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Pomazal R, Malecki K, Stanton N, Shelton B, Lange M, Irving R, Meiman J, Remucal CK, Cochran A, Schultz AA. Determinants of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure among Wisconsin residents. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 254:119131. [PMID: 38759771 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119131] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include thousands of manufactured compounds with growing public health concerns due to their potential for widespread human exposure and adverse health outcomes. While PFAS contamination remains a significant concern, especially from ingestion of contaminated food and water, determinants of the variability in PFAS exposure among regional and statewide populations in the United States remains unclear. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to leverage The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), the only statewide representative cohort in the US, to assess and characterize the variability of PFAS exposure in a general population. METHODS This study sample included a sub-sample of 605 adult participants from the 2014-2016 tri-annual statewide representative sample. Geometric means for PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFPeS, PFHpA, and a summed measure of 38 analyzed serum PFAS were presented by demographic, diet, behavioral, and residential characteristics. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine significant predictors of serum PFAS after adjustment. RESULTS Overall, higher serum concentrations of long-chain PFAS were observed compared with short-chain PFAS. Older adults, males, and non-Hispanic White individuals had higher serum PFAS compared to younger adults, females, and non-White individuals. Eating caught fish in the past year was associated with elevated levels of several PFAS. DISCUSSION This is among the first studies to characterize serum PFAS among a representative statewide sample in Wisconsin. Both short- and long-chain serum PFAS were detectable for six prominent PFAS. Age and consumption of great lakes fish were the most significant predictors of serum PFAS. State-level PFAS biomonitoring is important for identifying high risk populations and informing state public health standards and interventions, especially among those not living near known contamination sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Pomazal
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kristen Malecki
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Noel Stanton
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Meshel Lange
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Roy Irving
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Christina K Remucal
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy Cochran
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy A Schultz
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA.
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Dai C, Peng L, Li Y, Li Z, Chen D, Wang F, Lin N. Distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in blood, serum, and urine of patients with liver cancer and associations with liver function biomarkers. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 139:418-427. [PMID: 38105065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Studies have shown that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may be hepatotoxic in animals or humans. However, data on clinical epidemiology are very limited. In this study, 21 PFASs were determined in patients with liver diseases, with the highest median concentrations detected in the serum sample (26.7 ng/mL), followed by blood (10.7 ng/mL) and urine (5.02 ng/mL). Higher total PFAS concentrations were found in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients compared to non-HCC patients, with significant discrepancies in serum and blood samples. Besides, significant correlations were also found among PFAS concentrations and age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and liver function biomarkers levels. For example, PFAS concentrations are significantly higher in males than in females; Several serum PFASs concentrations increase with age and BMI, while the serum perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) concentrations are negatively correlated with age. In addition, multiple regression models adjusted for age, gender and BMI found that increased serum perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS) and perfluorohexylphosphonic acid (PFHxPA) conentrations are correlated with elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (p < 0.05). Our results provide epidemiological support for the future study on the potential clinical hepatotoxicity of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cao Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Lin Peng
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yanjie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhendong Li
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEE, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Nan Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
