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Miao Z, Li S, Song X, Ren F, Jin H. Discovery of perfluoroalkyl sulfonyl quaternary ammonium substances in the environment and their environmental behaviors. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 263:122189. [PMID: 39096813 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122189] [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: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
A variety of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been released into the environment via wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, with current target and nontarget analytical methods typically focusing on negatively ionized PFASs while largely overlooking positively ionized ones. In this study, five cationic PFASs, perfluoroalkyl sulfonyl quaternary ammonium substances (PFAQASs), were first identified in surface water impacted by the WWTP effluent, applying a metabolomics-based nontarget analysis method. Environmental behaviors of identified novel PFAQASs were further investigated. In surface water, sediment, and fish (Coilia mystus) samples collected from the Yangtze River, 8:3 PFAQA was consistently the predominant PFAQASs, with the mean concentrations of 90 ng/L (< LOD-558 ng/L), 92 ng/g dw (< LOD-421 ng/g dw), and 2.3 ng/g ww (< LOD-4.6 ng/g ww), respectively. This study highlights the necessity to discover other cationic PFASs in the environment. Among PFAQASs, 8:4 PFAQA (4.2, range 3.4 - 4.6) had the highest mean sediment-water partitioning coefficient (log Koc), followed by 8:3 PFAQA (3.9, 2.8 - 4.5) and 6:3 PFAQA (3.7, 3.3 - 4.1). The log Koc of PFAQASs showed a general increase trend with the increasing carbon chain length. Mean bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values of PFAQASs calculated in the collected fish from the Yangtze River ranged from 1.9 ± 0.32 (4:3 PFAQA) to 2.9 ± 0.34 (8:4 PFAQA). The mean BAF values of PFAQASs generally increased with the carbon chain length. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the environmental fate, potential toxicity, and human exposure implications for these identified novel PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Miao
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China
| | - Shuoyang Li
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China
| | - Xueqiang Song
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China
| | - Fangfang Ren
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Hangbiao Jin
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China.
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2
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Hill NI, Becanova J, Vojta S, Barber LB, LeBlanc DR, Vajda AM, Pickard HM, Lohmann R. Bioconcentration of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Precursors in Fathead Minnow Tissues Environmentally Exposed to Aqueous Film-Forming Foam-Contaminated Waters. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:1795-1806. [PMID: 38896102 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5926] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with toxicity in wildlife and negative health effects in humans. Decades of fire training activity at Joint Base Cape Cod (MA, USA) incorporated the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which resulted in long-term PFAS contamination of sediments, groundwater, and hydrologically connected surface waters. To explore the bioconcentration potential of PFAS in complex environmental mixtures, a mobile laboratory was established to evaluate the bioconcentration of PFAS from AFFF-impacted groundwater by flow-through design. Fathead minnows (n = 24) were exposed to PFAS in groundwater over a 21-day period and tissue-specific PFAS burdens in liver, kidney, and gonad were derived at three different time points. The ∑PFAS concentrations in groundwater increased from approximately 10,000 ng/L at day 1 to 36,000 ng/L at day 21. The relative abundance of PFAS in liver, kidney, and gonad shifted temporally from majority perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASAs) to perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs). By day 21, mean ∑PFAS concentrations in tissues displayed a predominance in the order of liver > kidney > gonad. Generally, bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for FASAs, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), and fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS) increased with degree of fluorinated carbon chain length, but this was not evident for PFSAs. Perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) displayed the highest mean BCF (8700 L/kg) in day 21 kidney. Suspect screening results revealed the presence of several perfluoroalkyl sulfinate and FASA compounds present in groundwater and in liver for which pseudo-bioconcentration factors are also reported. The bioconcentration observed for precursor compounds and PFSA derivatives detected suggests alternative pathways for terminal PFAS exposure in aquatic wildlife and humans. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1795-1806. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas I Hill
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jitka Becanova
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Simon Vojta
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | | | - Alan M Vajda
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Heidi M Pickard
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA
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3
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Cioni L, Nikiforov V, Benskin JP, Coêlho ACM, Dudášová S, Lauria MZ, Lechtenfeld OJ, Plassmann MM, Reemtsma T, Sandanger TM, Herzke D. Combining Advanced Analytical Methodologies to Uncover Suspect PFAS and Fluorinated Pharmaceutical Contributions to Extractable Organic Fluorine in Human Serum (Tromsø Study). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:12943-12953. [PMID: 38985529 PMCID: PMC11271008 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c03758] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
A growing number of studies have reported that routinely monitored per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are not sufficient to explain the extractable organic fluorine (EOF) measured in human blood. In this study, we address this gap by screening pooled human serum collected over 3 decades (1986-2015) in Tromsø (Norway) for >5000 PFAS and >300 fluorinated pharmaceuticals. We combined multiple analytical techniques (direct infusion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-Orbitrap-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and total oxidizable precursors assay) in a three-step suspect screening process which aimed at unequivocal suspect identification. This approach uncovered the presence of one PFAS and eight fluorinated pharmaceuticals (including some metabolites) in human serum. While the PFAS suspect only accounted for 2-4% of the EOF, fluorinated pharmaceuticals accounted for 0-63% of the EOF, and their contribution increased in recent years. Although fluorinated pharmaceuticals often contain only 1-3 fluorine atoms, our results indicate that they can contribute significantly to the EOF. Indeed, the contribution from fluorinated pharmaceuticals allowed us to close the organofluorine mass balance in pooled serum from 2015, indicating a good understanding of organofluorine compounds in humans. However, a portion of the EOF in human serum from 1986 and 2007 still remained unexplained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Cioni
- NILU,
Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
- Department
of Community Medicine, UiT—the Arctic
University of Norway, Tromsø NO-9037, Norway
| | | | - Jonathan P. Benskin
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | | | - Silvia Dudášová
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig DE-04103, Germany
| | - Melanie Z. Lauria
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | | | - Merle M. Plassmann
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig DE-04103, Germany
| | - Torkjel M. Sandanger
- NILU,
Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
- Department
of Community Medicine, UiT—the Arctic
University of Norway, Tromsø NO-9037, Norway
| | - Dorte Herzke
- NILU,
Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
- Norwegian
Institute for Public Health, Oslo NO-0213, Norway
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4
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Wang YF, Li L, Wang X, Yun YN, Wang XL, He EY, Song MK, Xia XH, Zou YX. Environmental exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances mixture and asthma in adolescents. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2024; 97:331-339. [PMID: 38411670 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-024-02047-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies about the relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations and adolescent asthma have typically examined single PFAS, without considering the mixtures effects of PFAS. METHODS Using data from the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 886 adolescents aged 12-19 years were included in this study. We explored the association between PFAS mixture concentrations and adolescent asthma using weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively. RESULTS After adjusting for confounders, the results of the WQS regression and BKMR models were consistent, with mixed exposure to the five PFAS not significantly associated with asthma in all adolescents. The association remained nonsignificant in the subgroup analysis by sex. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated no significant association between mixed exposure to PFAS and adolescent asthma, and more large cohort studies are needed to confirm this in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Wang
- Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - Li Li
- Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - Ya-Nan Yun
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - Xue-Lin Wang
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - En-Yang He
- Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming-Kun Song
- Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xue-Hong Xia
- Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying-Xue Zou
- Department of Pulmonology, Tianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University), Machang Compus, 225 Machang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300074, China.
