OBJECTIVES We investigated the association between maternal PFASs exposure and infant growth during the first 12 months of life. METHODS Participating 2395 pregnancies were recruited from Shanghai Birth Cohort between 2013 and 2016. Ten PFASs were quantified from maternal plasma collected during early pregnancy (median, 15 gestational weeks). We measured infant length, weight, and head circumference at birth, 42 days, 6 months, and 12 months. Linear mixed regression model was used to estimate the associations between PFAS concentrations and repeated measurements of infant growth. Effect modification by infant sex was estimated. RESULTS Elevated perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) concentration was negatively associated with infant length-for-age Z score (LAZ) (β = -0.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.11, -0.01) during the first year. Adverse associations were also observed for perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and weight-for-length Z score (WFL) (β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.00) and BMI-for-age Z score (BAZ) (β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.00). However, perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) was positively associated with WFL (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.06) and BAZ (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.06). The adverse association of PFHpA and LAZ was more pronounced among males (β = -0.06; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.00) than females (β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.12). CONCLUSIONS In our study, negative associations were found for maternal PFHpA exposure and infant LAZ, PFBS and WFL and BAZ. Meanwhile, maternal PFDoA exposure was positively related with WFL and BAZ. The adverse association of maternal PFHpA exposure and infant LAZ was more pronounced among males. The results should be interpreted with caution, further prospective cohort studies with longitudinal and detailed measures are warranted to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyu Pan
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Yunjie Ren
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Zixia Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Luo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 06510 New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Guodong Ding
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200040 Shanghai, China
| | - Angela Vinturache
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, T8V2E8, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiaojin Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Clinical Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Rong Shi
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China
| | - Fengxiu Ouyang
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200092 Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200092 Shanghai, China
| | - Jiong Li
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200092 Shanghai, China; Department of Clinical Medicine-Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China.
| | - Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025 Shanghai, China; MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200092 Shanghai, China.
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28
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Herkert NJ, Kassotis CD, Zhang S, Han Y, Pulikkal VF, Sun M, Ferguson PL, Stapleton HM. Characterization of Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances Present in Commercial Anti-fog Products and Their In Vitro Adipogenic Activity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:1162-1173. [PMID: 34985261 PMCID: PMC8908479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Anti-fog sprays and solutions are used on eyeglasses to minimize the condensation of water vapor, particularly while wearing a mask. Given their water-repellent properties, we sought to characterize per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substance (PFAS) compounds in four anti-fog spray products, five anti-fog cloth products, and two commercial fluorosurfactant formulations suspected to be used in preparing anti-fog products. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs) were detected in all products and formulations. While 6:2 FTOH and the 6:2 FTEO polymeric series were predominant, one anti-fog cloth and one formulation contained 8:2, 10:2, 12:2, 14:2, and 16:2 FTOH and FTEO polymeric series. PFAS concentrations varied in samples and were detected at levels up to 25,000 μg/mL in anti-fog sprays and 185,000 μg (g cloth)-1 in anti-fog cloth products. The total organic fluorine (TOF) measurements of anti-fog products ranged from 190 to 20,700 μg/mL in sprays and 44,200 to 131,500 μg (g cloth)-1 in cloths. Quantified FTOHs and FTEOs accounted for 1-99% of TOF mass. In addition, all four anti-fog sprays and both commercial formulations exhibited significant cytotoxicity and adipogenic activity (either triglyceride accumulation and/or pre-adipocyte proliferation) in murine 3T3-L1 cells. Results suggest that FTEOs are a significant contributor to the adipogenic activity exhibited by the anti-fog sprays. Altogether, these results suggest that FTEOs are present in commercial products at toxicologically relevant levels, and more research is needed to fully understand the health risks from using these PFAS-containing products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Herkert
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Christopher D Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Yuling Han
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Vivek Francis Pulikkal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Mei Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - P Lee Ferguson
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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29
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Liu X. Understanding Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) in Indoor Dust. INDOOR + BUILT ENVIRONMENT : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2022; 31:291-298. [PMID: 35221787 PMCID: PMC8879700 DOI: 10.1177/1420326x211070859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Liu
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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30