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Law HD, Randall DA, Armstrong BK, D’este C, Lazarevic N, Hosking R, Smurthwaite KS, Trevenar SM, Lucas RM, Clements ACA, Kirk MD, Korda RJ. Relative Risks of Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Three Australian Communities Exposed to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Data Linkage Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6886. [PMID: 37835156 PMCID: PMC10572760 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have caused environmental contamination in several Australian residential areas, including Katherine in the Northern Territory (NT), Oakey in Queensland (Qld), and Williamtown in New South Wales (NSW). We examined whether the risks of adverse perinatal outcomes were higher in mothers living in these exposure areas than in selected comparison areas without known contamination. METHODS We linked residential addresses in exposure areas to addresses collected in the jurisdictional Perinatal Data Collections of the NT (1986-2017), Qld (2007-2018), and NSW (1994-2018) to select all pregnancies from mothers who gave birth while living in these areas. We also identified one comparison group for each exposure area by selecting pregnancies where the maternal address was in selected comparison areas. We examined 12 binary perinatal outcomes and three growth measurements. For each exposure area, we estimated relative risks (RRs) of adverse outcomes and differences in means of growth measures, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and other potential confounders. RESULTS We included 16,970 pregnancies from the NT, 4654 from Qld, and 7475 from NSW. We observed elevated risks of stillbirth in Oakey (RR = 2.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25 to 5.39) and of postpartum haemorrhage (RR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.33) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (RR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.73) in Williamtown. The risks of other perinatal outcomes were not materially different from those in the relevant comparison areas or were uncertain due to small numbers of events. CONCLUSIONS There was limited evidence for increased risks of adverse perinatal outcomes in mothers living in areas with PFAS contamination from firefighting foams. We found higher risks of some outcomes in individual areas, but these were not consistent across all areas under study and could have been due to chance, bias, or confounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsei Di Law
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Deborah A. Randall
- Women and Babies Research, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Bruce K. Armstrong
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Catherine D’este
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Nina Lazarevic
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Rose Hosking
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Kayla S. Smurthwaite
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Susan M. Trevenar
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Robyn M. Lucas
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Martyn D. Kirk
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Rosemary J. Korda
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Rokoff LB, Wallenborn JT, Harris MH, Rifas-Shiman SL, Criswell R, Romano ME, Young JG, Calafat AM, Oken E, Sagiv SK, Fleisch AF. Plasma concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in pregnancy and breastfeeding duration in Project Viva. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 891:164724. [PMID: 37290653 PMCID: PMC10327962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may disrupt mammary gland development and function; thereby inhibiting milk supply and breastfeeding duration. However, conclusions on the potential effects of PFAS and breastfeeding duration are limited by prior epidemiologic studies that inconsistently adjusted for past cumulative breastfeeding duration and by a lack of examination of the joint effects of PFAS mixtures. METHODS In Project Viva, a longitudinal cohort that enrolled pregnant participants from 1999 to 2002 in the greater Boston, MA area, we studied 1079 women who ever attempted to lactate. We investigated associations of plasma concentrations of select PFAS in early pregnancy (mean: 10.1 weeks gestation) with breastfeeding termination by 9 months, after which women typically cite self-weaning as the reason for terminating breastfeeding. We used Cox regression for single-PFAS models and quantile g-computation for mixture models, adjusting for sociodemographics, prior breastfeeding duration, and weeks of gestation at the time of blood draw. RESULTS We detected 6 PFAS [perfluorooctane sulfonate; perfluorooctanoate (PFOA); perfluorohexane sulfonate; perfluorononanoate; 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate (EtFOSAA); 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetate (MeFOSAA)] in >98 % of samples. Sixty percent of lactating women terminated breastfeeding by 9 months postpartum. Women with higher plasma concentrations of PFOA, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA had a greater hazard of terminating breastfeeding in the first 9 months postpartum [HR (95 % CI) per doubling concentration: 1.20 (1.04, 1.38) for PFOA; 1.10 (1.01, 1.20) for EtFOSAA; 1.18 (1.08, 1.30) for MeFOSAA]. In the quantile g-computation model, simultaneously increasing all PFAS in the mixture by one quartile was associated with 1.17 (95 % CI: 1.05, 1.31) greater hazard of terminating breastfeeding in the first 9 months. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that exposure to PFAS may be associated with reduced breastfeeding duration and draw further attention to environmental chemicals that may dysregulate human lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa B Rokoff
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, ME, USA.
