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Chen YJ, Messerlian C, Lu Q, Mustieles V, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Wang L, Lu WQ, Liu C, Wang YX. Urinary haloacetic acid concentrations in relation to sex and thyroid hormones among reproductive-aged men. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 189:108785. [PMID: 38823155 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Sex and thyroid hormones are critical for male reproductive health. However, the associations between haloacetic acid (HAA) exposure - a known endocrine disruptor - and sex and thyroid hormones in humans remains unclear. We thus recruited 502 male participants seeking fertility evaluation from a reproductive center. We measured concentrations of sex and thyroid hormones in a single blood sample and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) in repeated urine samples. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the associations between HAA concentrations and hormone measurements. After adjusting for potential confounders and urinary creatinine concentrations, urinary concentrations of TCAA were inversely associated with serum levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone (T), T/luteinizing hormone ratio (T/LH), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (all P for trend < 0.10). Compared with participants in the lowest quartile of TCAA concentrations, those in the highest quartile had reduced serum levels of SHGB by 14.2 % (95% CI: -26.7, -3.0 %), T by 11.1 % (95% CI: -21.7, -1.3 %), T/LH by 21.0 % (95% CI: -36.7, -7.1 %), and TSH by 19.1 % (95% CI: -39.7, -1.5 %). Additionally, we observed inverse associations between continuous measurements of urinary HAAs and serum levels of free T, bioactive T, and estradiol. Our findings suggest that male HAA exposure may be associated with disrupted sex and thyroid function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jun Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Carmen Messerlian
- Departments of Environmental Health and of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Qi Lu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Vicente Mustieles
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs GRANADA, 18012, Granada, Spain; Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18010, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yu Zhang
- Departments of Environmental Health and of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Yang Sun
- Departments of Environmental Health and of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery & Center of Sleep Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States
| | - Wen-Qing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chong Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi-Xin Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Fujii Y, Kato Y, Miyatake M, Akeda S, Nagata S, Ando J, Kido K, Ohta C, Koga N, Harada KH, Haraguchi K. Levels and spatial profile of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in edible shrimp products from Japan and neighboring countries; a potential source of dietary exposure to humans. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 189:108685. [PMID: 38823154 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is of great concern for human health because of their persistence and potentially adverse effects. Dietary intake, particularly through aquatic products, is a significant route of human exposure to PFAS. We analyzed perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid (PFSA with carbon numbers from 6 to 8 and 10 (C6-C8, C10)) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (FOSA), and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA with carbon numbers from 6 to 15 (C6-C15)) in 30 retail packs of edible shrimps, which included seven species from eight coastal areas of Japan and neighboring countries. The most prevalent compounds were perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, C8) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA, C11), accounting for 46 % of total PFAS. The concentrations ranged from 6.5 to 44 ng/g dry weight (dw) (equivalent to 1.5 to 10 ng/g wet weight (ww)) and varied according to species and location. For example, Alaskan pink shrimp (Pandalus eous) from the Hokuriku coast, Japan contained high levels of long-chain PFCAs (38 ng/g dw (equivalent to 8.7 ng/g ww)), while red rice prawn (Metapenaeopsis barbata) from Yamaguchi, Japan contained a high concentration of PFOS (29 ng/g dw (equivalent to 6.7 ng/g ww)). We also observed regional differences in the PFAS levels with higher concentrations of long-chain PFCAs in Japanese coastal waters than in the South China Sea. The PFAS profiles in shrimp were consistent with those in the diet and serum of Japanese consumers, suggesting that consumption of seafood such as shrimp may be an important source of exposure. The estimated daily intake of sum of all PFAS from shrimp from Japanese coastal water was 0.43 ng/kg body weight/day in average, which could reach the weekly tolerable values (4.4 ng/kg body weight /week) for the sum of the four PFSA set by the EFSA for heavy consumers. The high concentration of PFAS in shrimp warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Fujii
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan.