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5
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Li J, Li X, An R, Duan L, Wang G. Occurrence, source apportionment, and ecological risk of legacy and emerging per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Dahei river basin of a typical arid region in China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:118111. [PMID: 38184065 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are artificial chemicals with broad commercial and industrial applications. Many studies about PFASs have been conducted in densely industrial and populated regions. However, fewer studies have focused on the PFASs' status in a typical arid region. Here, we investigated 30 legacy and emerging PFASs in surface water from the mainstream and tributaries of the Dahei River. Our results revealed that total PFASs concentrations (∑30PFASs) in water ranged from 3.13 to 289.1 ng/L (mean: 25.40 ng/L). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) had the highest mean concentration of 2.44 ng/L with a 100% detection frequency (DF), followed by perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (mean concentration: 1.34 ng/L, DF: 59.26%). Also, perfluorohexane sulfonate (DF: 44.44%), perfluorobutane sulfonate (DF: 88.89%), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (DF: 92.59%) had mean concentrations of 12.94, 2.00, and 1.05 ng/L, respectively. Source apportionment through ratio analysis and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression analysis showed that treated or untreated sewage, aqueous film-forming foam, degradation of precursors, and fluoropolymer production were the primary sources. The PFOS alternatives were more prevalent than those of PFOA. Conductivity, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a positively correlated with Σ30PFASs and total perfluoroalkane sulfonates concentrations. Furthermore, ecological risk assessment showed that more attention should be paid to perfluorooctadecanoic acid, perfluorohexadecanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonate, and (6:2 and 6:2/8:2) polyfluoroalkyl phosphate mono- and di-esters. The mass load of PFASs to the Yellow River was 1.28 kg/year due to the low annual runoff in the Dahei River in the arid region. This study provides baseline data for PFASs in the Dahei River that can aid in the development of effective management strategies for controlling PFASs pollution in typical arid regions in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- . Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Xinlei Li
- . Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Rui An
- . China Institute for Geo-Environmental Monitoring, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Limin Duan
- . Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization, College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Guoqiang Wang
- . Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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6
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Bland GD, Abrahamsson D, Wang M, Zlatnik MG, Morello-Frosch R, Park JS, Sirota M, Woodruff TJ. Exploring applications of non-targeted analysis in the characterization of the prenatal exposome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169458. [PMID: 38142008 PMCID: PMC10947484 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169458] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Capturing the breadth of chemical exposures in utero is critical in understanding their long-term health effects for mother and child. We explored methodological adaptations in a Non-Targeted Analysis (NTA) pipeline and evaluated the effects on chemical annotation and discovery for maternal and infant exposure. We focus on lesser-known/underreported chemicals in maternal and umbilical cord serum analyzed with liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS). The samples were collected from a demographically diverse cohort of 296 maternal-cord pairs (n = 592) recruited in San Francisco Bay area. We developed and evaluated two data processing pipelines, primarily differing by detection frequency cut-off, to extract chemical features from non-targeted analysis (NTA). We annotated the detected chemical features by matching with EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard (n = 860,000 chemicals) and Human Metabolome Database (n = 3140 chemicals) and applied a Kendrick Mass Defect filter to detect homologous series. We collected fragmentation spectra (MS/MS) on a subset of serum samples and matched to an experimental MS/MS database within the MS-Dial website and other experimental MS/MS spectra collected from standards in our lab. We annotated ~72 % of the features (total features = 32,197, levels 1-4). We confirmed 22 compounds with analytical standards, tentatively identified 88 compounds with MS/MS spectra, and annotated 4862 exogenous chemicals with an in-house developed annotation algorithm. We detected 36 chemicals that appear to not have been previously reported in human blood and 9 chemicals that were reported in less than five studies. Our findings underline the importance of NTA in the discovery of lesser-known/unreported chemicals important to characterize human exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garret D Bland
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Dimitri Abrahamsson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | - Miaomiao Wang
- Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Marya G Zlatnik
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - June-Soo Park
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco 94158, CA, United States
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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7
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Lauria MZ, Sepman H, Ledbetter T, Plassmann M, Roos AM, Simon M, Benskin JP, Kruve A. Closing the Organofluorine Mass Balance in Marine Mammals Using Suspect Screening and Machine Learning-Based Quantification. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2458-2467. [PMID: 38270113 PMCID: PMC10851419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07220] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based suspect and nontarget screening has identified a growing number of novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment. However, without analytical standards, the fraction of overall PFAS exposure accounted for by these suspects remains ambiguous. Fortunately, recent developments in ionization efficiency (IE) prediction using machine learning offer the possibility to quantify suspects lacking analytical standards. In the present work, a gradient boosted tree-based model for predicting log IE in negative mode was trained and then validated using 33 PFAS standards. The root-mean-square errors were 0.79 (for the entire test set) and 0.29 (for the 7 PFASs in the test set) log IE units. Thereafter, the model was applied to samples of liver from pilot whales (n = 5; East Greenland) and white beaked dolphins (n = 5, West Greenland; n = 3, Sweden) which contained a significant fraction (up to 70%) of unidentified organofluorine and 35 unquantified suspect PFASs (confidence level 2-4). IE-based quantification reduced the fraction of unidentified extractable organofluorine to 0-27%, demonstrating the utility of the method for closing the fluorine mass balance in the absence of analytical standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Z. Lauria
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helen Sepman
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 16, 106
91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Ledbetter
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 16, 106
91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Merle Plassmann
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna M. Roos
- Department
of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland
Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute
of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Jonathan P. Benskin
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anneli Kruve
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 16, 106
91 Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Sun R, Babalol S, Ni R, Dolatabad AA, Cao J, Xiao F. Efficient and fast remediation of soil contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by high-frequency heating. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132660. [PMID: 37898088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
This study presents a novel thermal technology (high-frequency heating, HFH) for the decontamination of soil containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). Ultra-fast degradation of short-chain PFAS, long-chain homologs, precursors, legacy PFAS, emerging PFAS was achieved in a matter of minutes. The concentrations of PFAS and the soil type had a negligible impact on degradation efficiency, possibly due to the ultra-fast degradation rate overwhelming potential differences. Under the current HFH experiment setup, we achieved near-complete degradation (e.g., >99.9%) after 1 min for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids and 2 min for perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids. Polyfluoroalkyl precursors in AFFFs were found to degrade completely within 1 min of HFH; no residual cationic, zwitterionic, anionic, or non-ionic intermediate products were detected following the treatment. The gaseous byproducts were considered. Most of gaseous organofluorine products of PFAS at low-and-moderate temperatures disappeared when temperatures reached 890 °C, which is in the temperature zone of HFH. For the first time, we demonstrated minimal loss of PFAS in water during the boiling process, indicating a low risk of PFAS entering the atmosphere with the water vapor. The findings highlight HFH its potential as a promising remediation tool for PFAS-contaminated soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runze Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Samuel Babalol
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Ruichong Ni
- Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 8155, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
| | - Alireza Arhami Dolatabad
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Jiefei Cao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Feng Xiao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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9
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Partington JM, Rana S, Szabo D, Anumol T, Clarke BO. Comparison of high-resolution mass spectrometry acquisition methods for the simultaneous quantification and identification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:895-912. [PMID: 38159142 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-05075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Simultaneous identification and quantification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were evaluated for three quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF) acquisition methods. The acquisition methods investigated were MS-Only, all ion fragmentation (All-Ions), and automated tandem mass spectrometry (Auto-MS/MS). Target analytes were the 25 PFAS of US EPA Method 533 and the acquisition methods were evaluated by analyte response, limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, and target-suspect screening identification limit (IL). PFAS LOQs were consistent across acquisition methods, with individual PFAS LOQs within an order of magnitude. The mean and range for MS-Only, All-Ions, and Auto-MS/MS are 1.3 (0.34-5.1), 2.1 (0.49-5.1), and 1.5 (0.20-5.1) pg on column. For fast data processing and tentative identification with lower confidence, MS-Only is recommended; however, this can lead to false-positives. Where high-confidence identification, structural characterisation, and quantification are desired, Auto-MS/MS is recommended; however, cycle time should be considered where many compounds are anticipated to be present. For comprehensive screening workflows and sample archiving, All-Ions is recommended, facilitating both quantification and retrospective analysis. This study validated HRMS acquisition approaches for quantification (based upon precursor data) and exploration of identification workflows for a range of PFAS compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Partington
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Sahil Rana
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Drew Szabo
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, 11418, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tarun Anumol
- Agilent Technologies Inc, Wilmington, DE, 19808, USA
| | - Bradley O Clarke
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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10
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Balcells C, Xu Y, Gil-Solsona R, Maitre L, Gago-Ferrero P, Keun HC. Blurred lines: Crossing the boundaries between the chemical exposome and the metabolome. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2024; 78:102407. [PMID: 38086287 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The aetiology of every human disease lies in a combination of genetic and environmental factors, each contributing in varying proportions. While genomics investigates the former, a comparable holistic paradigm was proposed for environmental exposures in 2005, marking the onset of exposome research. Since then, the exposome definition has broadened to include a wide array of physical, chemical, and psychosocial factors that interact with the human body and potentially alter the epigenome, the transcriptome, the proteome, and the metabolome. The chemical exposome, deeply intertwined with the metabolome, includes all small molecules originating from diet as well as pharmaceuticals, personal care and consumer products, or pollutants in air and water. The set of techniques to interrogate these exposures, primarily mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, are also extensively used in metabolomics. Recent advances in untargeted metabolomics using high resolution mass spectrometry have paved the way for the development of methods able to provide in depth characterisation of both the internal chemical exposome and the endogenous metabolome simultaneously. Herein we review the available tools, databases, and workflows currently available for such work, and discuss how these can bridge the gap between the study of the metabolome and the exposome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Balcells
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Yitao Xu
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rubén Gil-Solsona
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Léa Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Gago-Ferrero
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hector C Keun