| | - Jordyn T Wallenborn
- Center of Excellence in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria H Harris
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Criswell
- Skowhegan Family Medicine, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan, ME, USA
| | - Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jessica G Young
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Abby F Fleisch
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, ME, USA; Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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Schultz AA, Stanton N, Shelton B, Pomazal R, Lange MA, Irving R, Meiman J, Malecki KC. Biomonitoring of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) 2014-2016 and comparison with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:766-777. [PMID: 37580384 PMCID: PMC10804284 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00593-3] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a growing class of manufactured chemical compounds found in a variety of consumer products. PFAS are ubiquitous in the environment and were found in many humans sampled in the United States (U.S.). Yet, significant gaps in understanding statewide levels of exposure to PFAS remain. OBJECTIVE The goals of this study are to establish a baseline of exposure at the state level by measuring PFAS serum levels among a representative sample of Wisconsin residents and compare to United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS The study sample included 605 adults (18+ years of age) selected from the 2014-2016 sample of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). Thirty-eight PFAS serum concentrations were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-MS/MS) and geometric means were presented. Weighted geometric mean serum values of eight PFAS analytes from SHOW were compared to U.S. national levels from the NHANES 2015-2016 sample (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFDA, PFUnDA), and the 2017-2018 sample for Me-PFOSA, PFHPS using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS PFOS, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFDA, PFNA, and PFOA were detected in over 96% of SHOW participants. In general, SHOW participants had lower serum levels across all PFAS when compared to NHANES. Serum levels increased with age and were higher among males and whites. Similar trends were seen in NHANES, except non-whites had higher PFAS levels at higher percentiles in NHANES. IMPACT STATEMENT The present study conducts biomonitoring of 38 PFAS among representative sample of residents in the state of Wisconsin. Results suggest that while the majority of Wisconsin residents tested have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood serum, they may have a lower body burden of some PFAS compared to a nationally representative sample. Older adults, males, and whites may have a higher body burden of PFAS relative to other groups, both in Wisconsin and the wider United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A Schultz
- Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Noel Stanton
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene (WSLH), Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Rachel Pomazal
- Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Roy Irving
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Kristen C Malecki
- Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
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M F Coêlho AC, Cioni L, Van Dreunen W, Berg V, Rylander C, Urbarova I, Herzke D, Sandanger TM. Legacy perfluoroalkyl acids and their oxidizable precursors in plasma samples of Norwegian women. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108026. [PMID: 37356307 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Humans are exposed to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) mainly through direct pathways, such as diet and drinking water, but indirect exposure also occurs when PFAA precursors break down to form legacy PFAA. Exposure to PFAA precursors raises particular concern, as neither the exposure nor the precursors themselves have been well described. In the present study, we aimed to assess the indirect contribution of oxidizable PFAA precursors to the total per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) burden in human plasma following the voluntary phase-out of production of long-chain PFAS. In addition, multiple logistic regression was used to explore associations between selected lifestyle and dietary factors and the oxidizable PFAA precursors fraction. This study included 302 cancer-free participants of the Norwegian Women and Cancer postgenome cohort. PFAS analyses were performed in plasma samples to determine PFAS concentrations before and after oxidation with the Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) assay. In pre-TOP analyses, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was the dominant compound, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).The vast majority (98%) of the study population had increased post-TOP concentrations for at least one PFAA. The formation of PFAA accounted for 12% of the total PFAS burden, with seven PFAA observed post-TOP in at least 30% of study participants. PFHpA, br- PFOA, and PFDA were only detected in post-TOP analyses and showed the highest increase in concentrations. Of the PFAA with increased concentrations, we noted significant associations for year of birth, parity, BMI, and some dietary factors, although they were not consistent between the different PFAA. These results indicate that while the TOP assay might not provide a complete assessment of total PFAS burden in humans, it offers comprehensive assessment of unknown PFAA precursors that might be present in plasma, and it could therefore be implemented as an auxiliary tool in this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina M F Coêlho
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Lara Cioni
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Wendy Van Dreunen
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vivian Berg
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of North-Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Charlotta Rylander
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ilona Urbarova
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dorte Herzke
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway; Department for Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Torkjel M Sandanger
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