| | - Yoshihisa Kato
- Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 1314-1, Shido, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2193, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miyatake
- Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 1314-1, Shido, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2193, Japan
| | - Syunpei Akeda
- Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 1314-1, Shido, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2193, Japan
| | - Sigeru Nagata
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
| | - Junpei Ando
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
| | - Katsumi Kido
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
| | - Chiho Ohta
- Nakamura Gakuen University, 5-7-1 Befu, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0198, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Koga
- Nakamura Gakuen University, 5-7-1 Befu, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0198, Japan
| | - Kouji H Harada
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Yoshida Konoe, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Koichi Haraguchi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
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Lahne H, Gerstner D, Völkel W, Schober W, Aschenbrenner B, Herr C, Heinze S, Quartucci C. Human biomonitoring follow-up study on PFOA contamination and investigation of possible influencing factors on PFOA exposure in a German population originally exposed to emissions from a fluoropolymer production plant. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 259:114387. [PMID: 38703464 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114387] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the past, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was produced and applied as an emulsifier in a fluoropolymer production plant in the Altötting district, southern Bavaria (Germany). This chemical was released directly into the environment, resulting in the contamination of the local drinking water. During a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey in 2018, increased median PFOA blood serum levels, compared to a normally exposed control group with no known source of PFOA exposure from Munich, Germany, were detected in the resident population (23.18 μg/l in the general population, 20.71 μg/l in the children's group). The follow-up study aimed to investigate whether purification of the drinking water as the main PFOA exposure source has been successful in reducing internal PFOA exposure and to estimate the association of internal PFOA exposure with possible influencing factors. METHODS Only individuals who had already participated in the HBM study in 2018 were included. For the determination of the PFOA serum concentration, 5 ml of blood was drawn from each participating person. Blood samples were collected in the period from June to August 2022. Furthermore, information on sociodemographic characteristics, health status, dietary behaviour and other lifestyle factors were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. To examine the association of PFOA blood serum levels with possible influencing factors, such as age, gender and consumption of fish and game meat, a logistic regression model with a PFOA value > 10 μg/l as outcome was used. RESULTS A total of 764 individuals participated in the follow-up study in 2022. Analyses were performed separately for the general population (n = 559), women of reproductive age (15-49 years old) (n = 120), and children under 12 years old (n = 30). Median PFOA blood levels have decreased by 56.9% in the general population, by 59.8% in the group of women of reproductive age and by 73.4% in the group of children under 12 years old. In the general population, a higher probability of a PFOA value > 10 μg/l was found for those aged 40-59 years (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.33 (95%CI: 1.23 to 4.43, p = 0.01) and those aged 60 years and older (OR = 5.32, 95%CI: 2.78 to 10.19, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In all study groups, the median PFOA serum levels decreased as expected after a half-life of four years, which confirms that contamination via drinking water has ceased. Furthermore, our study identified age as a significant predictor of internal PFOA exposure, while no influence was found for the consumption of fish and game meat. Further investigations are needed to quantify in a more detailed way the influence of dietary habits on PFOA exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Lahne
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany.