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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11
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Ghorbani Gorji S, Gómez Ramos MJ, Dewapriya P, Schulze B, Mackie R, Nguyen TMH, Higgins CP, Bowles K, Mueller JF, Thomas KV, Kaserzon SL. New PFASs Identified in AFFF Impacted Groundwater by Passive Sampling and Nontarget Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1690-1699. [PMID: 38189783 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06591] [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: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Monitoring contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water systems impacted by aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) typically addresses a few known PFAS groups. Given the diversity of PFASs present in AFFFs, current analytical approaches do not comprehensively address the range of PFASs present in these systems. A suspect-screening and nontarget analysis (NTA) approach was developed and applied to identify novel PFASs in groundwater samples contaminated from historic AFFF use. A total of 88 PFASs were identified in both passive samplers and grab samples, and these were dominated by sulfonate derivatives and sulfonamide-derived precursors. Several ultrashort-chain (USC) PFASs (≤C3) were detected, 11 reported for the first time in Australian groundwater. Several transformation products were identified, including perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FASAs) and perfluoroalkane sulfinates (PFASis). Two new PFASs were reported (((perfluorohexyl)sulfonyl)sulfamic acid; m/z 477.9068 and (E)-1,1,2,2,3,3,4,5,6,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooct-6-ene-1-sulfonic acid; m/z 424.9482). This study highlights that several PFASs are overlooked using standard target analysis, and therefore, the potential risk from all PFASs present is likely to be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ghorbani Gorji
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - María José Gómez Ramos
- Chemistry and Physics Department, University of Almeria, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Pradeep Dewapriya
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Bastian Schulze
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Rachel Mackie
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Thi Minh Hong Nguyen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | | | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Sarit L Kaserzon
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
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12
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Yi S, Wang J, Wang R, Liu M, Zhong W, Zhu L, Jiang G. Structure-Related Thyroid Disrupting Effect of Perfluorooctanesulfonate-like Substances in Zebrafish Larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:182-193. [PMID: 38156633 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07003] [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: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Chlorinated polyfluorooctane ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA), hydrogenated polyfluorooctane ether sulfonate (6:2 H-PFESA), and chlorinated polyfluorooctanesulfonate (Cl-PFOS) share structural similarities with the regulated perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), but their toxic potential is rarely known. Here, the thyroid disrupting potential of these four compounds in zebrafish larvae has been comparably investigated. PFOS, Cl-PFOS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA were accumulated in the larvae at similar levels, approximately 1.3-1.6 times higher than 6:2 H-PFESA. Additionally, PFOS, Cl-PFOS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA exhibited stronger disruption than 6:2 H-PFESA on genetic regulation, particularly concerning thyroid hormone (TH) activation and action and on TH homeostasis in both free and total forms of thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3). These results indicate that chlorination or oxygen insertion does not substantially alter the thyrotoxicity of PFOS, but hydrogenation mitigates it. Molecular docking analysis and the luciferase reporter gene assay provided mechanistic perspectives that the PFOS-like substances could competitively replace THs to bind with TH plasma and membrane transporters, thereby disrupting TH transport and action, respectively. Moreover, they are also potent to disrupt TH synthesis and activation through Na+/K+-dependent transport of I- or competitive binding to the sites of deiodinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Yi
- 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, China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- 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, China
| | - Rouyi Wang
- 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, China
| | - Menglin Liu
- 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, China
| | - Wenjue Zhong
- 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, 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, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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13
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Han BC, Liu JS, Bizimana A, Zhang BX, Kateryna S, Zhao Z, Yu LP, Shen ZZ, Meng XZ. Identifying priority PBT-like compounds from emerging PFAS by nontargeted analysis and machine learning models. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122663. [PMID: 37783416 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122663] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
As traditional per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are phased out, emerging PFAS are being developed and widely used. However, little is known about their properties, including persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT). Screening for emerging PFAS relies on available chemical inventory databases. Here, we compiled a database of emerging PFAS obtained from nontargeted analysis and assessed their PBT properties using machine learning models, including qualitative graph attention networks, Insubria PBT Index and quantitative EAS-E Suite, VEGA, and ProTox-II platforms. Totally 282 homologues (21.8% of emerging PFAS) were identified as PBT based on the combined qualitative and quantitative prediction, in which 140 homologues were detected in industrial and nonbiological/biological samples, belong to four categories, i.e. modifications of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids, perfluoroalkane sulfonamido substances, fluorotelomers and modifications of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids. Approximately 10.1% of prioritized emerging PFAS were matched to chemical vendors and 19.6% to patents. Aqueous film-forming foams and fluorochemical factories are the predominant sources for prioritized emerging PFAS. The database and screening results can update the assessment related to legislative bodies such as the US Toxic Substances Control Act and the Stockholm Convention. The combined qualitative and quantitative machine learning models can provide a methodological tool for prioritizing other emerging organic contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Cang Han
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; Jiaxing-Tongji Environmental Research Institute, 1994 Linggongtang Road, Jiaxing, 314051, Zhejiang Province, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Jin-Song Liu
- College of Advanced Materials Engineering, Jiaxing Nanhu University. 572 South Yuexiu Road, Jiaxing, 314001, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Aaron Bizimana
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Bo-Xuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; Jiaxing-Tongji Environmental Research Institute, 1994 Linggongtang Road, Jiaxing, 314051, Zhejiang Province, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Sukhodolska Kateryna
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Zhen Zhao
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Li-Ping Yu
- Suzhou Jingtian Lover Environmental Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, 215228, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhong-Zeng Shen
- Suzhou Jingtian Lover Environmental Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, 215228, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiang-Zhou Meng
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; Jiaxing-Tongji Environmental Research Institute, 1994 Linggongtang Road, Jiaxing, 314051, Zhejiang Province, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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14
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Winquist A, Hodge JM, Diver WR, Rodriguez JL, Troeschel AN, Daniel J, Teras LR. Case-Cohort Study of the Association between PFAS and Selected Cancers among Participants in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II LifeLink Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127007. [PMID: 38088576 PMCID: PMC10718084 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies found associations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and some cancer types. Many studies considered highly exposed populations, so relevance to less-exposed populations can be uncertain. Additionally, many studies considered only cancer site, not histology. OBJECTIVES We conducted a case-cohort study within the American Cancer Society's prospective Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) LifeLink cohort to examine associations between PFAS exposure and risk of selected cancers, considering histologic subtypes. METHODS Serum specimens were collected from cohort participants during the period 1998-2001. This study included a subcohort (500 men, 499 women) randomly selected from participants without prior cancer diagnoses at serum collection, and all participants with incident (after serum collection) first cancers of the breast (females only, n = 786 ), bladder (n = 401 ), kidney (n = 158 ), pancreas (n = 172 ), prostate (males only, n = 1,610 ) or hematologic system (n = 635 ). PFAS concentrations [perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)] were measured in stored serum. We assessed associations between PFAS concentrations and incident cancers, by site and histologic subtype, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models stratified by sex and controlling for age and year at blood draw, education, race/ethnicity, smoking, and alcohol use. RESULTS Serum PFOA concentrations were positively associated with renal cell carcinoma of the kidney among women [hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) per PFOA doubling: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.26)] but not men. Among men, we observed a positive association between PFHxS concentrations and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma [CLL/SLL, HR and 95% CI per PFHxS doubling: 1.34 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.75)]. We observed some heterogeneity of associations by histologic subtype within sites. DISCUSSION This study supports the previously observed association between PFOA and renal cell carcinoma among women and suggests an association between PFHxS and CLL/SLL among men. Consideration of histologic subtypes might be important in future studies of PFAS-cancer associations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13174.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Winquist
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - James M. Hodge
- Department of Population Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - W. Ryan Diver
- Department of Population Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Juan L. Rodriguez
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alyssa N. Troeschel
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Johnni Daniel
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lauren R. Teras
- Department of Population Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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15
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Moneta BG, Feo ML, Torre M, Tratzi P, Aita SE, Montone CM, Taglioni E, Mosca S, Balducci C, Cerasa M, Guerriero E, Petracchini F, Cavaliere C, Laganà A, Paolini V. Occurrence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in wastewater treatment plants in Northern Italy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 894:165089. [PMID: 37355117 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165089] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants are known to be relevant input sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the aquatic environment. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, fate, and seasonal variability of twenty-five PFAS in four municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP A, B, C, and D) surrounding the city of Milan (Northern, Italy). Composite 24-h wastewater samples were collected in July and October 2021 and May and February 2022 from influents and effluents of the four WWTPs. PFAS were detected at concentrations ranging between 24.1 and 66.9 μg L-1 for influent and 13.4 and 107 μg L-1 for effluent wastewater samples. Perfluoropentanoic acid was the most abundant (1.91-30.0 μg L-1) in influent samples, whereas perfluorobutane sulfonic acid predominated (0.80-66.1 μg L-1) in effluent samples. In sludge, PFOA was detected in plant A at concentrations in the range of 96.6-165 ng kg-1 dw in primary sludge samples and 98.6-440 ng kg-1 dw in secondary treatment sludge samples. The removal efficiency of total PFAS varied between 6 % and 96 %. However, an increase of PFAS concentrations was observed from influents to effluents for plant D (during July and October), plant A (during October and May), and plant C (during May) indicating that biotransformation of PFAS precursors can occur during biological treatments. This was supported by the observed increase in concentrations of PFOA from primary to secondary treatment sludge samples in plant A. Moreover, the plant operating at shorter hydraulic retention times (plant D) showed lower removal efficiency (<45 %). Seasonal variation of PFAS in influent and effluent appears rather low and more likely due to pulse release instead of seasonal factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Luisa Feo
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Torre
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Tratzi
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Elsa Aita
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Carmela Maria Montone
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Taglioni
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Mosca
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Catia Balducci
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Cerasa
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Ettore Guerriero
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Petracchini