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McAdam J, Bell EM. Determinants of maternal and neonatal PFAS concentrations: a review. Environ Health 2023; 22:41. [PMID: 37161484 PMCID: PMC10170754 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00992-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used for their properties such as stain and water resistance. The substances have been associated with adverse health outcomes in both pregnant mothers and infants, including pre-eclampsia and low birthweight. A growing body of research suggests that PFAS are transferred from mother to fetus through the placenta, leading to in utero exposure. A systematic review was performed using the PubMed database to search for studies evaluating determinants of PFAS concentrations in blood matrices of pregnant mothers and neonates shortly after birth. Studies were included in this review if an observational study design was utilized, exposure to at least one PFAS analyte was measured, PFAS were measured in maternal or neonatal matrices, at least one determinant of PFAS concentrations was assessed, and results such as beta estimates were provided. We identified 35 studies for inclusion in the review and evaluated the PFAS and determinant relationships among the factors collected in these studies. Parity, breastfeeding history, maternal race and country of origin, and household income had the strongest and most consistent evidence to support their roles as determinants of certain PFAS concentrations in pregnant mothers. Reported study findings on smoking status, alcohol consumption, and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) suggest that these factors are not important determinants of PFAS concentrations in pregnant mothers or neonates. Further study into informative factors such as consumer product use, detailed dietary information, and consumed water sources as potential determinants of maternal or neonatal PFAS concentrations is needed. Research on determinants of maternal or neonatal PFAS concentrations is critical to estimate past PFAS exposure, build improved exposure models, and further our understanding on dose-response relationships, which can influence epidemiological studies and risk assessment evaluations. Given the potential for adverse outcomes in pregnant mothers and neonates exposed to PFAS, it is important to identify and understand determinants of maternal and neonatal PFAS concentrations to better implement public health interventions in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan McAdam
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Erin M Bell
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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Johanson G, Gyllenhammar I, Ekstrand C, Pyko A, Xu Y, Li Y, Norström K, Lilja K, Lindh C, Benskin JP, Georgelis A, Forsell K, Jakobsson K, Glynn A, Vogs C. Quantitative relationships of perfluoroalkyl acids in drinking water associated with serum concentrations above background in adults living near contamination hotspots in Sweden. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115024. [PMID: 36535390 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Contaminated drinking water (DW) is a major source of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at locations around PFAS production/use facilities and military airports. This study aimed to investigate quantitative relationships between concentrations in DW and serum of nine perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in Swedish adult populations living near contamination hotspots. Short-chained (PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and PFBS) and long-chained PFAAs (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS and PFOS) were measured in DW and serum. We matched DW and serum concentrations for a total of 398 subjects living or working in areas receiving contaminated DW and in one non-contaminated area. Thereafter, linear regression analysis with and without adjustments for co-variates was conducted. This enabled to derive (i) serum concentrations at background exposure (CB) from sources other than local DW exposure (i.e. food, dust and textiles) at 0 ng/L DW concentration, (ii) population-mean PFAA serum:water ratios (SWR) and (iii) PFAA concentrations in DW causing observable elevated serum PFAA concentrations above background variability. Median concentrations of the sum of nine PFAAs ranged between 2.8 and 1790 ng/L in DW and between 7.6 and 96.9 ng/mL in serum. DW concentration was the strongest predictor, resulting in similar unadjusted and adjusted regression coefficients. Mean CB ranged from <0.1 (PFPeA, PFHpA, PFBS) to 5.1 ng/mL (PFOS). Serum concentrations increased significantly with increasing DW concentrations for all PFAAs except for PFPeA with SWRs ranging from <10 (PFHxA, PFHpA and PFBS) to 111 (PFHxS). Observed elevated serum concentrations above background variability were reached at DW concentrations between 24 (PFOA) and 357 ng/L (PFHxA). The unadjusted linear regression predictions agreed well with serum concentrations previously reported in various populations exposed to low and high DW levels of PFOA, PFHxS and PFOS. The quantitative relationships derived herein should be helpful to translate PFAA concentrations in DW to concentrations in serum at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Johanson
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Unit of Integrative Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 210, SE 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irina Gyllenhammar
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Swedish Food Agency, Box 622, 751 26, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carl Ekstrand
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrei Pyko
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Region Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yiyi Xu
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ying Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Karin Norström
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Circular Economy Department, 106 48, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Lilja
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Circular Economy Department, 106 48, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Antonios Georgelis
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Region Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Forsell
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden; Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Glynn
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Vogs