| | - Doris Gerstner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Völkel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schober
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Aschenbrenner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Herr
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heinze
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Quartucci
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
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Olivieri A, Saugo M, Ioverno E, Bertola F, Pasinato A, Ducatman A. Comment on "Determinants of PFOA Serum Half-Life after End of Exposure: A Longitudinal Study on Highly Exposed Subjects in the Veneto Region". ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:68001. [PMID: 38875023 DOI: 10.1289/ehp15099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario Saugo
- College of Physicians of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Alan Ducatman
- Professor Emeritus, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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Pintus FJ. Valuing drinking water quality after a PFAS contamination event: Results from a meta-analysis benefit transfer. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 360:121143. [PMID: 38772240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Drawing upon an extensive body of valuation literature focused on water quality, this paper performs a meta-analysis benefit transfer exercise aimed at quantifying willingness to pay (WTP) for an enhancement in drinking water quality for households that have been directly exposed to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) over recent decades in Italy. The analysis compiles metadata of 72 WTP estimates extracted from 40 previous valuation studies conducted in advanced economies. The benefit transfer is realized estimating a meta regression model (MRM) which includes both study design and socio-economic explanatory variables, according to the Weak Structural Utility Theoretic approach. To determine the most suitable MRM specification, a comparative evaluation of various model configurations is developed exploiting the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) selection criterion, and assessing their predictive performances in terms of transfer error and explanatory power. The mean transfer error (MTE) and the adjusted R-squared of the preferred MRM are in line with past published meta-analyses (0.665 and 0.607, respectively). The parameters estimated in the model align with both economic theory and intuition. The benefit transfer process results in an estimated annual WTP of € 250.80 per household for improved drinking water quality in the PFAS-affected area and an aggregated value of social benefits from PFAS decontamination of around € 12 million.
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6
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Hu M, Scott C. Toward the development of a molecular toolkit for the microbial remediation of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0015724. [PMID: 38477530 PMCID: PMC11022551 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00157-24] [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] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly fluorinated synthetic organic compounds that have been used extensively in various industries owing to their unique properties. The PFAS family encompasses diverse classes, with only a fraction being commercially relevant. These substances are found in the environment, including in water sources, soil, and wildlife, leading to human exposure and fueling concerns about potential human health impacts. Although PFAS degradation is challenging, biodegradation offers a promising, eco-friendly solution. Biodegradation has been effective for a variety of organic contaminants but is yet to be successful for PFAS due to a paucity of identified microbial species capable of transforming these compounds. Recent studies have investigated PFAS biotransformation and fluoride release; however, the number of specific microorganisms and enzymes with demonstrable activity with PFAS remains limited. This review discusses enzymes that could be used in PFAS metabolism, including haloacid dehalogenases, reductive dehalogenases, cytochromes P450, alkane and butane monooxygenases, peroxidases, laccases, desulfonases, and the mechanisms of microbial resistance to intracellular fluoride. Finally, we emphasize the potential of enzyme and microbial engineering to advance PFAS degradation strategies and provide insights for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Hu
- CSIRO Environment, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- CSIRO Environment, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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7
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Biggeri A, Stoppa G, Facciolo L, Fin G, Mancini S, Manno V, Minelli G, Zamagni F, Zamboni M, Catelan D, Bucchi L. All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018). Environ Health 2024; 23:42. [PMID: 38627679 PMCID: PMC11022451 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a large episode of surface, ground and drinking water contamination with PFAS was uncovered in three provinces of the Veneto Region (northern Italy) involving 30 municipalities and a population of about 150,000. We report on the temporal evolution of all-cause mortality and selected cause-specific mortality by calendar period and birth cohort in the local population between 1980 and 2018. METHODS The Italian National Institute of Health pre-processed and made available anonymous data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics death certificate archives for residents of the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona (males, n = 29,629; females, n = 29,518) who died between 1980 and 2018. Calendar period analysis was done by calculating standardised mortality ratios using the total population of the three provinces in the same calendar period as reference. The birth cohort analysis was performed using 20-84 years cumulative standardised mortality ratios. Exposure was defined as being resident in one of the 30 municipalities of the Red area, where the aqueduct supplying drinking water was fed by the contaminated groundwater. RESULTS During the 34 years between 1985 (assumed as beginning date of water contamination) and 2018 (last year of availability of cause-specific mortality data), in the resident population of the Red area we observed 51,621 deaths vs. 47,731 expected (age- and sex-SMR: 108; 90% CI: 107-109). We found evidence of raised mortality from cardiovascular disease (in particular, heart diseases and ischemic heart disease) and malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, an association of PFAS exposure with mortality from cardiovascular disease was formally demonstrated. The evidence regarding kidney cancer and testicular cancer is consistent with previously reported data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annibale Biggeri
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giorgia Stoppa
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | | | - Giuliano Fin
- Comitato mamme NO-PFAS, Vicenza, Padua, Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Mancini
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
| | - Valerio Manno
- Statistical Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Minelli
- Statistical Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Zamagni
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
| | | | - Dolores Catelan
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Lauro Bucchi
- Emilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino Amadori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy
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Adeogun AO, Chukwuka AV, Ibor OR, Asimakopoulos AG, Zhang J, Arukwe A. Occurrence, bioaccumulation and trophic dynamics of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in two tropical freshwater lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123575. [PMID: 38365077 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
We have investigated the occurrence, distribution, and biomagnification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in two tropical lakes (Asejire and Eleyele) of Southwestern Nigeria, with contrasting urban intensities. Over an 8-month period, we sampled sediment and fish species (Clarias gariepinus: CIG; Oreochromis niloticus: ON; Coptodon guineensis: CG; Sarotherodon melanotheron: SM) across trophic levels, and analyzed various PFAS congeners, in addition to a select group of toxicological responses. While herbivores (SM) and benthic omnivores (CIG) at Asejire exhibited elevated levels of PFBS and PFOS, the pelagic omnivores (ON) showed a dominance of PFOS, PFDA, PFHxDA and EtFOSE in the muscle. At the Eleyele urban lake, PFAS patterns was dominated by PFBS, EtFOSE, PFPeS, PFOcDA and PFOS in the herbivores (SM, CG), EtFOSE, PFOS and PFBS in the pelagic omnivore (ON) and benthic omnivore (ClG). The estimated biomagnification factor (BMF) analysis for both lakes indicated trophic level increase of PFOS, PFUnA and PFDA at the suburban lake, while PFOS and EtFOSE biomagnified at the urban lake. We detected the occurrence of diSAMPAP and 9CL-PF3ONS, novel compounds not commonly reported, in PFAS studies at both lakes. The studied toxicological responses varied across trophic groups in both lakes with probable modulations by environmental conditions, trophic structure, and relative PFAS exposures in the lakes. The present study documents, for the first time in Nigeria, or any other African country, the role of urbanization on contaminant load into the environment and their implications for contaminant dynamics within the ecosystem and for aquatic food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina O Adeogun
- Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Azubuike V Chukwuka
- National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria
| | - Oju R Ibor
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
| | | | - Junjie Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Augustine Arukwe
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
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9
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Mokra K, Kaczmarska I, Bukowska B. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its selected analogs induce various cell death types in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 354:141664. [PMID: 38485001 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The perfluoalkyl substance (PFASs) perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been widely used in industry. However, PFOS is a persistent organic pollutant and has been gradually replaced by its short-chain analogs, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS). PFASs are extremely persistent and are very frequently detected among the general population. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of selected PFASs on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the mechanisms of their action. PBMCs were exposed to PFOS, PFBS and PFHxS at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 400 μM for 24 h, they were then tested for viability, apoptosis (changes in cytosolic calcium ions level and caspase-3, -8 and -9 activation), ferroptosis (changes in chelatable iron ions level and lipid peroxidation), and autophagy (LC3-II and Raptor level assay). PFOS exposure decreased cell viability, increased calcium ion level and caspase-8 activation; it also enhanced lipid peroxidation and increased the intracellular pool of chelatable iron ions as well as LC3-II protein content. In contrast, short-chain PFBS and PFHxS induced significant changes in the markers of apoptosis but had no substantial impact on ferroptosis or autophagy markers over a wide range of concentrations. Our results indicate that only PFOS demonstrated pro-ferroptotic and pro-autophagic potential but observed changes occurred at relatively high exposure. A short-chain substitute (PFBS) exhibited strong pro-apoptotic potential at concentrations related to occupational exposure. While the short-chain PFASs strongly affected the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, apoptosis itself was only induced by PFBS via the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. It seems that the length of the carbon chain in PFASs appears to determine the cell death mechanisms activated in human PBMCs following exposure. Our findings provide a new insight into the immune toxicity mechanism induced by these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Mokra
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Biophysics of Environmental Pollution, 141/143 Pomorska St., 90-236, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Izabela Kaczmarska
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Biophysics of Environmental Pollution, 141/143 Pomorska St., 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| | - Bożena Bukowska
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Biophysics of Environmental Pollution, 141/143 Pomorska St., 90-236, Lodz, Poland
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10
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Saugo M, Ioverno E, Olivieri A, Bertola F, Pasinato A, Ducatman A. PFOA and testis cancer in the Veneto Region (Italy). Environ Health 2024; 23:33. [PMID: 38549149 PMCID: PMC10976799 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01064-4] [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: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The largest documented episode of human contamination by PFOA in the world (approximately 150,000 actual residents on 1 January 2020) has occurred in Italy's Veneto Region. In this large, mostly flat plain area, a cluster of testicular cancers has also been observed. Preliminary data are reported, and the most relevant and recent recommendations regarding the health surveillance of exposed individuals are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Saugo
- College of Physicians of the Province of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy.
| | - Enrico Ioverno
- College of Physicians of the Province of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Armando Olivieri
- College of Physicians of the Province of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
| | | | - Angela Pasinato
- College of Physicians of the Province of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
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11
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Møller JJ, Lyngberg AC, Hammer PEC, Flachs EM, Mortensen OS, Jensen TK, Jürgens G, Andersson A, Soja AMB, Lindhardt M. Substantial decrease of PFAS with anion exchange resin treatment - A clinical cross-over trial. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108497. [PMID: 38367552 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are heat and stain resisting chemicals. They are persistent, bioaccumulating and spread ubiquitously. Many hotspots where humans are exposed to high levels of PFAS have been reported. A few small observational studies in humans suggest that treatment with an Anion Exchange Resin (AER) decreases serum PFAS. This first clinical controlled crossover study aimed to assess whether AER decreases perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in highly exposed adults. METHODS An open label 1:1 randomized treatment sequence crossover study with allocation to oral AER (cholestyramine 4 g three times daily) or observation for 12 weeks was conducted among citizens from a PFAS hotspot. Main inclusion criteria was serum PFOS > 21 ng/mL. Primary endpoint was change in serum PFOS levels between treatment and observational period. RESULTS In total, 45 participants were included with a mean age of 50 years (SD 13). Serum PFOS baseline median was 191 ng/mL (IQR: 129-229) and decreased with a mean of 115 ng/mL (95 % CI: 89-140) on treatment, and 4.3 ng/mL in observation period corresponding to a decrease of 60 % (95 % CI: 53-67; p < 0.0001). PFHxS, PFOA, PFNA and PFDA decreased during treatment between 15 and 44 %. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS Oral treatment with AER significantly lowered serum PFOS concentrations suggesting a possible treatment for enhancing elimination of PFOS in highly exposed adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janne Julie Møller
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, University Hospital of Holbaek, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Ole Steen Mortensen
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, University Hospital of Holbaek, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Public Health, Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Gesche Jürgens
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Axel Andersson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anne Merete Boas Soja
- Department of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital - Holbaek, Holbaek, Denmark; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Lindhardt