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Savvaides T, Koelmel JP, Zhou Y, Lin EZ, Stelben P, Aristizabal-Henao JJ, Bowden JA, Godri Pollitt KJ. Prevalence and Implications of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Settled Dust. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 8:323-335. [PMID: 34985714 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-021-00326-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of more than 7,000 fluorinated compounds. The carbon-fluorine bond of PFAS provides desirable hydrophobic and oleophobic properties and stability that has led to widespread usage in consumer products and industrial applications. The strength of the carbon-fluorine bond also prevents appreciable degradation once released into the environment. Consequently, various household products can release volatile and nonvolatile PFAS into the indoor environment that often concentrate in dust. We discuss the diversity of PFAS in settled dust, emission sources of these chemicals, changes in PFAS profiles in dust over the past century, and the implications for human health. RECENT FINDINGS Sources of PFAS found in dust include building materials and furnishings and consumer products used in typical indoor spaces. Daycares and workplaces are emphasized as locations with widespread exposure due to the presence of treated carpeting and industrial-strength cleaners. Comparison and interpretation of findings across studies are complicated by the different ways in which PFAS are screened across studies. We further discuss recent developments in non-targeted software for the comprehensive annotation of PFAS in indoor dust and emphasize the need for comprehensive and harmonized analytical workflows. We highlight the detection and diversity of PFAS in settled dust collected from various indoor spaces, including locations with vulnerable subpopulations. There are opportunities for future research to leverage settled dust as a sentinel environmental matrix to evaluate the link between inhalation and ingestion routes of PFAS exposure to adverse health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Savvaides
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jeremy P Koelmel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Yakun Zhou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Elizabeth Z Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Paul Stelben
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Juan J Aristizabal-Henao
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John A Bowden
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, Room 510, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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Heo DG, Lee DC, Kwon YM, Seol MJ, Sung Moon J, Min Chung S, Kim JH. Simultaneous Determination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid in Korean Sera Using LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2022; 1192:123138. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2022.123138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Ultratrace analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water using ice concentration linked with extractive stirrer and high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1659:462493. [PMID: 34706316 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Detection of drinking water contaminants is vital to the protection of human health. One group of contaminants that have recently generated serious concerns over health risks are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These compounds are very bio-persistent, leading to their detection in all types of water sources, including drinking water. While analysis of drinking water for PFAS is important, it is currently arduous to detect ultratrace levels of these contaminants. Specifically, current ultratrace PFAS analysis methods are difficult, costly, require large sample volumes, and consume relatively large volumes of organic solvent. In the present work, an analytical method using Ice Concentration Linked with Extractive Stirrer (ICECLES) and high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), was developed and validated to provide simple and ultratrace analysis of drinking water for 14 PFAS. The method featured a relatively low sample volume requirement (10 mL), automated extraction, minimal matrix effects, and minimal organic solvent use (i.e., the method requires only 50 µL of methanol per sample). The method produced a wide linear range of 0.5 to 500 ng/L, ultratrace limits of detection (0.05 to 0.3 ng/L), and good accuracy and precision (i.e., 87 to 108% accuracy and ≤19% relative standard deviation as a measure of precision). This method was tested on drinking water samples from across the United States and detected at least one PFAS compound in 52 of the 53 drinking water samples tested. Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) were detected in 89, 96, and 77% of the samples tested with maximum concentrations of 268 ng/L for PFHxA, 213 ng/L for PFOA, and 75.7 ng/L for PFHpA. Additionally, perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, and perfluoroheptanoic acid were each detected in at least one drinking water sample at concentrations > 20 ng/L. The availability of the method presented here allows ultratrace detection of PFAS while circumventing many of the disadvantages of current methods.
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Cheng B, Alapaty K, Zartarian V, Poulakos A, Strynar M, Buckley T. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure science: current knowledge, information needs, future directions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : IJEST 2021; 0:1-16. [PMID: 34956374 PMCID: PMC8697342 DOI: 10.1007/s13762-021-03710-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been documented at all spatial scales with concerns of adverse ecological and human health effects. Human exposures and relative pathway contributions depend on the specific population, their exposure scenarios, and pathways of local sources. OBJECTIVES Provide a narrative overview of (1) current per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances knowledge for sources, concentrations, and exposures; (2) critical per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure information gaps and needs, and (3) United States Environmental Protection Agency's strategies and action plans in collaboration with other federal, industrial, and academic partners. METHODS A literature review was conducted for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (primarily perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid) compounds in blood, water, soil, house dust, indoor and outdoor air, consumer products, food, and fish, as well as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure modeling. RESULTS Large variability exists in measured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances environmental concentrations and human exposures. Literature indicated that ingestion of food ("background"), drinking water ("contaminated" scenarios), and house dust (for children) are main pathways for perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid. DISCUSSION Needs for addressing critical data gaps are identified. More information is available on long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances than for replacement and emerging compounds. A large-scale research effort by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies is underway for a better understanding of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Cheng