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Cavaliere
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Laganà
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Paolini
- Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy (CNR IIA), Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
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16
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Yu XY, Yang C, Gao J, Xiong J, Sui X, Zhong L, Zhang Y, Son J. Molecular detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Front Chem 2023; 11:1253685. [PMID: 37867995 PMCID: PMC10587417 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1253685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is crucial in environmental mitigation and remediation of these persistent pollutants. We demonstrate that time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a viable technique to analyze and identify these substances at parts per trillion (ppt) level in real field samples without complicated sample preparation due to its superior surface sensitivity. Several representative PFAS compounds, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluoheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and real-world groundwater samples collected from monitoring wells installed around at a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Southern California were analyzed in this work. ToF-SIMS spectral comparison depicts sensitive identification of pseudo-molecular ions, characteristic of reference PFASs. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) shows clear discrimination among real samples and reference compounds. Our results show that characteristic molecular ion and fragments peaks can be used to identify PFASs. Furthermore, SIMS two-dimensional (2D) images directly exhibit the distribution of perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA) and PFOS in simulated mixtures and real wastewater samples. Such findings indicate that ToF-SIMS is useable to determine PFAS compounds in complex environmental water samples. In conclusion, ToF-SIMS provides simple sample preparation and high sensitivity in mass spectral imaging, offering an alternative solution for environmental forensic analysis of PFASs in wastewater in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ying Yu
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Cuiyun Yang
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Jun Gao
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - John Xiong
- Haley & Aldrich Inc., Costa Mesa, CA, United States
| | - Xiao Sui
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Lirong Zhong
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Yuchen Zhang
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Jiyoung Son
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Richland, WA, United States
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17
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Ruan T, Li P, Wang H, Li T, Jiang G. Identification and Prioritization of Environmental Organic Pollutants: From an Analytical and Toxicological Perspective. Chem Rev 2023; 123:10584-10640. [PMID: 37531601 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental organic pollutants has triggered significant ecological impacts and adverse health outcomes, which have been received substantial and increasing attention. The contribution of unidentified chemical components is considered as the most significant knowledge gap in understanding the combined effects of pollutant mixtures. To address this issue, remarkable analytical breakthroughs have recently been made. In this review, the basic principles on recognition of environmental organic pollutants are overviewed. Complementary analytical methodologies (i.e., quantitative structure-activity relationship prediction, mass spectrometric nontarget screening, and effect-directed analysis) and experimental platforms are briefly described. The stages of technique development and/or essential parts of the analytical workflow for each of the methodologies are then reviewed. Finally, plausible technique paths and applications of the future nontarget screening methods, interdisciplinary techniques for achieving toxicant identification, and burgeoning strategies on risk assessment of chemical cocktails are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Pengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haotian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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18
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Dewapriya P, Nilsson S, Ghorbani Gorji S, O’Brien JW, Bräunig J, Gómez Ramos MJ, Donaldson E, Samanipour S, Martin JW, Mueller JF, Kaserzon SL, Thomas KV. Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Discovered in Cattle Exposed to AFFF-Impacted Groundwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13635-13645. [PMID: 37648245 PMCID: PMC10501377 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03852] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from Australian firefighting training grounds has resulted in extensive contamination of groundwater and nearby farmlands. Humans, farm animals, and wildlife in these areas may have been exposed to complex mixtures of PFASs from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). This study aimed to identify PFAS classes in pooled whole blood (n = 4) and serum (n = 4) from cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater and potentially discover new PFASs in blood. Thirty PFASs were identified at various levels of confidence (levels 1a-5a), including three novel compounds: (i) perfluorohexanesulfonamido 2-hydroxypropanoic acid (FHxSA-HOPrA), (ii) methyl((perfluorohexyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, and (iii) methyl((perfluorooctyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, belonging to two different classes. Biotransformation intermediate, perfluorohexanesulfonamido propanoic acid (FHxSA-PrA), hitherto unreported in biological samples, was detected in both whole blood and serum. Furthermore, perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides, including perfluoropropane sulfonamide (FPrSA), perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA), and perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA) were predominantly detected in whole blood, suggesting that these accumulate in the cell fraction of blood. The suspect screening revealed several fluoroalkyl chain-substituted PFAS. The results suggest that targeting only the major PFASs in the plasma or serum of AFFF-exposed mammals likely underestimates the toxicological risks associated with exposure. Future studies of AFFF-exposed populations should include whole-blood analysis with high-resolution mass spectrometry to understand the true extent of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Dewapriya
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Sandra Nilsson
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Sara Ghorbani Gorji
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jake W. O’Brien
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
- Van
‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1090 GD, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Bräunig
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - María José Gómez Ramos
- Department
of Chemistry and Physics, University of
Almería, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3
(ceiA3), Carretera Sacramento
s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Eric Donaldson
- Aviation
Medical Specialist, The Australasian Faculty of Occupational &
Environmental Medicine (AFOEM), The Royal
Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
| | - Saer Samanipour
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
- Van
‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1090 GD, The Netherlands
| | - Jonathan W. Martin
- Department
of Environmental Science (ACES, Exposure & Effects), Science for
Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Jochen F. Mueller
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Sarit L. Kaserzon
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin V. Thomas
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba 4102 Queensland, Australia
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19
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Christensen BT, Calkins MM. Occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: a scope review of the literature from 1980-2021. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:673-686. [PMID: 36977833 PMCID: PMC10533727 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00536-y] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise a large group of chemicals that have been integrated into a wide variety of industrial processes and consumer products since the 1950s. Due to their profuse usage and high persistence in human serum, understanding workplace exposures to PFAS is critical. OBJECTIVE We aimed to characterize the PFAS exposure profiles of relevant occupational populations, elucidate trends in the PFAS exposure characterization process, and identify major research gaps that remain within the occupational PFAS exposure literature. METHODS A systematic search of four literature databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 1980 and 2021 on PFAS exposure in occupational settings was conducted. RESULTS Of the 2574 articles identified, 92 met the inclusion criteria. Fluorochemical workers were the target population in most early exposure assessment research; however, studies conducted within the last 10 years have evaluated a wider range of occupational populations and settings. The highest exposures were reported in fluorochemical workers, but, in comparison to reference populations, one or more PFAS were elevated in most workers and in most workplaces that were assessed. PFAS was most frequently assessed in worker serum using a discrete analytical panel of PFAS, with earlier studies restricted to a few long-alkyl chain PFAS while more recent studies have included more expansive panels due to more robust methods. SIGNIFICANCE Characterization of occupational exposure to PFAS is limited but expanding. Current analytical methods are not robust enough to fully capture the potential range of PFAS present across different workers and workplaces. While exposures to PFAS for certain occupational groups have been studied in detail, exposure information for other occupational groups with high potential for exposure are limited. This review highlights substantial findings and major research gaps within the occupational literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Christensen
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA.
| | - Miriam M Calkins
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA
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20
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Pálešová N, Maitre L, Stratakis N, Řiháčková K, Pindur A, Kohoutek J, Šenk P, Bartošková Polcrová A, Gregor P, Vrijheid M, Čupr P. Firefighters and the liver: Exposure to PFAS and PAHs in relation to liver function and serum lipids (CELSPAC-FIREexpo study). Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114215. [PMID: 37418783 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Firefighting is one of the most hazardous occupations due to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Such exposure is suspected to affect the cardiometabolic profile, e.g., liver function and serum lipids. However, only a few studies have investigated the impact of this specific exposure among firefighters. METHODS Men included in the CELSPAC-FIREexpo study were professional firefighters (n = 52), newly recruited firefighters in training (n = 58), and controls (n = 54). They completed exposure questionnaires and provided 1-3 samples of urine and blood during the 11-week study period to allow assessment of their exposure to PFAS (6 compounds) and PAHs (6 compounds), and to determine biomarkers of liver function (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (BIL)) and levels of serum lipids (total cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (TG)). The associations between biomarkers were investigated both cross-sectionally using multiple linear regression (MLR) and Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) regression and prospectively using MLR. The models were adjusted for potential confounders and false discovery rate correction was applied to account for multiplicity. RESULTS A positive association between exposure to PFAS and PAH mixture and BIL (β = 28.6%, 95% CrI = 14.6-45.7%) was observed by the BWQS model. When the study population was stratified, in professional firefighters and controls the mixture showed a positive association with CHOL (β = 29.5%, CrI = 10.3-53.6%) and LDL (β = 26.7%, CrI = 8.3-48.5%). No statistically significant associations with individual compounds were detected using MLR. CONCLUSIONS This study investigated the associations between exposure to PFAS and PAHs and biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in the Czech men, including firefighters. The results suggest that higher exposure to a mixture of these compounds is associated with an increase in BIL and the alteration of serum lipids, which can result in an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Pálešová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Léa Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nikos Stratakis
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Katarína Řiháčková
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Pindur
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Czech Republic; Training Centre of Fire Rescue Service, Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, Ministry of the Interior, Trnkova 85, 628 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Kohoutek
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Šenk
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Petr Gregor
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pavel Čupr
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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21
