Infant formula and baby food as a source of perfluoroalkyl substances for infants

Deep eutectic solvent-functionalized amorphous UiO-66 for efficient extraction and ultrasensitive analysis of perfluoroalkyl substances in infant milk powder

In this study, a convenient and effective method for determination of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in infant formula was developed based on a novel dispersive solid-phase extraction using deep eutectic solvent-functionalized amorphous UiO-66 (DES/aUiO-66) as sorbent. The synthesis of materials could be achieved without the use of complex and environmentally unfriendly procedures. Parameters were systematically investigated to establish a simple, fast, and efficient green pretreatment method. The method demonstrated high sensitivity, good precision, a detection limit of 0.330-0.529 ng·kg-1, and low matrix effects (< 12.8%). The mechanism for this material was elucidated by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and quantum chemistry calculations. The presence of massive pore structures and collectively synergistic binding sites facilitated affinity adsorption toward PFASs. Finally, this method was applied to the monitoring of PFASs in 10 actual milk powder samples. This groundbreaking approach opens new possibilities for the advancement of analytical techniques and food safety monitoring.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food and beverages: determination by LC-HRMS and occurrence in products from the Belgian market

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are industrial chemicals encompassing thousands of compounds. Due to their persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic character, PFAS have become environmental contaminants, and exposure to these chemicals may lead to adverse health effects. This study aimed to provide a sensitive analytical method for the quantification of 25 PFAS in food including food for the young population and beverages, and to gather the missing occurrence data for the dietary exposure evaluation for the Belgian population. More than a decade ago, such assessment was performed only for PFOS and PFOA and is currently outdated. For the determination of PFAS in foodstuffs, an extraction based on a "quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe" (QuEChERS) protocol and combined with a two-step purification using solid-phase extraction (SPE) was optimised. The quantitative analysis was performed by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The method was validated, and the achieved limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.002 to 0.3 μg/kg, with the exception of HFPO-DA (1 μg/kg). The LC-HRMS analysis of 268 food products from the Belgian market demonstrated that 43% of samples contained at least one PFAS with a maximum of eleven PFAS measured in a stew of wild pork. PFOS was the most detected compound found in 19% of samples, followed by PFBA (18%) and PFOA (15%), while PFTeDA, PFPeS, PFHpS, PFDS, PFUnDS, PFDoDS, PFTrDS, Minor F53B and HFPO-DA were not detected. The concentrations of the different PFAS in commercial food varied from Collapse

Key Words

• Beverages
• Food
• LC-HRMS
• Occurrence
• PFAS
• Validation

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MESH Headings

• Fluorocarbons/analysis
• Belgium
• Food Contamination/analysis
• Chromatography, Liquid
• Beverages/analysis
• Solid Phase Extraction
• Environmental Pollutants/analysis
• Mass Spectrometry
• Alkanesulfonic Acids/analysis
• Environmental Monitoring/methods

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Affiliation(s)

Virginie Van Leeuw Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Svetlana V Malysheva Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Guillaume Fosseprez Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Adrien Murphy Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Chaymae El Amraoui Aarab Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Mirjana Andjelkovic Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Nadia Waegeneers Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Els Van Hoeck Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Laure Joly Organic Contaminants and Additives, Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Sciensano, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.

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Characterization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations in a community-based sample of infants from Samoa

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants with documented harmful health effects. Despite increasing research, little attention has been given to studying PFAS contamination in low- and middle-income countries, including Samoa. Using data and biosamples collected through the Foafoaga o le Ola ("Beginning of Life") Study, which recruited a sample of mothers and infants from Samoa, we conducted an exploratory study to describe concentrations of 40 PFAS analytes in infant cord blood collected at birth (n = 66) and infant dried blood spots (DBS) collected at 4 months post-birth (n = 50). Of the 40 PFAS analytes tested, 19 were detected in cord blood, with 10 detected in >50% of samples (PFBA, PFPeA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFTrDA, PFHxS, PFOS, and 9Cl-PF3ONS); and 12 analytes were detected in DBS, with 3 detected in >50% of samples (PFBA, PFHxS, and PFOS). PFAS concentrations were generally lower than those reported in existing literature, with the exception of PFHxS, which was detected at higher concentrations. In cord blood, we noted suggestive (p < 0.05) or significant (p < 0.006) associations between higher PFHxS and male sex; higher PFPeA and residence in Northwest 'Upolu (NWU) compared to the Apia Urban Area (AUA); lower PFUnA and 9Cl-PF3ONS and greater socioeconomic resources; lower PFOA and higher parity; higher PFDA and higher maternal age; and lower PFUnA, PFTrDA, and 9Cl-PF3ONS and higher maternal BMI. In DBS, we found suggestive (p < 0.05) or significant (p < 0.025) associations between lower PFBA and residence in NWU versus AUA; lower PFBA and PFHxS and higher maternal age; and higher PFBA and higher maternal BMI. Finally, we observed associations between nutrition source at 4 months and DBS PFBA and PFHxS, with formula- or mixed-fed infants having higher concentrations compared to exclusively breastfed infants. This study represents the first characterization of PFAS contamination in Samoa. Additional work in larger samples is needed to identify potentially modifiable determinants of PFAS concentrations, information that is critical for informing environmental and health policy measures.

Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances in cow's, goat's and sheep's milk - dietary intake and risk assessment

Introduction

Milk from cows, goats and sheep was analysed in terms of content of fourteen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs).

Material and Methods

Altogether, 73 milk samples from cows (n = 38), goats (n = 20) and sheep (n = 15) were collected from various regions of Poland. Concentrations of analytes were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

The lower-bound sum of four PFAS (∑4 PFASs) concentrations (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid) were highest in sheep's (0.0055 μg/kg), lower in goat's (0.0046 μg/kg), and lowest in cow's milk (0.0008 μg/kg). Goat's and sheep's milk was statistically significantly more contaminated than cow's milk. None of the samples exceeded the indicative values set by Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/1431, and even the maximum detected concentrations were an order of magnitude lower. The most frequently detected was linear PFOS, which was found in 33%, 76% and 93% of cow's, goat's and sheep's milk samples, respectively. Based on mean upper-bound ∑4 PFAS concentrations and average milk consumption, the estimated intake of ∑4 PFASs ranged from 0.153 to 0.266 ng/kg body weight (b.w.) for children and from 0.050 to 0.88 ng/kg b.w. for adults, which indicates that exposure is very low and is merely <7% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for children and <2% of the TWI for adults.

Conclusion

Regardless of the milk type, the intake of PFASs via consumption of Polish milk does not contribute significantly to the overall PFAS intake of either adults or children.