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Postdoctoral Research Participant at U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - K. Alapaty
- Office of Research and Development, Atmospheric and Environmental Systems Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Room E211-A, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - V. Zartarian
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A. Poulakos
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, MA, USA
- LinTech Global, Inc., 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M. Strynar
- Office of Research and Development, Atmospheric and Environmental Systems Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Room E211-A, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - T. Buckley
- Office of Research and Development, Atmospheric and Environmental Systems Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Room E211-A, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Meng L, Song B, Zhong H, Ma X, Wang Y, Ma D, Lu Y, Gao W, Wang Y, Jiang G. Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Bohai Sea and its inflow rivers. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106735. [PMID: 34197972 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the occurrence, distribution, sources, and risk of 29 legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in four kinds of environmental matrices in the Bohai Sea were investigated. The ∑PFAS concentrations were in the range of 0.40 ~ 61.4 ng/g dry weight (dw) in inflow river sediments, 0.48 ~ 61.4 ng/g dw in soil near river inflow, 0.37 ~ 4.18 ng/g dw in sea sediments, and 13.3 ~ 718 ng/L in seawater. PFAS with eight carbons accounted for > 62.2% by mass, in all samples. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the dominant PFAS both by mass and occurrence. Seawater from Laizhou Bay (south of the Bohai Sea) and sediments of Liaodong Bay (northeast of the Bohai Sea) had the highest levels of ∑PFAS. The sediment-water partition coefficient and organic carbon content normalized partition coefficient (log Kd and log Koc) were calculated using measured PFAS concentrations to determine their distribution in seawater and sea sediments. The values of log Kd and log Koc values increased with the increasing CF2 units for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs). Six primary sources were identified in this region, including aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), metal plating, food packages, fluorine chemical industry, fluoropolymer manufacture, and domestic pollution. The risk quotient (RQ) values of PFAS were all < 1, indicating that organisms of the Bohai Sea were at low risk of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyi Meng
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Boyu Song
- Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the China, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Huifang Zhong
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Xindong Ma
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystem, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yingjun Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Donghui Ma
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yao Lu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yawei Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China.
| | - Guibin Jiang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Morales-McDevitt ME, Becanova J, Blum A, Bruton TA, Vojta S, Woodward M, Lohmann R. The Air that we Breathe: Neutral and volatile PFAS in Indoor Air. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2021; 8:897-902. [PMID: 35359817 PMCID: PMC8963212 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Sources of exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) include food, water, and given that humans spend typically 90% of our time indoors, air and dust. Quantifying PFAS prevalent indoors, such as neutral, volatile PFAS, and estimating their exposure risk to humans is thus important. To accurately measure these compounds indoors, polyethylene (PE) sheets were employed and validated as passive detection tools, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Air concentrations were compared to dust and carpet concentrations reported elsewhere. Partitioning between PE sheets of different thicknesses suggested that interactions of the PEs with the compounds are occurring by absorption. Volatile PFAS, specifically fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), were ubiquitous in indoor environments. For example, in carpeted Californian kindergarten classrooms, 6:2 FTOH dominated with concentrations ranging from 9-600 ng m-3, followed by 8:2 FTOH. Concentrations of volatile PFAS from air, carpet and dust were closely related to each other, indicating that carpets and dust are major sources of FTOHs in air. Nonetheless, air posed the largest exposure risk of FTOHs and biotransformed perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAA) in young children. This research highlights inhalation of indoor air as an important exposure pathway and the need for further reduction of precursors to PFAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya E. Morales-McDevitt
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, 02882 RI, USA
| | - Jitka Becanova
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, 02882 RI, USA
| | - Arlene Blum
- Green Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, 94709 CA, USA
| | | | - Simon Vojta
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, 02882 RI, USA
| | - Melissa Woodward
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, 02882 RI, USA
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Rd, Narragansett, 02882 RI, USA
- Corresponding author: ; Tel (1) 401-874-6612
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36