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Manz KE, Feerick A, Braun JM, Feng YL, Hall A, Koelmel J, Manzano C, Newton SR, Pennell KD, Place BJ, Godri Pollitt KJ, Prasse C, Young JA. Non-targeted analysis (NTA) and suspect screening analysis (SSA): a review of examining the chemical exposome. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:524-536. [PMID: 37380877 PMCID: PMC10403360 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00574-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Non-targeted analysis (NTA) and suspect screening analysis (SSA) are powerful techniques that rely on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and computational tools to detect and identify unknown or suspected chemicals in the exposome. Fully understanding the chemical exposome requires characterization of both environmental media and human specimens. As such, we conducted a review to examine the use of different NTA and SSA methods in various exposure media and human samples, including the results and chemicals detected. The literature review was conducted by searching literature databases, such as PubMed and Web of Science, for keywords, such as "non-targeted analysis", "suspect screening analysis" and the exposure media. Sources of human exposure to environmental chemicals discussed in this review include water, air, soil/sediment, dust, and food and consumer products. The use of NTA for exposure discovery in human biospecimen is also reviewed. The chemical space that has been captured using NTA varies by media analyzed and analytical platform. In each media the chemicals that were frequently detected using NTA were: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals in water, pesticides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and sediment, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in air, flame retardants in dust, plasticizers in consumer products, and plasticizers, pesticides, and halogenated compounds in human samples. Some studies reviewed herein used both liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) HRMS to increase the detected chemical space (16%); however, the majority (51%) only used LC-HRMS and fewer used GC-HRMS (32%). Finally, we identify knowledge and technology gaps that must be overcome to fully assess potential chemical exposures using NTA. Understanding the chemical space is essential to identifying and prioritizing gaps in our understanding of exposure sources and prior exposures. IMPACT STATEMENT: This review examines the results and chemicals detected by analyzing exposure media and human samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry based non-targeted analysis (NTA) and suspect screening analysis (SSA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Manz
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
| | - Anna Feerick
- Agricultural & Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Yong-Lai Feng
- Exposure and Biomonitoring Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Amber Hall
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Jeremy Koelmel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Carlos Manzano
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Santiago, RM, Chile
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Seth R Newton
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kurt D Pennell
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Benjamin J Place
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Carsten Prasse
- Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joshua A Young
- Division of Biology, Chemistry and Materials Science, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
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22
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Jiao Z, Yu N, Mao J, Yang Q, Jiao L, Wang X, Shi W, Yu H, Wei S. The occurrence, tissue distribution, and PBT potential of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the freshwater organisms from the Yangtze river via nontarget analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131868. [PMID: 37343408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Numerous emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) occur in the aquatic environment, posing a threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. In this study, we conducted a nontarget analysis on 3 surface water samples and 92 tissue samples of 16 fish collected from the Yangtze River to investigate the patterns, tissue distribution, and environmental impacts of emerging PFASs. A total of 43 PFASs from 11 classes were identified, including 17 legacy PFASs and 26 emerging PFASs. Among the 43 PFASs, seven PFASs were reported in biota for the first time while five PFASs were reported in the environment for the first time. Chlorine substituted perfluoroalyl ether sulfonic acids were the major emerging PFASs detected in organisms. Our results showed that most emerging PFASs tended to accumulate in the liver whereas perfluorinated sulfonamides tended to accumulate in the blood, and all of the emerging PFASs accumulated less in the muscle. Methods for evaluating the persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT) of PFASs were developed by combining the in-silico methods and experimental methods. Long-chain PFASs were found to have extremely high PBT scores compared to short-chain PFASs. Additionally, most emerging PFASs exhibited comparable PBT characteristics with legacy PFASs, especially Cl-substituted PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiadi Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Yang
- JiangYin QiuHao Testing Co.,Ltd, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Jiao
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuebing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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23
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Wang Q, Ruan Y, Jin L, Tao LSR, Lai H, Li G, Yeung LWY, Leung KMY, Lam PKS. Legacy and Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in a Subtropical Marine Food Web: Suspect Screening, Isomer Profile, and Identification of Analytical Interference. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37220884 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The ban/elimination of legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has led to a dramatic increase in the production and use of various emerging PFASs over the past decade. However, trophodynamics of many emerging PFASs in aquatic food webs remain poorly understood. In this study, samples of seawaters and marine organisms including 15 fish species, 21 crustacean species, and two cetacean species were collected from the northern South China Sea (SCS) to investigate the trophic biomagnification potential of legacy and emerging PFASs. Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide was found in seawater via suspect screening (concentration up to 1.50 ng/L) but not in the biota, indicating its negligible bioaccumulation potential. A chlorinated perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) analytical interfering compound was identified with a predicted formula of C14H23O5SCl6- (most abundant at m/z = 514.9373). Significant trophic magnification was observed for 22 PFASs, and the trophic magnification factors of cis- and trans-perfluoroethylcyclohexane sulfonate isomers (1.92 and 2.25, respectively) were reported for the first time. Perfluorohexanoic acid was trophic-magnified, possibly attributed to the PFAS precursor degradation. The hazard index of PFOS was close to 1, implying a potential human health risk via dietary exposure to PFASs in seafood on the premise of continuous PFAS discharge to the SCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), Örebro University, Örebro SE-70182, Sweden
| | - Yuefei Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Linjie Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Lily S R Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Han Lai
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Guifeng Li
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Leo W Y Yeung
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), Örebro University, Örebro SE-70182, Sweden
| | - Kenneth M Y Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Paul K S Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
- Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
- Department of Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Good Shepherd Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
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24
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Nilsson S, Thompson J, Mueller JF, Bräunig J. Apparent Half-Lives of Chlorinated-Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Isomers in Aviation Firefighters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:17052-17060. [PMID: 36367310 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04637] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and elevated detection frequency of chloro-substituted PFOS have been reported in Australian firefighters with historical exposure to aqueous-film forming foam (AFFF). The aim of this study is to estimate the apparent half-lives of Cl-PFOS and PFOS isomers in firefighters following the end of exposure to 3M-AFFF. Paired serum samples from 120 firefighters, collected approximately five years apart, were analyzed for 8-Cl-PFOS (8-chloroperfluoro-1-octanesulfonic acid) and PFOS isomers via targeted LC-MS/MS. Apparent half-life was estimated by assuming a first order-elimination model. Cl-PFOS was detected in 93% of all initial serum samples (<LOQ-1.09 ng/mL). The average half-life of Cl-PFOS among the firefighters was 5.0 years. Branched PFOS isomers made up 55% of the total isomer concentration at the initial sampling timepoint. Five years later, the proportion of branched PFOS isomers was greater (65%). The longest average half-life (11.5 years) was estimated for "1m-PFOS". Other isomers had average half-lives ranging from 4.0 to 7.5 years. Marked differences in half-lives between PFOS isomers suggest that the elimination rate of "total PFOS" (sum of all PFOS isomers) is non-linear. This is the first study to report the serum concentrations and apparent half-life of Cl-PFOS in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Nilsson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland4102, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland4102, Australia
- Organic Chemistry, Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland4108, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland4102, Australia
| | - Jennifer Bräunig
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland4102, Australia
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25
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Xia X, Zheng Y, Tang X, Zhao N, Wang B, Lin H, Lin Y. Nontarget Identification of Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Cord Blood Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:17061-17069. [PMID: 36343112 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) can penetrate the placental barrier and reach embryos through cord blood, probably causing adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, novel PFASs identification in cord blood and their relationships with birth outcomes are essential to evaluate prenatal exposure risk of PFASs. Herein, 16 legacy and 12 novel PFASs were identified in 326 cord blood samples collected from pregnant women in Jinan, Shandong, China. The presence of perfluoropolyether carboxylic acids, hydrogen-substituted polyfluoroetherpropane sulfate, and 3:3 chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether alcohol in cord blood was reported for the first time. Two extensive OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development)-defined PFASs named fipronil sulfone and 2-chloro-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-3-ol were also identified. Quantification results showed that the emerging and OECD-defined PFASs separately accounted for 9.4 and 9.7% of the total quantified PFASs, while the legacy PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS were still the most abundant PFASs with median concentrations of 2.12, 0.58, and 0.37 ng/mL, respectively. Several PFASs (C9-C12 PFCAs, C6-C8 PFSAs, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA) showed significantly higher levels for older maternities than younger ones. PFHxS levels were positively associated with birth weight and ponderal index (p < 0.05). The results provide comprehensive information on the presence and exposure risks of several novel PFASs during the early life stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Xia
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Yuxin Zheng
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Xiaowen Tang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Nan Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Biomedical Centre, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Huan Lin
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Yongfeng Lin
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
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26
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Nilsson S, Smurthwaite K, Aylward LL, Kay M, Toms LM, King L, Marrington S, Kirk MD, Mueller JF, Bräunig J. Associations between serum perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) concentrations and health related biomarkers in firefighters. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114370. [PMID: 36174755 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114370] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters who used aqueous film forming foam in the past have experienced elevated exposures to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). The objective of this study was to examine the associations between clinical chemistry endpoints and serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in firefighters. Multiple linear regression was used to assess relationships between PFAA serum concentrations and biochemical markers for cardiovascular disease, kidney-, liver- and thyroid function, in a cross-sectional survey of 783 firefighters with elevated levels of PFHxS, PFHpS and PFOS in relation to the most recently reported levels in the general Australian population. Linear logistic regression was used to assess the odds ratios for selected self-reported health outcomes. Repeated measures linear mixed models were further used to assess relationships between PFAAs and biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and kidney function longitudinally in a subset of the firefighters (n = 130) where serum measurements were available from two timepoints, five years apart. In the cross-sectional analysis, higher levels of all PFAAs were significantly associated with higher levels of biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (total-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol). For example, doubling in PFOS serum concentration were associated with increases in total cholesterol (β:0.111, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.026, 0.195 mmol/L) and LDL-cholesterol (β: 0.104, 95%CI:0.03, 0.178 mmol/L). Doubling in PFOA concentration, despite not being elevated in the study population, were additionally positively associated with kidney function marker urate (e.g., β: 0.010, 95%CI; 0.004, 0.016 mmol/L) and thyroid function marker TSH (e.g., β: 0.087, 95%CI: 0.014, 0.161 mIU/L). PFAAs were not associated with any assessed self-reported health conditions. No significant relationships were observed in the longitudinal analysis. Findings support previous studies, particularly on the association between PFAAs and serum lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Nilsson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia.