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Liu X, Luo K, Zhang J, Yu H, Chen D. Exposure of Preconception Couples to Legacy and Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Variations Within and Between Couples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6172-6181. [PMID: 35016501 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Exploration of the exposure of preconception couples to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as the most important influencing factors, promotes the understanding of the joint effects of parental exposure on reproductive health. In the present study, a total of 938 preconception couples recruited through the Shanghai Birth Cohort were investigated for the variations of PFAS exposure and contributing factors within and between couples. While linear perfluorooctanoic acid (n-PFOA, median 20.4 ng/mL) and linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (n-PFOS, 12.1 ng/mL) remained dominant in plasma, emerging PFAS, particularly 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (10.5 ng/mL), 6:2 polyfluoroalkyl phosphate diester (0.41 ng/mL), and branched PFOS or PFOA isomers, were also frequently detected. Although individual PFAS were generally correlated within couples, gender differences significantly existed in the concentrations of most individual PFAS and isomer profiles of PFOS and PFOA. Men generally exhibited higher plasma concentrations than their partners, likely reflecting gender-specific elimination pathway and kinetics. Couple-based PFAS exposure also varied greatly. After adjustment for individual factors, several household factors, including annual household income, dwelling floor type, drinking water source, and living near farmlands, were found to be associated with couple-based PFAS exposure. Our study constitutes one of the few studies addressing couple-based exposure to PFAS and lays a solid ground for further assessment of the impacts of parental exposure on reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotu Liu
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Kai Luo
- 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
| | - Hao Yu
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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10
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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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11
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Su S, Jones PD, Raine JC, Yang Z, Gong Y, Xie Y, Tang J, Wang C, Zhao X, Giesy JP. Absorption and elimination of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances substitutes in salmonid species after pre-fertilization exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 814:152547. [PMID: 34952081 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Due to their relatively large production and few restrictions on uses, novel substitutes for historically used per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are being used and accumulating in the environment. However, due to a lack of information on their toxicological properties their hazards and risks are hard to estimate. Before fertilization, oocytes of two salmonid species, Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), were exposed to three PFAS substances used as substitutes for traditional PFAS, PFBA, PFBS or GenX or two archetypical, historically used, longer-chain PFAS, PFOA and PFOS. Exposed oocytes were subsequently fertilized, incubated and were sampled during several developmental stages, until swim-up. All five PFAS were accumulated into egg yolks with similar absorption rates, and their concentrations in egg yolks were less than respective concentrations in/on egg chorions. Rapid elimination of the five PFAS was observed during the first 3 days after fertilization. Thereafter, amounts of PFOS and PFOA were stable until swim-up, while PFBA, PFBS and GenX were further eliminated during development from one month after the fertilization to swim-up. In these two salmonid species, PFBA, PFBS and GenX were eliminated faster than were PFOS or PFOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Su
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Paul D Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada.
| | - Jason C Raine
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Zilin Yang
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Yufeng Gong
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Yuwei Xie
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Jie Tang
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Chao Wang
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, United States
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12
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Engström K, Axmon A, Nielsen C, Rignell-Hydbom A. High in Utero Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances from Drinking Water and Birth Weight: A Cohort Study among Infants in Ronneby, Sweden. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19042385. [PMID: 35206572 PMCID: PMC8871928 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
In 2013, the drinking water for one-third of the households in Ronneby, Sweden, was found to be contaminated by perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS, >10,000 ng/L) from Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). In utero PFAS exposure can influence birth weight, but little is known about the effects at very high levels. This study aimed to examine the association between in utero PFAS exposure and birth weight. Infants with mothers from Ronneby exposed to contaminated water at home (high exposure) and infants with mothers from Ronneby not exposed to contaminated water at home (low exposure) were compared to infants with mothers from Blekinge county excluding Ronneby (referents). All infants born in Blekinge county 1995–2013 were included (n = 30,360). Differences in birth weight were only seen among infants born after 2005. For boys, Ronneby high exposure had a lower mean birth weight than referents (−54 g, 95% CI −97; −11). For girls, Ronneby high exposure had a higher mean birth weight than referents (47 g, 95% CI 4; 90). There were no differences in birth weight between referents and Ronneby low exposure. In conclusion, high exposure to PFAS may influence birth weight in a sex-specific way, although the effect estimates were relatively small.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Engström
- EPI@LUND (Epidemiology, Population Studies, and Infrastructures at Lund University), Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (A.A.); (A.R.-H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Axmon
- EPI@LUND (Epidemiology, Population Studies, and Infrastructures at Lund University), Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (A.A.); (A.R.-H.)
| | - Christel Nielsen
- Epidemiology, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden;
| | - Anna Rignell-Hydbom
- EPI@LUND (Epidemiology, Population Studies, and Infrastructures at Lund University), Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (A.A.); (A.R.-H.)