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Young AS, Sparer-Fine EH, Pickard HM, Sunderland EM, Peaslee GF, Allen JG. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and total fluorine in fire station dust. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021; 31:930-942. [PMID: 33542478 PMCID: PMC8339150 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 4700 fluorinated compounds used in industry and consumer products. Studies have highlighted the use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) as an exposure source for firefighters, but little is known about PFAS occurrence inside fire stations, where firefighters spend most of their shifts. In this study, we aimed to characterize PFAS concentrations and sources inside fire stations. We measured 24 PFAS (using LC-MS/MS) and total fluorine (using particle-induced gamma ray emission) in dust from multiple rooms of 15 Massachusetts stations, many of which (60%) no longer use PFAS-containing AFFF at all and the rest of which only use it very rarely. Compared to station living rooms, turnout gear locker rooms had higher dust levels of total fluorine (p < 0.0001) and three PFAS: perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDoDA) (p < 0.05). These PFAS were also found on six wipes of station turnout gear. By contrast, the dominant PFAS in living rooms was N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (N-MeFOSAA), a precursor to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) that still persists despite phase-outs almost two decades ago. The Σ24 PFAS accounted for less than 2% of fluorine in dust (n = 39), suggesting the potential presence of unknown PFAS. Turnout gear may be an important PFAS source in stations due to intentional additives and/or contamination from firefighting activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Young
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | | | - Heidi M Pickard
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elsie M Sunderland
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Graham F Peaslee
- Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Joseph G Allen
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Pfohl M, Marques E, Auclair A, Barlock B, Jamwal R, Goedken M, Akhlaghi F, Slitt AL. An 'Omics Approach to Unraveling the Paradoxical Effect of Diet on Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA)-Induced Hepatic Steatosis. Toxicol Sci 2021; 180:277-294. [PMID: 33483757 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of toxicants universally detected in human serum and known to cause dyslipidemia in animals and humans. Hepatic steatosis, which is defined as lipid deposition in the liver, is known to be a consequence of poor diet. Similarly, PFAS are known to induce hepatic steatosis in animals on a low-fat chow. This study explored diet-PFAS interactions in the liver and their potential to modulate hepatic steatosis. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with either a low-fat diet (10% kcal from fat, LFD) or a moderately high-fat diet (45% kcal from fat, HFD) with or without perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (3 ppm, PFOS) or perfluorononanoic acid (3 ppm, PFNA) in feed for 12 weeks. Livers were excised for histology and quantification of PFAS and lipids. The PFOS and PFNA coadministration with HFD reduced the hepatic accumulation of lipid and PFAS relative to the LFD treatment groups. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis revealed that PFAS administration in the presence of an HFD significantly reduces expression of known hepatic PFAS uptake transporters, organic anion transporter proteins. Transcriptomics and proteomics further revealed several pathways related to lipid metabolism, synthesis, transport, and storage that were modulated by PFAS exposure and further impacted by the presence of dietary fat. Both dietary fat content and the chemical functional head group exerted significant influence on hepatic PFAS accumulation and the resulting biochemical signature, suggesting that diet and structure should be considered in the design and interpretation of research on PFAS induced hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Pfohl
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Emily Marques
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Adam Auclair
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Benjamin Barlock
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Rohitash Jamwal
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Michael Goedken
- Rutgers Translational Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08901
| | - Fatemeh Akhlaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - Angela L Slitt
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
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38
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Qu J, Han Y, Zhao Z, Wu Y, Lu Y, Chen G, Jiang J, Qiu L, Gu A, Wang X. Perfluorooctane sulfonate interferes with non-genomic estrogen receptor signaling pathway, inhibits ERK1/2 activation and induces apoptosis in mouse spermatocyte-derived cells. Toxicology 2021; 460:152871. [PMID: 34303733 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a widespread persistent organic pollutant. Both epidemiological survey and our previous in vivo study have revealed the associations between PFOS exposure and spermatogenesis disorder, while the underlying mechanisms are far from clear. In the present study, GC-2 cells, a mouse spermatocyte-derived cell line, was used to investigate the toxic effects of PFOS and its hypothetical mechanism of action. GC-2 cells were treated with PFOS (0, 50, 100 and 150 μM) for 24 h or 48 h. Results demonstrated that PFOS dose-dependently inhibited cell viability, induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and triggered apoptosis, which might be partly explained by the decrease in cyclin D1, PCNA and Bcl-2 protein expression; increase in Bax protein expression; and activation of caspase-9, -3. In addition, PFOS did not directly transactivate or repress estrogen receptors (ERs) in gene reporter assays, whereas the protein levels of both ERα and ERβ were significantly altered and the downstream ERK1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited by PFOS. Furthermore, pretreatment with specific ERα agonist PPT (1 μM) significantly attenuated the above PFOS-induced effects while specific ERβ agonist DPN (1 μM) accelerated them. These results suggest that PFOS may induce growth inhibition and apoptosis via non-genomic estrogen receptor/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in GC-2 cells, which provides a novel insight regarding the potential role of ERs in mediating PFOS-triggered spermatocyte toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Qu
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China.