| | - Kayla Smurthwaite
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Cnr of Eggleston and Mills Roads Acton 2600, Australia
| | - Lesa L Aylward
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia; Summit Toxicology, LLP, La Quinta, 92253, CA, USA
| | - Margaret Kay
- General Practice Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Health Sciences Building, RBWH Complex, Herston, 4029, QLD, Australia
| | - Leisa-Maree Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, 4059, QLD, Australia
| | - Leisa King
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Shelby Marrington
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Martyn D Kirk
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Cnr of Eggleston and Mills Roads Acton 2600, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Jennifer Bräunig
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, QLD, Australia
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27
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Shojaei M, Kumar N, Guelfo JL. An Integrated Approach for Determination of Total Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14517-14527. [PMID: 36197695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05143] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are difficult to analyze in environmental media due challenges such as extraction recovery and lack of analytical standards. The total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay and suspect screening analysis coupled with semiquantitative (SQ) concentration estimates are two approaches to assess total PFAS in environmental media, but studies are needed to optimize workstreams for total PFAS analysis. This study applied two soil extraction methods, TOP assay, and SQ analysis to three aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) and three AFFF-impacted soils. In soils, the total PFAS estimated with results from an extraction method utilizing sequential acidic and basic solvents led to a 35% increase in precursors during TOP assay relative to results from a basic solvent only extraction in one of three soils tested, but concentrations did not increase significantly in remaining soils. Furthermore, sample-specific dilution schemes were required to overcome matrix effects caused by the acidic extraction step that influenced estimates of total PFAS by SQ analysis. The results highlight that there is not an advantage to routine application of an acid extraction step in PFAS-impacted soils. In three AFFFs, suspect screening of post-TOP samples identified eight classes of PFAS present after oxidation. Concentrations of three classes increased, suggesting they are new TOP end points. Concentrations of the remaining five classes either remained constant after TOP or exhibited slight decreases. As a result, combined TOP and SQ workstreams may yield the most representative assessment of total PFAS composition and concentration. The eight classes of PFAS present after TOP did not degrade in harsh conditions. Some are structurally similar to PFCAs and PFSAs and are known to occur in the environment, suggesting a similar degree of persistence and a need for more routine monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Shojaei
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas79409, United States
| | - Naveen Kumar
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas79409, United States
| | - Jennifer L Guelfo
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas79409, United States
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28
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Li L, Yu N, Wang X, Shi W, Liu H, Zhang X, Yang L, Pan B, Yu H, Wei S. Comprehensive Exposure Studies of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the General Population: Target, Nontarget Screening, and Toxicity Prediction. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14617-14626. [PMID: 36174189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment and populations have received extensive attention; however, their distribution and potential toxic effects in the general population remain unclear. Here, a comprehensive study on PFAS screening was carried out in serum samples of 202 individuals from the general population in four cities in China. A total of 165 suspected PFASs were identified using target and nontarget analysis, including seven identified PFAS homolog series, of which 16 PFASs were validated against standards, and seven PFASs [4:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (4:2 Cl-PFESA), 7:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (7:2 Cl-PFESA), hydrosubstituted perfluoroheptanoate (H-PFHpA), chlorine-substituted perfluorooctanoate (Cl-PFOA), chlorine-substituted perfluorononanate (Cl-PFNA), chlorine-substituted perfluorodecanoate (Cl-PFDA), and perfluorodecanedioic acid (PFLDCA n = 8)] were reported for the first time in human serum. The Tox21-GCN model (a graph convolutional neural network model based on the Tox21 database) was established to predict the toxicity of the discovered PFASs, revealing that PFASs containing sulfonic acid groups exhibited multiple potential toxic effects, such as estrogenic effects and stress responses. Our study indicated that the general population was exposed to various PFASs, and the toxicity prediction results of individual PFASs suggested potential health risks that could not be ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laihui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Nanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuebing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongling Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Liuyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingcai Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, People's Republic of China
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29
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Liu L, Lu M, Cheng X, Yu G, Huang J. Suspect screening and nontargeted analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in representative fluorocarbon surfactants, aqueous film-forming foams, and impacted water in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107398. [PMID: 35841727 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107398] [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] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Massive usage of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) containing fluorocarbon surfactants (FS) is one of the major sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, which poses negative environmental and health effects. However, there is a critical knowledge gap regarding PFAS chemical compositions in high consumption FS products which were used in AFFFs on the Chinese market and in water impacted by such products. This study firstly applied a comprehensive suspect screening and nontargeted analysis (NTA) workflow to investigate the main ionic and neutral PFAS in FS products from the largest Chinese vendor and compared with two international brands to unveil the PFAS used in AFFF. Overall, 24 classes of PFAS, including 69 compounds, were tentatively identified in FS products, and high concentrations of neutral PFAS were found in polymer-based products, indicating potential environmental risk. In addition, we applied a simplified data mining process to capture 36 PFAS from the impacted water, and the relationship among FS, AFFF concentrates and impacted water was explored. This study parsed the PFAS characteristics in AFFF-related industrial products and impacted water in China, which is instrumental for managing and controlling prioritized PFAS in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liquan Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control (BKLEOC), Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies (BLEFT), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Meiling Lu
- Agilent Technologies (China) Co. Ltd, Beijing 100102, China
| | - Xue Cheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control (BKLEOC), Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies (BLEFT), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Gang Yu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control (BKLEOC), Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies (BLEFT), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jun Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control (BKLEOC), Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies (BLEFT), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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30
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Lerch M, Nguyen KH, Granby K. Is the use of paper food contact materials treated with per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances safe for high-temperature applications? - Migration study in real food and food simulants. Food Chem 2022; 393:133375. [PMID: 35661597 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Migration of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from paper food contact materials (FCMs) can pose a consumer risk. However, risk assessment procedures typically do not consider PFAS contribution from FCMs. Moreover, migration studies are often limited to one subclass of PFAS or simplified by using food simulants (FS). To assess the risk comprehensively, migration of three PFAS subclasses (perfluorinated carboxylic acids/ sulfonic acids (PFCAs/PFSAs), polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs), and fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs)) from six FCMs were investigated to FS (50% and 20% ethanol) and food (oatmeal porridge, muffins, and tomato soup) under high-temperature conditions. Migration of PFCAs and FTOHs to all food samples was observed. Migration of PFCAs and FTOHs to 50% ethanol was significantly higher than migration to real food whilst FTOHs did not migrate into 20% ethanol. Estimated dietary PFAS exposure for children (1.06 - 5.67 ng/kgbw/day) exceeded EFSA's proposed safety threshold (0.63 ng/kgbw/day), risking consumer health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Lerch
- Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Khanh Hoang Nguyen
- Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kit Granby
- Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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31
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McDonough CA, Li W, Bischel HN, De Silva AO, DeWitt JC. Widening the Lens on PFASs: Direct Human Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Acid Precursors (pre-PFAAs). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6004-6013. [PMID: 35324171 PMCID: PMC10782884 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Determining health risks associated with per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is a highly complex problem requiring massive efforts for scientists, risk assessors, and regulators. Among the most poorly understood pressing questions is the relative importance of pre-PFAAs, which are PFASs that degrade to highly persistent perfluoroalkyl acids. How many of the vast number of existing pre-PFAAs are relevant for direct human exposure, and what are the predominant exposure pathways? What evidence of direct exposure to pre-PFAAs is provided by human biomonitoring studies? How important are pre-PFAAs and their biotransformation products for human health risk assessment? This article outlines recent progress and recommendations toward widening the lens on human PFAS exposure to include the pre-PFAA subclass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A. McDonough
- Department of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Wenting Li
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Heather N. Bischel
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Amila O. De Silva
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Water Science Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
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32
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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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33
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Aro R, Eriksson U, Kärrman A, Jakobsson K, Yeung LWY. Extractable organofluorine analysis: A way to screen for elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination in humans? ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 159:107035. [PMID: 34896670 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous occurrence of a few per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in humans and the environment has been previously reported. However, the number of PFAS humans and the environment are potentially exposed to is much higher, making it difficult to investigate every sample in detail. More importantly, recent studies have shown an increasing fraction of potentially unknown PFAS in human samples. A screening tool for identifying samples of concern that may contain high PFAS levels, to be studied more thoroughly, is needed. This study presents a simplified workflow to detect elevated PFAS levels using extractable organofluorine (EOF) analysis. A fluorine mass balance analysis on samples with high EOF, targeting 63 PFAS, can then confirm the PFAS contamination. Whole blood samples from a cohort of individuals with historical drinking water contamination from firefighting foams (n = 20) in Ronneby (Sweden) and a control group (n = 9) with background exposure were used as a case study. The average EOF concentration in the Ronneby group was 234 ng/mLF (<107-592 ng/mLF) vs 24.8 ng/mLF (17.6-37.8 ng/mL F) in the control group. The large difference (statistically significant, p < 0.05) in the EOF levels between the exposed and control groups would have made it possible to identify samples with high PFAS exposure only using EOF data. This was confirmed by target analysis, which found an average ∑PFAS concentration of 346 ng/mL in the exposed group and 7.9 ng/mL in the control group. The limit of quantification for EOF analysis (up to 107 ng/mLF using 0.5 mL whole blood) did not allow for the detection of PFAS levels in low or sub parts per billion (ng/mL) concentrations, but the results indicate that EOF analysis is a suitable screening method sensitive enough to detect elevated/significant/exposure above background levels by known or unknown PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Aro
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, SE 701 82, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Eriksson
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, SE 701 82, Sweden
| | - Anna Kärrman
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, SE 701 82, Sweden
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE 405 30, Sweden
| | - Leo W Y Yeung
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, SE 701 82, Sweden.
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34
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Vo HNP, Nguyen TMH, Ngo HH, Guo W, Shukla P. Biochar sorption of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in aqueous film-forming foams-impacted groundwater: Effects of PFASs properties and groundwater chemistry. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131622. [PMID: 34303903 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131622] [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] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)-related products such as aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) has led to increasing contamination of groundwater systems. The concentration of PFASs in AFFF-impacted groundwater can be several orders of magnitude higher than the drinking water standard. There is a need for a sustainable and effective sorbent to remove PFASs from groundwater. This work aims to investigate the sorption of PFASs in groundwater by biochar column. The specific objectives are to understand the influences of PFASs properties and groundwater chemistry to PFASs sorption by biochar. The PFASs-spiked Milli-Q water (including 19 PFASs) and four aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF)-impacted groundwater were used. The partitioning coefficients (log Kd) of long chain PFASs ranged from 0.77 to 4.63 while for short chain PFASs they remained below 0.68. For long chain PFASs (C ≥ 7), log Kd increased by 0.5 and 0.8 for each CF2 moiety of PFCAs and PFSAs, respectively. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was the most influential factor in PFASs sorption over pH, salinity, and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA). DOM contained hydrophobic compounds and metal ions which can form DOM-PFASs complexes to provide more sorption sites for PFASs. The finding is useful for executing PFASs remediation by biochar filtration column, especially legacy long chain PFASs, for groundwater remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang Nhat Phong Vo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Thi Minh Hong Nguyen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Wenshan Guo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Pradeep Shukla
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
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35
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Hajeb P, Zhu L, Bossi R, Vorkamp K. Sample preparation techniques for suspect and non-target screening of emerging contaminants. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132306. [PMID: 34826946 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The progress in sensitivity and resolution in mass spectrometers in recent years provides the possibility to detect a broad range of organic compounds in a single procedure. For this reason, suspect and non-target screening techniques are gaining attention since they enable the detection of hundreds of known and unknown emerging contaminants in various matrices of environmental, food and human sources. Sample preparation is a critical step before analysis as it can significantly affect selectivity, sensitivity and reproducibility. The lack of generic sample preparation protocols is obvious in this fast-growing analytical field, and most studies use those of traditional targeted analysis methods. Among them, solvent extraction and solid phase extraction (SPE) are widely used to extract emerging contaminants from solid and liquid sample types, respectively. Sequential solvent extraction and a combination of different SPE sorbents can cover a broad range of chemicals in the samples. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and adsorption chromatography, including acidification, are typically used to remove matrix components such as lipids from complex matrices, but usually at the expense of compound losses. Ideally, the purification of samples intended for non-target analysis should be selective of matrix interferences. Recent studies have suggested quality assurance/quality control measures for suspect and non-target screening, based on expansion and extrapolation of target compound lists, but method validations remain challenging in the absence of analytical standards and harmonized sample preparation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvaneh Hajeb
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Linyan Zhu
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Katrin Vorkamp
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark.