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13
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Peng L, Xu W, Zeng Q, Sun F, Guo Y, Zhong S, Wang F, Chen D. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances in waste recycling workers: Distributions in paired human serum and urine. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106963. [PMID: 34717172 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is an emerging public health concern, because of their potential adverse health effects. In this study, concentrations of 21 legacy and alternative PFASs in paired serum and urine samples collected from 163 workers (from five waste recycling plants) were analyzed. The results showed that the average concentration of 21 PFASs in urine samples (66.6 ng mL-1) were higher than in serum (31.3 ng mL-1). Concentrations of perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) in urine were also considerably higher than perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs), especially for short-chain PFCAs. Demographic factors (such as sex, age, working age, and job assignment) on PFAS exposure were also assessed based on the obtained results. PFAS concentrations in serum samples from males were significantly higher than in females, and working age was positively (p < 0.05) associated with most PFAS serum levels. Higher levels of PFAS were found in sorters than in workers with other job assignments, such as managers, suggesting that sorters may be directly exposed to PFASs. Interestingly, perfluorophosphonates (PFPAs) were first to be detected in human urine with >80% detection frequency. The average level of three PFPAs in the serum (7.58 ng mL-1) and urine (1.45 ng mL-1) samples appeared to be higher in comparison with most PFCAs and PFSAs. Thus, the toxicity of PFPAs in human beings needs to be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Peng
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wang Xu
- Shenzhen Environmental Monitoring Center, Shenzhen 518049, Guangdong, China
| | - Qinghuai Zeng
- Shenzhen Environmental Monitoring Center, Shenzhen 518049, Guangdong, China
| | - Feiyun Sun
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Application and Environmental Pollution Control, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ying Guo
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Shan Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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14
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Peng L, Xu W, Zeng Q, Cheng Y, Zhang Y, Guo Y, Chen D, Jiang C, Wang F. Distribution characteristics of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human urines of acrylic fiber plant and chemical plant. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:69181-69189. [PMID: 34286436 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15355-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent and bioaccumulative substances that have many adverse effects on human bodies. This study investigated the PFASs distribution characteristics in urine samples of workers from an acrylic fiber plant and a chemical plant. It was found that perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was the predominant PFASs both in urine samples from the chemical plant (detection frequency: 86.52%; median value: 39.01 ng/mL) and the acrylic fiber plant (detection frequency: 88.16%; median value: 44.36 ng/mL). Meanwhile, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were detected with very low frequencies and low concentrations. Furthermore, the results showed that PFASs levels in urine samples of workers from different units of the plants were quite different. PFASs concentrations of urine samples in males were higher than those in females, especially for PFBA, PFHxA, and PFDoA. The age had limited effects on the PFASs distribution in urine samples in this study, as short-chain PFASs were the dominant compounds. The correlations between PFASs concentrations in urine and gender/ages of workers were finally analyzed by Pearson correlation. The overall results may indicate that short-chain PFASs (such as: PFBA and PFBS) were becoming dominant for human exposure, especially occupational workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Peng
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Wang Xu
- Shenzhen Environmental Monitoring Center, Shenzhen, 518049, Guangdong, China
| | - Qinghuai Zeng
- Shenzhen Environmental Monitoring Center, Shenzhen, 518049, Guangdong, China
| | - Yao Cheng
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yingjie Zhang
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Ying Guo
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- The 2nd Hospital of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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15