| | - Yu Han
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Ziyan Zhao
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yuan Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ying Lu
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Gang Chen
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Junkang Jiang
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Lianglin Qiu
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Aihua Gu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xinru Wang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
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Zhu Y, Ro A, Bartell SM. Household low pile carpet usage was associated with increased serum PFAS concentrations in 2005-2006. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 195:110758. [PMID: 33549621 PMCID: PMC8104467 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the serum of the general US population. Food, drinking water, consumer products, dust, and air have been assessed as PFAS exposure sources for humans. The effects of various types of carpeting on serum PFAS concentrations have been less studied, despite the known use of PFAS in stain-resistant carpet treatments. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the associations between serum PFAS concentrations and type of residential flooring among the general US population aged 12 years and older using the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS We used multiple linear regressions adjusted for complex survey design and relevant covariates to analyze the relations between serum PFAS concentrations and type of floor covering (smooth surface, low pile carpet, medium to high pile carpet, and combination of carpet and smooth surface), as well as other potential exposure factors. We used multiple imputation to address missing values. RESULTS We found significantly higher serum concentrations of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (MeFOSAA) in US residents residing in homes with low pile carpeting compared with those residing in homes with smooth surface. We concluded that among US residents aged 12 years and older residing in homes with low pile carpeting in the home in 2005-2006, on average 24% and 19% of the PFHxS and MeFOSAA body burdens, respectively, could be attributed to carpeting. We found associations between other types of floor covering (medium to high pile carpet, combination of carpet and smooth surface) and some PFAS concentrations compared with the smooth surface, but these results were less consistent and generally not statistically significant. Additionally, a group Wald Chi-squared test showed a significant result for PFOS, indicating different contributions of various types of flooring to PFOS serum concentration. SIGNIFICANCE Our results are representative of the general US population at the time of the survey, and potentially informative regarding ongoing PFAS exposure from a variety of sources including carpeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachen Zhu
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3957, USA
| | - Annie Ro
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3957, USA
| | - Scott M Bartell
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3957, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-1250, USA; Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-1250, USA.
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40
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Kassotis CD, Hoffman K, Phillips AL, Zhang S, Cooper EM, Webster TF, Stapleton HM. Characterization of adipogenic, PPARγ, and TRβ activities in house dust extracts and their associations with organic contaminants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143707. [PMID: 33223163 PMCID: PMC7796983 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we sought to expand our previous research on associations between bioactivities in dust and associated organic contaminants. Dust samples were collected from central NC homes (n = 188), solvent extracted, and split into two fractions, one for analysis using three different bioassays (nuclear receptor activation/inhibition and adipocyte development) and one for mass spectrometry (targeted measurement of 124 organic contaminants, including flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkyl substances, pesticides, phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Approximately 80% of dust extracts exhibited significant adipogenic activity at concentrations that are comparable to estimated exposure for children and adults (e.g. ~20 μg/well dust) via either triglyceride accumulation (65%) and/or pre-adipocyte proliferation (50%). Approximately 76% of samples antagonized thyroid receptor beta (TRβ), and 21% activated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). Triglyceride accumulation was significantly correlated with TRβ antagonism. Sixty-five contaminants were detected in at least 75% of samples; of these, 26 were correlated with adipogenic activity and ten with TRβ antagonism. Regression models were used to evaluate associations of individual contaminants with adipogenic and TRβ bioactivities, and many individual contaminants were significantly associated. An exploratory g-computation model was used to evaluate the effect of mixtures. Contaminant mixtures were positively associated with triglyceride accumulation, and the magnitude of effect was larger than for any individually measured chemical. For each quartile increase in mixture exposure, triglyceride accumulation increased by 212% (RR = 3.12 and 95% confidence interval: 1.58, 6.17). These results suggest that complex mixtures of chemicals present in house dust may induce adipogenic activity in vitro at environmental concentrations and warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Kassotis
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America
| | - Kate Hoffman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America
| | - Allison L Phillips
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America; Risk Assessment and Natural Resource Sciences, Arcadis U.S., Inc., Raleigh, NC 27607, United States of America
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America
| | - Ellen M Cooper
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America
| | - Thomas F Webster
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States of America.