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36
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Hallberg I, Persson S, Olovsson M, Sirard MA, Damdimopoulou P, Rüegg J, Sjunnesson YCB. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure of bovine oocytes affects early embryonic development at human-relevant levels in an in vitro model. Toxicology 2021; 464:153028. [PMID: 34762985 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.153028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been added to Stockholm Convention for global phase out, but will continue to contribute to the chemical burden in humans for a long time to come due to extreme persistence in the environment. In the body, PFOS is transferred into to the ovarian follicular fluid that surrounds the maturing oocyte. In the present study, bovine cumulus oocyte complexes were exposed to PFOS during 22 h in vitro maturation. Concentrations of 2 ng g-1 (PFOS-02) representing average human exposure and 53 ng g-1 (PFOS-53) relevant to highly exposed groups were used. After exposure, developmental competence was recorded until day 8 after fertilisation. Blastocysts were fixed and either stained to evaluate blastomere number and lipid distribution using confocal microscopy or frozen and pooled for microarray-based gene expression and DNA methylation analyses. PFOS-53 delayed the first cleavage to two-cell stage and beyond at 44 h after fertilisation (p < .01). No reduction of proportion blastocysts were seen at day 8 in either of the groups, but PFOS-53 exposure resulted in delayed development into more advanced stages of blastocysts seen as both reduced developmental stage (p = .001) and reduced number of blastomeres (p = .04). Blastocysts showed an altered lipid distribution that was more pronounced after exposure to PFOS-53 (increased total lipid volume, p=.0003, lipid volume/cell p < .0001) than PFOS-02, where only decreased average lipid droplet size (p=.02) was observed. Gene expression analyses revealed pathways differently regulated in the PFOS-treated groups compared to the controls, which were related to cell death and survival through e.g., P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, which in turn activates tumour protein 53 (TP53). Transcriptomic changes were also associated with metabolic stress response, differentiation and proliferation, which could help to explain the phenotypic changes seen in the blastocysts. The gene expression changes were more pronounced after exposure to PFOS-53 compared to PFOS-02. DNA-methylation changes were associated with similar biological functions as the transcriptomic data, with the most significantly associated pathway being TP53. Collectively, these results reveal that brief PFOS exposure during oocyte maturation alters the early embryo development at concentrations relevant to humans. This study adds to the evidence that PFOS has the potential to affect female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Hallberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Reproduction, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Sara Persson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Reproduction, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Matts Olovsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marc-André Sirard
- Department of Animal Sciences, Laval University, QC G1V 0A6, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Program of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ylva C B Sjunnesson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Reproduction, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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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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Aro R, Carlsson P, Vogelsang C, Kärrman A, Yeung LW. Fluorine mass balance analysis of selected environmental samples from Norway. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 283:131200. [PMID: 34157625 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The presence of unidentified organofluorine compounds (UOF) has been investigated in recent publication, but their environmental occurrence is still poorly understood. Fluorine mass balance analysis was performed on environmental samples from lake Mjøsa and river Alna (surface water (n = 9), sediment (n = 5) and fish liver (n = 4)) and sewage samples from Oslo (n = 5), to reveal to the fraction of UOF. In samples that had extractable organofluorine (EOF) concentrations above the limit of detection (LoD), more than 70% of their EOF could not be accounted for by the 37 PFAS monitored in this study. The surface water samples from lake Mjøsa had EOF concentrations several times higher than what has been reported elsewhere in Nordic nations. The flux of EOF in river Alna and selected sewage pipes revealed that it was 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the flux of the measured PFAS. The elevated concentrations of EOF in all samples pose a potential health and environmental hazard, as their composition remains mostly unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Aro
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Carlsson
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens vei 14, NO-9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christian Vogelsang
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 24, 0234, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Kärrman
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Sweden
| | - Leo Wy Yeung
- Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Sweden.
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Li Y, Lu X, Yu N, Li A, Zhuang T, Du L, Tang S, Shi W, Yu H, Song M, Wei S. Exposure to legacy and novel perfluoroalkyl substance disturbs the metabolic homeostasis in pregnant women and fetuses: A metabolome-wide association study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106627. [PMID: 33991873 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exist extensively and several of these have been verified to be toxic. Prenatal exposure to PFASs has attracted much attention. Metabolome-wide association analyses can be used to explore the toxicity mechanisms of PFASs by identifying associated biomarkers. OBJECTIVES To evaluate associations between the metabolites in maternal and cord serum and internal exposure to several common PFASs. METHODS Paired maternal and cord serum samples were collected from 84 pregnant women who gave birth between 2015 and 2016. Seven legacy and two novel PFASs were measured. A nontarget metabolomic method and an iterative metabolite annotation based on metabolic pathways were applied to characterize the metabolic profiles. Linear regression adjusted with the false discovery rate and covariates was used to indicate the associations. RESULTS A total of 279 features in maternal serum and 338 features in cord serum were identified as metabolites associated with PFAS exposure. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were two PFASs associated with more metabolites, while the two novel chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acids (Cl-PFESAs) showed less relevance to the metabolome. With pathway enrichment analysis, we found that three fatty acid metabolisms and retinol metabolism were correlated with PFAS exposure in maternal blood, and that sterol metabolism showed the correlation in both maternal serum and cord serum. CONCLUSIONS We identified metabolites and pathways in pregnant women and fetuses associated with the exposure to several PFAS, indicating a promising application for metabolome-wide association studies. Additional research is needed to confirm causation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aijing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Taifeng Zhuang
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Letian Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Song Tang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Maoyong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Hallberg I, Plassmann M, Olovsson M, Holte J, Damdimopoulou P, Sjunnesson YCB, Benskin JP, Persson S. Suspect and non-target screening of ovarian follicular fluid and serum - identification of anthropogenic chemicals and investigation of their association to fertility. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1578-1588. [PMID: 34581388 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00211b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this work, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution (Orbitrap) mass spectrometry-based suspect and non-target screening was applied to follicular fluid (n = 161) and serum (n = 116) from women undergoing in vitro fertilization in order to identify substances that may be associated with decreased fertility. Detected features were prioritized for identification based on (i) hazard/exposure scores in a database of chemicals on the Swedish market and an in-house database on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); (ii) enrichment in follicular fluid relative to serum; and (iii) association with treatment outcomes. Non-target screening detected 20 644 features in follicular fluid and 13 740 in serum. Two hundred and sixty-two features accumulated in follicular fluid (follicular fluid: serum ratio >20) and another 252 features were associated with embryo quality. Standards were used to confirm the identities of 21 compounds, including 11 PFAS. 6-Hydroxyindole was associated with lower embryo quality and 4-aminophenol was associated with higher embryo quality. Overall, we show the complexity of follicular fluid and the applicability of suspect and non-target screening for discovering both anthropogenic and endogenous substances, which may play a role in fertility in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Hallberg
- Division of Reproduction, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Merle Plassmann
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matts Olovsson
- Department of Womeńs and Childreńs Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Holte
- Department of Womeńs and Childreńs Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
- Carl von Linnékliniken, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ylva C B Sjunnesson
- Division of Reproduction, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jonathan P Benskin
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Persson
- Division of Reproduction, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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41
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Aro R, Eriksson U, Kärrman A, Yeung LWY. Organofluorine Mass Balance Analysis of Whole Blood Samples in Relation to Gender and Age. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:13142-13151. [PMID: 34520171 PMCID: PMC8495894 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Studies have highlighted the increasing fraction of unidentified organofluorine (UOF) compounds in human blood, whose health effects are not known. In this study, 130 whole blood samples from the Swedish general population were analyzed for extractable organofluorine (EOF) and selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Organofluorine mass balance analysis revealed that 60% (0-99%) of the EOF in female samples could not be explained by the 63 monitored PFAS; in males, 41% (0-93%) of the EOF was of unidentified origin. Significant differences between both age groups and gender were seen, with the highest fraction of UOF in young females (70% UOF, aged 18-44), which is contrary to what has been reported in the literature for commonly monitored compounds (e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, PFOS). Increasing the number of monitored PFAS did not lead to a large decrease of the UOF fraction; the seven highest PFAS (C8-C11 PFCAs, C6-C8 PFSAs) accounted for 98% of sum 63 PFAS. The high fraction of UOF in human samples is of concern, as the chemical species of these organofluorine compounds remain unknown and thus their potential health risks cannot be assessed.