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Nassif J, Calafat AM, Aldous KM. The U.S. national biomonitoring network - Enhancing capability and capacity to assess human chemical exposures. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 237:113828. [PMID: 34454256 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the increased use of biomonitoring in public health, biomonitoring networks are forming worldwide. The National Biomonitoring Network (NBN), created in 2018, is an interconnected system of U.S. government laboratories in collaboration with public health partners, to advance human biomonitoring science and practice. The NBN aims to harmonize biomonitoring data for use in routine public health practice. METHODS The NBN has taken a systems approach to provide high-quality biomonitoring data by establishing quality standards, mentoring nascent programs, and enhancing analytical capability and capacity through technical assistance. Guided by a multi-disciplinary Network Steering Committee (NSC), the NBN has developed an organizational framework, membership criteria, and guidance practices related to study design, quality management and analytical measurements. To facilitate the production of these resources, the NSC established interdisciplinary workgroups of subject matter experts. RESULTS To date, 20 state public health laboratories have joined the NBN. Differences in land-use practices, state and local laws and availability of resources resulted in considerable variability in the design and approach of NBN member biomonitoring programs. By contributing technical guidance, technical training, examples and templates for analytical and epidemiological practices and opportunities for collaboration and interaction, the NBN addressed some of these challenges. Important challenges remaining are to define minimum data variables for laboratory measurements, demographic and exposure information, and to identify an appropriate national repository for biomonitoring data. CONCLUSION The current NBN membership has greatly benefited from the resources, collaboration and engagement with other state and federal scientists. The NBN hopes to expand membership and increase interaction with biomonitoring networks internationally. While the objectives of biomonitoring networks around the world may differ, understanding their structures, advantages and limitations inform the NBN and provide opportunity for cross-network collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Nassif
- Association of Public Health Laboratories, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; National Biomonitoring Network Steering Committee, USA
| | - Kenneth M Aldous
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA; National Biomonitoring Network Steering Committee, USA
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16
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Xu Y, Nielsen C, Li Y, Hammarstrand S, Andersson EM, Li H, Olsson DS, Engström K, Pineda D, Lindh CH, Fletcher T, Jakobsson K. Serum perfluoroalkyl substances in residents following long-term drinking water contamination from firefighting foam in Ronneby, Sweden. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 147:106333. [PMID: 33360412 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In December 2013, it was discovered that drinking water supplied to one third of the households in Ronneby, southern Sweden, was highly contaminated by PFAS (sum level >10,000 ng/L) originated from firefighting foams used at a nearby military airport. OBJECTIVES To report serum PFAS levels of Ronneby residents participating in a biomonitoring program, and to describe the variation by age, sex and calendar period for residential exposure. In addition, a reference group living in a neighboring municipality without PFAS contaminated drinking water was examined. METHODS Blood samples and demographic data were collected for 3297 Ronneby residents and 226 individuals from the reference group. Yearly residence addresses were available for 3086 Ronneby residents from the national population registry. Serum concentrations of PFHxS, PFOS and PFOA were determined in all participants, with additional PFHpA, PFNA and PFDA in subsets of the participants. RESULTS The population geometric means for serum PFHxS, PFOS and PFOA were 114, 135 and 6.8 ng/mL for all Ronneby residents, i.e.135, 35 and 4.5 times higher than for the reference group. Ronneby residents who resided in the area with contaminated water supply during 2005-2013 showed much higher PFAS levels in 2014 than those exposed only before 2005. Ronneby residents who never resided in the area with contaminated water supply also had higher serum PFAS levels than the reference group. All three PFAS were highly correlated (rs > 0.9 for each pair). Serum PFAS levels were lowest in teenage years and then increased with age. Adult females had lower PFAS levels on average than males under the age of 60 but higher above 60. DISCUSSION The results reveal high serum PFAS levels dominated by PFHxS and PFOS in the Ronneby residents highly exposed to PFAS originated from firefighting foams. The PFAS exposure in Ronneby permits studies of associations to a range of health parameters, as well as studies of the toxicokinetics of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyi Xu
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Christel Nielsen
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ying Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Sofia Hammarstrand
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Eva M Andersson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Huiqi Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Daniel S Olsson
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Karin Engström
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Daniela Pineda
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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