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41
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De Silva AO, Armitage JM, Bruton TA, Dassuncao C, Heiger-Bernays W, Hu XC, Kärrman A, Kelly B, Ng C, Robuck A, Sun M, Webster TF, Sunderland EM. PFAS Exposure Pathways for Humans and Wildlife: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Key Gaps in Understanding. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:631-657. [PMID: 33201517 PMCID: PMC7906948 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 260] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We synthesize current understanding of the magnitudes and methods for assessing human and wildlife exposures to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Most human exposure assessments have focused on 2 to 5 legacy PFAS, and wildlife assessments are typically limited to targeted PFAS (up to ~30 substances). However, shifts in chemical production are occurring rapidly, and targeted methods for detecting PFAS have not kept pace with these changes. Total fluorine measurements complemented by suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry are thus emerging as essential tools for PFAS exposure assessment. Such methods enable researchers to better understand contributions from precursor compounds that degrade into terminal perfluoroalkyl acids. Available data suggest that diet is the major human exposure pathway for some PFAS, but there is large variability across populations and PFAS compounds. Additional data on total fluorine in exposure media and the fraction of unidentified organofluorine are needed. Drinking water has been established as the major exposure source in contaminated communities. As water supplies are remediated, for the general population, exposures from dust, personal care products, indoor environments, and other sources may be more important. A major challenge for exposure assessments is the lack of statistically representative population surveys. For wildlife, bioaccumulation processes differ substantially between PFAS and neutral lipophilic organic compounds, prompting a reevaluation of traditional bioaccumulation metrics. There is evidence that both phospholipids and proteins are important for the tissue partitioning and accumulation of PFAS. New mechanistic models for PFAS bioaccumulation are being developed that will assist in wildlife risk evaluations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:631-657. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carla Ng
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anna Robuck
- University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI USA
| | - Mei Sun
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC USA
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Mokra K. Endocrine Disruptor Potential of Short- and Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)-A Synthesis of Current Knowledge with Proposal of Molecular Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2148. [PMID: 33670069 PMCID: PMC7926449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disruptors are a group of chemical compounds that, even in low concentrations, cause a hormonal imbalance in the body, contributing to the development of various harmful health disorders. Many industry compounds, due to their important commercial value and numerous applications, are produced on a global scale, while the mechanism of their endocrine action has not been fully understood. In recent years, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have gained the interest of major international health organizations, and thus more and more studies have been aimed to explain the toxicity of these compounds. PFASs were firstly synthesized in the 1950s and broadly used in the industry in the production of firefighting agents, cosmetics and herbicides. The numerous industrial applications of PFASs, combined with the exceptionally long half-life of these substances in the human body and extreme environmental persistence, result in a common and chronic exposure of the general population to their action. Available data have suggested that human exposure to PFASs can occur during different stages of development and may cause short- or/and long-term health effects. This paper synthetizes the current literature reports on the presence, bioaccumulation and, particularly, endocrine toxicity of selected long- and short-chain PFASs, with a special emphasis on the mechanisms underlying their endocrine actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Mokra
- Department of Environmental Pollution Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143 St., 90-236 Lodz, Poland
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Xu F, Chen D, Liu X, Guan Q, Tan H, Zhou D, Shi Y, Liu J, Hu Y. Emerging and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in house dust from South China: Contamination status and human exposure assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 192:110243. [PMID: 32980300 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Our study investigated a large variety of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in house dust collected from Guangzhou, South China during 2015-2018. The perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) exhibited the highest median concentration (17.6 ng/g), followed by linear perfluorooctanoic acid (L-PFOA; 4.8 ng/g), linear perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (L-PFOS; 4.2 ng/g), 6:2 fluorotelomer phosphate diester (6:2 diPAP; 3.4 ng/g), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA; 1.2 ng/g) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA; 1.2 ng/g), and 6:2 chlorinated perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA; 1.1 ng/g). Total concentrations of PFASs (median: 53 ng/g) were generally within the 25-50 percentile of the concentration range reported in global studies. However, our samples exhibited composition profiles different from those reported in many other regions. Analysis based on this and previous studies revealed that the compositions in house dust from East Asia, North America, and Europe exhibit a region-specific pattern. This may indicate region-specific market demands, application patterns, as well as associated human exposure risks. Exploration of dwelling characterizations suggested that renovation history appeared to be a significant factor influencing PFAS concentrations in house dust, although other factors may exist and play a role. Estimation of daily intakes via dust ingestion and dermal contact indicates low exposure risks from these two pathways. However, the PFAS chemical-specific biological effects, possible mixture effects, as well as additional exposure pathways, imply that the risk from indoor PFAS exposure should not be overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangping Xu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Xiaotu Liu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Qingxia Guan
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Hongli Tan
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Daming Zhou
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Yumeng Shi
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Yongxia Hu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China.
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Wu Y, Miller GZ, Gearhart J, Peaslee G, Venier M. Side-chain fluorotelomer-based polymers in children car seats. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115477. [PMID: 33221613 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fabric and foam samples from popular children car seats marketed in the United States during 2018 were tested for fluorine content by particle-included gamma ray emission spectroscopy (PIGE, n = 93) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, n = 36), as well as for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by liquid and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS and GC/MS, n = 36). PFAS were detected in 97% of the car seat samples analyzed with MS, with total concentrations of 43 PFAS (∑PFAS) up to 268 ng/g. Fabric samples generally had greater ∑PFAS levels than foam and laminated composites of foam and fabric. The three fabric samples with the highest total fluorine content as represented by the highest PIGE signal were also subjected to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. Results from these treatments, as well as the much higher organofluorine levels measured by PIGE compared to LC/MS and GC/MS, suggested the presence of side-chain fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs), which have the potential to readily degrade into perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) under UV light. Furthermore, fluorotelomer (meth)acrylates were found to be indicators for the presence of (meth)acrylate-linked FTPs in consumer products, and thus confirmed that at least half of the tested car seats had FTP-treated fabrics. Finally, extraction of selected samples with synthetic sweat showed that ionic PFAS, particularly those with fluorinated carbons ≤8, can migrate from fabric to sweat, suggesting a potential dermal route of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States
| | | | | | - Graham Peaslee
- University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, United States
| | - Marta Venier
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States.