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42
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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: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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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McDonough CA, Ward C, Hu Q, Vance S, Higgins CP, DeWitt JC. Immunotoxicity of an Electrochemically Fluorinated Aqueous Film-Forming Foam. Toxicol Sci 2021; 178:104-114. [PMID: 32898269 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are complex per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-containing mixtures used extensively as fire suppressants. AFFF-impacted groundwater and surface water have contaminated drinking water with PFASs in many communities, raising concerns about health effects from drinking water exposures. As individual PFASs have been identified as immune hazards, the immunotoxicity of complex PFAS mixtures is also a concern. Adult female and male C57BL/6 mice were given a commercial AFFF formulation for 10 days via gavage; administered dose was based on combined content of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) measured in the formulation (0, 1.88, 3.75, 7.5, or 10 mg PFOS+PFOA/kg body weight). A PFOA positive control of 7.5 mg/kg body weight was also given. Compared with the 0 mg/kg group, the following changes were noted: Body weights of males exposed to 7.5 and 10 mg PFOS+PFOA/kg were reduced by 15%, on average; female body weights did not differ. Average relative liver weights were increased 50%-200% in males and 37.5%-193% in females and liver peroxisome proliferation was increased 2- to 12-fold in all doses of both sexes. Antigen-specific antibody production was suppressed, on average, by 13% in males and by 12.4% in females across all doses. Spleen cellularity and lymphocyte subpopulations did not differ by dose for either sex. Our data indicate that though this complex PFAS mixture contained fairly low PFOA content, it induced changes in C57BL/6 mice similar to changes induced by PFOA alone, likely due to the presence of PFOS and many other PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A McDonough
- Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401.,Department of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Chastity Ward
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834
| | - Qing Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834
| | - Samuel Vance
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401
| | - Jamie C DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834
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McDonough CA, Choyke S, Barton KE, Mass S, Starling AP, Adgate JL, Higgins CP. Unsaturated PFOS and Other PFASs in Human Serum and Drinking Water from an AFFF-Impacted Community. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:8139-8148. [PMID: 34029073 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how exposure to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)-impacted drinking water translates to bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is essential to assess health risks. To investigate spatial variability of PFAS exposure in communities near an AFFF source zone, blood serum was collected in 2018 from 220 adult residents of El Paso County (Colorado), as were raw water samples from several wells. C6 and C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) were predominant in serum and water. PFASs were most elevated in the water district nearest the source zone (median ∑PFSA of 618 ng/L in water and 33 ng/mL in serum). A novel PFAS, unsaturated perfluorooctane sulfonate, was detected in >80% of water and serum samples at low concentrations (≤1.9 ng/mL in serum). Drinking water wells nearest the source zone displayed increased prevalence of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide precursors not detected in serum. Serum-to-water ratios were the greatest for long-chain PFASs and were elevated in the least impacted water district. Additional serum samples collected from a subset of study participants in June 2019 showed that PFAS concentrations in serum declined after exposure ceased, although declines for perfluoropentane sulfonate were minimal. Our findings demonstrate that AFFF-impacted communities are exposed to complex, spatially variable mixtures of PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A McDonough
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Department of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Sarah Choyke
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Kelsey E Barton
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Sarah Mass
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Anne P Starling
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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Zheng G, Schreder E, Dempsey JC, Uding N, Chu V, Andres G, Sathyanarayana S, Salamova A. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Breast Milk: Concerning Trends for Current-Use PFAS. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:7510-7520. [PMID: 33982557 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This is the first study in the last 15 years to analyze per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in breast milk collected from mothers (n = 50) in the United States, and our findings indicate that both legacy and current-use PFAS now contaminate breast milk, exposing nursing infants. Breast milk was analyzed for 39 PFAS, including 9 short-chain and 30 long-chain compounds, and 16 of these PFAS were detected in 4-100% of the samples. The ∑PFAS concentration in breast milk ranged from 52.0 to 1850 pg/mL with a median concentration of 121 pg/mL. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were the most abundant PFAS in these samples (medians 30.4 and 13.9 pg/mL, respectively). Two short-chain PFAS, including perfluoro-n-hexanoic acid (PFHxA, C6) and perfluoro-n-heptanoic acid (PFHpA, C7), were detected in most of the samples with median concentrations of 9.69 and 6.10 pg/mL, respectively. Analysis of the available breast milk PFAS data from around the world over the period of 1996-2019 showed that while the levels of the phased-out PFOS and PFOA have been declining with halving times of 8.1 and 17 years, respectively, the detection frequencies of current-use short-chain PFAS have been increasing with a doubling time of 4.1 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guomao Zheng
- Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Erika Schreder
- Toxic-Free Future, Seattle, Washington 98103, United States
| | | | - Nancy Uding
- Toxic-Free Future, Seattle, Washington 98103, United States
| | - Valerie Chu
- Toxic-Free Future, Seattle, Washington 98103, United States
| | - Gabriel Andres
- Toxic-Free Future, Seattle, Washington 98103, United States
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington/Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 91807, United States
| | - Amina Salamova
- Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
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Fang Y, Ellis A, Choi YJ, Boyer TH, Higgins CP, Schaefer CE, Strathmann TJ. Removal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Using Ion-Exchange and Nonionic Resins. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:5001-5011. [PMID: 33749259 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite benefits to the firefighting industry, the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) into aquatic systems poses significant risks to human health and other organisms. While anion-exchange technologies have proven to be effective for removing perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) from water, their effectiveness for removing the diverse PFAS structures discovered in AFFF remains unknown. Here, we report on the adsorption of 75 PFASs, including 63 polyfluorinated substances, in a diluted AFFF mixture using 14 commercially available ion-exchange (IX)/nonionic resins and granular activated carbon (GAC). Results showed that anion-exchange resins (AERs) exhibited significant adsorption of PFASs compared to cation-exchange resins (CERs), nonionic resins (NIRs), and GAC regardless of the PFAS's predicted charge. Isotherm data showed that macroporous AERs have a higher PFAS adsorption capacity compared to gel-type AERs. Cross-correlation comparison of PFAS/Cl- selectivity coefficients (Kex) for each PFAS-AER combination showed that the hydrophobicity of the AER functional group, and polymer matrix played a dominant role in determining resin affinity for PFASs. PFAS structural characteristics also significantly affected adsorption, with increasing chain length and a net negative charge increasing the extent of adsorption. Results from this study provide guidelines for the selection of resins to adsorb a wider range of PFASs and meaningful insights for the development of quantitative models for IX treatment of AFFF-impacted water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yida Fang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Anderson Ellis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Youn Jeong Choi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Treavor H Boyer
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | | | - Timothy J Strathmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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Heuckeroth S, Nxumalo TN, Raab A, Feldmann J. Fluorine-Specific Detection Using ICP-MS Helps to Identify PFAS Degradation Products in Nontargeted Analysis. Anal Chem 2021; 93:6335-6341. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Heuckeroth
- TESLA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Tengetile N. Nxumalo
- TESLA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Raab
- TESLA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, United Kingdom
- TESLA-Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Joerg Feldmann
- TESLA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, United Kingdom
- TESLA-Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare association of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) profile among firefighters (FF) at airport to suburban FF. METHODS Cross-sectional exploratory study, 47 men FF aged 18 to 62 years were enrolled from two fire departments in Ohio. Association between MetS outcome and log transformed serum concentrations of four PFASs was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS PFASs serum concentrations were 18% to 74% higher in FF than the general population, and 21% to 62% higher in airport FF than suburban FF. Compared with US general population, an elevated risk of hypertension was noted in FF, but no significant association between PFASs and MetS was found. CONCLUSIONS Current serum PFASs in FF are not associated with MetS risk.
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Tarapore P, Ouyang B. Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals and Male Reproductive Health: Do PFOA and PFOS Increase Risk for Male Infertility? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18073794. [PMID: 33916482 PMCID: PMC8038605 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manmade synthetic chemicals which have been in existence for over 70 years. Though they are currently being phased out, their persistence in the environment is widespread. There is increasing evidence linking PFAS exposure to health effects, an issue of concern since PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) bioaccumulate in humans, with a half-life of years. Many epidemiological studies suggest that, worldwide, semen quality has decreased over the past several decades. One of the most worrying effects of PFOS and PFOA is their associations with lower testosterone levels, similar to clinical observations in infertile men. This review thus focuses on PFOS/PFOA-associated effects on male reproductive health. The sources of PFAS in drinking water are listed. The current epidemiological studies linking increased exposure to PFAS with lowered testosterone and semen quality, and evidence from rodent studies supporting their function as endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system, exhibiting non-monotonic dose responses, are noted. Finally, their mechanisms of action and possible toxic effects on the Leydig, Sertoli, and germ cells are discussed. Future research efforts must consider utilizing better human model systems for exposure, using more accurate PFAS exposure susceptibility windows, and improvements in statistical modeling of data to account for the endocrine disruptor properties of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pheruza Tarapore
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Center of Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Cincinnati Cancer Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +1-513-558-5148
| | - Bin Ouyang
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Center of Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Li W, Hu Y, Bischel HN. In-Vitro and In-Silico Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Binding to Human Serum Albumin. TOXICS 2021; 9:63. [PMID: 33803062 PMCID: PMC8002870 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9030063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Drinking water contaminated by fluorosurfactant-based aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) is a source of human exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, assessment of bioaccumulation potentials of diverse PFAS in commercial products such as AFFF have been insufficient and challenging, especially due to a lack of analytical standards. Here we explore the value of suspect screening, equilibrium dialysis, and molecular-docking simulations to identify potentially bioaccumulative PFAS. We exposed human serum albumin (HSA) protein to dilutions of a legacy AFFF produced by 3M in 1999 using equilibrium dialysis and screened in-vitro protein-binding affinities using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Through suspect screening, we identified 32 PFAS and 18 hydrocarbon surfactants in the AFFF that bound to HSA. Quantification of noncovalent association constants for 26 PFAS standards confirmed that many PFAS, including the short-chain perfluoropropane sulfonic acid (log Ka= 4.1 ± 0.2 M-1), exhibit strong binding affinities with HSA. At least five PFAS in AFFF (including three PFAS with less than five perfluorocarbons) remained bound to the precipitated HSA pellet after extensive solvent washing-an indication of high PFAS binding potential. Three PFAS (PFBS, PFOS, and PFOA) were confirmed in the protein pellet with analytical standards and quantified after acid digestion-this sample fraction accounted for 5 to 20% of each compound mass in the sample. We calculated pseudo-bioconcentration factors (BCFpseudo) for PFAS that suspect screening flagged as noncovalently bound or potentially covalently bound. Most PFAS exhibiting high BCFpseudo, especially those with seven perfluorocarbons, contained a carboxylic acid or a sulfonic acid. Finally, we used molecular docking to simulate HSA binding affinities for 62 ligands (26 PFAS targets, 18 PFAS qualified in AFFF, and 18 hydrocarbon surfactants qualified in AFFF). We found that molecular docking can effectively separate HSA-binding and -nonbinding compounds in AFFF. In-vitro and in-silico approaches described in this study provide replicable, high-throughput workflows for assessing bioaccumulation potentials of diverse PFAS in commercial products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heather N. Bischel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (W.L.); (Y.H.)
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