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45
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Yang Y, Meng K, Chen M, Xie S, Chen D. Fluorotelomer Alcohols' Toxicology Correlates with Oxidative Stress and Metabolism. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 256:71-101. [PMID: 33866421 DOI: 10.1007/398_2020_57] [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: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) are widely used as industrial raw materials due to their unique hydrophobic and oleophobic properties. However, because of accidental exposure to products containing FTOHs or with the widespread use of FTOHs, they tend to contaminate the water and the soil. There are reports demonstrating that FTOHs can cause various harmful effects in animals and humans (for example, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunotoxicity, endocrine-disrupting activity, and developmental and reproductive toxicities). Oxidative stress is related to a variety of toxic effects induced by FTOHs. To date, few reviews have addressed the relationship between the toxicity of FTOHs and oxidative stress. This article summarises research demonstrating that the toxicity induced by FTOHs correlates with oxidative stress and metabolism. Furthermore, during the metabolic process of FTOHs, a number of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450) are involved and many metabolites are produced by these enzymes, which can induce oxidative stress. This is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Yang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kuiyu Meng
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Min Chen
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuyu Xie
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dongmei Chen
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Roth K, Imran Z, Liu W, Petriello MC. Diet as an Exposure Source and Mediator of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Toxicity. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2020; 2:601149. [PMID: 35296120 PMCID: PMC8915917 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2020.601149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitously found in the environment due to their widespread commercial use and high chemical stability. Humans are exposed primarily through ingestion of contaminated water and food and epidemiological studies over the last several decades have shown that PFAS levels are associated with adverse chronic health effects, including cardiometabolic disorders such as hyperlipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Perhaps the most well-established effects, as demonstrated in animal studies and human epidemiological studies, are the metabolic alterations PFAS exposure can lead to, especially on lipid homeostasis and signaling. This altered lipid metabolism has often been linked to conditions such as dyslipidemia, leading to fatty liver disease and steatosis. Western diets enriched in high fat and high cholesterol containing foods may be an important human exposure route of PFAS and may also act as an important modulator of associated toxicities. In fact, the chemical structure of PFAS resemble fatty acids and may activate some of the same signaling cascades critical for endogenous metabolism. In this review we aim to outline known dietary exposure sources of PFAS, describe the detrimental metabolic health effects associated with PFAS exposure, and focus on studies examining emerging interaction of dietary effects with PFAS exposure that further alter the dysregulated metabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Roth
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Zunaira Imran
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Wanqing Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Michael C. Petriello
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael C. Petriello
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47
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Hall SM, Patton S, Petreas M, Zhang S, Phillips AL, Hoffman K, Stapleton HM. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Dust Collected from Residential Homes and Fire Stations in North America. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14558-14567. [PMID: 33143410 PMCID: PMC7939574 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few years, human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has garnered increased attention. Research has focused on PFAS exposure via drinking water and diet, and fewer studies have focused on exposure in the indoor environment. To support more research on the latter exposure pathway, we conducted a study to evaluate PFAS in indoor dust. Dust samples from 184 homes in North Carolina and 49 fire stations across the United States and Canada were collected and analyzed for a suite of PFAS using liquid and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and di-polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid esters (diPAPs) were the most prevalent PFAS in both fire station and house dust samples, with medians of approximately 100 ng/g dust or greater. Notably, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorononanoic acid, and 6:2 diPAP were significantly higher in dust from fire stations than from homes, and 8:2 FTOH was significantly higher in homes than in fire stations. Additionally, when comparing our results to earlier published values, we see that perfluoroalkyl acid levels in residential dust appear to decrease over time, particularly for PFOA and PFOS. These results highlight a need to better understand what factors contribute to PFAS levels in dust and to understand how much dust contributes to overall human PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Hall
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Sharyle Patton
- Commonweal, Bolinas, California, USA, 451 Mesa Road, Bolinas, California, United States
| | - Myrto Petreas
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California, United States
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Allison L. Phillips
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Kate Hoffman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Heather M. Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, United States
- CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Heather M. Stapleton, PhD, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
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48
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Awad R, Zhou Y, Nyberg E, Namazkar S, Yongning W, Xiao Q, Sun Y, Zhu Z, Bergman Å, Benskin JP. Emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human milk from Sweden and China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:2023-2030. [PMID: 32940316 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00077a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Twenty per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were determined in human milk from residents of three Chinese cities (Shanghai, Jiaxing, and Shaoxing; [n = 10 individuals per city]), sampled between 2010 and 2016. These data were compared to a combination of new and previously reported PFAS concentrations in human milk from Stockholm, Sweden, collected in 2016 (n = 10 individuals). Across the three Chinese cities, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA; sum isomers), 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS; also known as 6:2 Cl-PFESA or by its trade name "F53-B"), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; sum isomers) occurred at the highest concentrations among all PFAS (up to 411, 976, and 321 pg mL-1, respectively), while in Stockholm, PFOA and PFOS were dominant (up to 89 and 72 pg mL-1, respectively). 3H-Perfluoro-3-[(3-methoxy-propoxy)propanoic acid] (ADONA) was intermittently detected but at concentrations below the method quantification limit (i.e. <10 pg mL-1) in Chinese samples, and was non-detectable in Swedish milk. The extremely high concentrations of F53-B in Chinese milk suggest that human exposure assessments focused only on legacy substances may severely underestimate overall PFAS exposure in breastfeeding infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raed Awad
- Department of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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49
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Schulz K, Silva MR, Klaper R. Distribution and effects of branched versus linear isomers of PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS: A review of recent literature. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 733:139186. [PMID: 32474294 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have come to attention recently due to their widespread presence in the environment, recalcitrance, and potential negative health associations. Because of the long-term production of PFAS using ECF, which created branched isomers as byproducts in addition to the intended linear product, branched isomers of PFAS account for a significant portion of PFAS load in the environment. The distribution of isomers is not consistent in the environment, however. Geographic location appears to be a major factor in determining the isomer makeup of PFAS in surface and groundwater as well as in humans and animals. This is largely to differences in production methods; a region that produced PFAS via ECF for many years would have a higher ratio of branched isomers than one that produces PFAS using telomerization. In addition, the different structures of branched PFAS isomers as compared to linear PFAS appear to affect transport in the environment. Research suggests that linear PFAS sorb preferentially to soil and sediments, whereas branched isomers are more likely to remain in water. The higher polarity of the branched structure explains this difference. Studies in humans and animals show that most animals preferentially accumulate the linear PFOS isomer, but humans appear to preferentially accumulate the branched isomers as they are often found in human serum at percentages higher than that of ECF product. In addition, some studies have indicated that linear and branched PFAS isomers have some unique negative health associations. Very few studies, however, account for linear and branched PFAS separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Schulz
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA; Water Technology Accelerator (WaTA), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 247 W. Freshwater Way, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
| | - Marcia R Silva
- Water Technology Accelerator (WaTA), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 247 W. Freshwater Way, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
| | - Rebecca Klaper
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA.
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Wu Y, Romanak K, Bruton T, Blum A, Venier M. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in paired dust and carpets from childcare centers. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 251:126771. [PMID: 32359999 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Carpets can be a significant source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the indoor environment and may be an especially important source of exposure for children and toddlers. Most previous studies focused on measuring indoor dust only. In this study, we measured PFAS concentrations in paired carpet and dust samples from 18 California childcare centers in 2018 to investigate carpet as a contributor to PFASs in dust. Median total PFAS concentrations (∑PFASs) in carpets and dust were 471 ng/g and 523 ng/g, respectively. 6:2 FTOH and 6:2 FTSA were the two dominant PFASs, collectively accounting for over 50% of the ∑PFASs in both media. Other frequently detected PFASs included C4-C14 perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids, C4-C8 perfluoroalkylsulfonic acids, PFDS, 4:2 FTSA, 8:2 FTSA, FOSA, MeFOSE, EtFOSE, 8:2 FTOH, and 10:2 FTOH. We found strong associations between PFAS levels in carpet and dust pairs, suggesting that carpets can be a source and a sink for PFASs. The estimated total perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) intake via dust ingestion for children was 0.023, 0.096, and 1.9 ng/kg body weight/day in the low-, intermediate-, and high-exposure scenarios, respectively. Our data suggest that PFASs of emerging concern are playing an increasingly important role in indoor exposure to PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States
| | - Kevin Romanak
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States
| | - Tom Bruton
- Green Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, CA, 94709, United States
| | - Arlene Blum
- Green Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, CA, 94709, United States
| | - Marta Venier
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States.
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