- Department of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital - Holbaek, Holbaek, Denmark; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Rosato I, Bonato T, Fletcher T, Batzella E, Canova C. Estimation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) half-lives in human studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 242:117743. [PMID: 38008199 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a heterogeneous group of synthetic compounds widely used in industrial applications. The estimation of PFAS half-life (t1/2) is essential to quantify their persistence, their toxicity and mechanism of action in humans. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence on PFAS half-lives in humans from the available literature, and to investigate the limitations and uncertainties characterizing half-life estimation. METHODS The search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases up to July 03, 2023 and was aimed at identifying all papers that estimated PFAS half-life in human populations. We excluded studies on temporal trends or providing estimates of half-life based solely on renal clearance. As persistent and ongoing exposures can influence half-life estimation, we decided to include only studies that were conducted after the main source of exposure to PFAS had ceased. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on studies that reported perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) or perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) half-life estimation. Risk of bias was evaluated using the OHAT tool. RESULTS A total of 13 articles were included in the review, with 5 studies conducted in exposed general populations and 8 studies conducted in exposed workers; the estimated mean half-life ranged from 1.48 to 5.1 years for PFOA, from 3.4 to 5.7 years for total PFOS, and from 2.84 to 8.5 years for PFHxS. High heterogeneity among studies was observed; potential reasons include the variability among the investigated populations, discrepancies in considering ongoing exposures, variability in PFAS isomeric compositions, accounting for background exposure, time since exposure stopped and methods used for half-life estimation. DISCUSSION Despite the efforts made to better understand PFAS toxicokinetics, further studies are needed to identify important characteristics of these persistent chemicals. Biomonitoring studies should focus on persistent and unaccounted sources of exposure to PFAS and on individual characteristics potentially determining half-life, to ensure accurate estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Rosato
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy
| | - Tiziano Bonato
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy.
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Batzella E, Rosato I, Pitter G, Da Re F, Russo F, Canova C, Fletcher T. Determinants of PFOA Serum Half-Life after End of Exposure: A Longitudinal Study on Highly Exposed Subjects in the Veneto Region. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:27002. [PMID: 38306197 PMCID: PMC10836585 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, ubiquitous, and highly persistent man-made chemicals. Groundwater of a vast area of the Veneto Region (northeastern Italy) was found to be contaminated by PFAS from a manufacturing plant active since the late 1960s. As a result, residents were overexposed to PFAS through drinking water until 2013, mainly to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to estimate the rates of decline in serum PFOA and their corresponding serum half-lives, while characterizing their determinants. METHODS We investigated 5,860 subjects more than 14 years of age who enrolled in the second surveillance round of the regional health surveillance program. Two blood samples were collected between 2017 and 2022 (average time between measurements: 4 years). Serum PFOA excretion rates and half-lives were estimated based on linear mixed effect models, modeling subject-specific serum PFOA concentrations over time and correcting for background concentrations. For modeling determinants of half-life [age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking-habit, alcohol consumption, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)], we added interaction terms between each covariate and the elapsed time between measurements. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) apparent half-lives were also estimated. A separate analysis was conducted in children (n = 480 ). All analyses were stratified by sex. RESULTS Median initial serum concentrations of PFOA was 49 ng / mL (range: 0.5-1,090), with a median reduction of 62.45%. The mean estimated PFOA half-life was 2.36 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.33, 2.40], shorter in women (2.04; 95% CI: 2.00, 2.08) compared to men (2.83; 95% CI: 2.78, 2.89). Half-lives varied when stratified by some contributing factors, with faster excretion rates in nonsmokers and nonalcohol drinkers (especially in males). CONCLUSIONS This study, to our knowledge the largest on PFOA half-life, provides precise estimates in young adults whose exposure via drinking water has largely ceased. For other PFAS, longer half-lives than reported in other studies can be explained by some ongoing exposure to PFAS via other routes. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13152.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Isabella Rosato
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Gisella Pitter
- Screening Unit, Azienda Zero-Veneto Region, Padova, Italy
| | - Filippo Da Re
- Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Partington JM, Marchiandi J, Szabo D, Gooley A, Kouremenos K, Smith F, Clarke BO. Validating blood microsampling for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances quantification in whole blood. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1713:464522. [PMID: 38041975 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464522] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Microsampling allows the collection of blood samples using a method which is inexpensive, simple and minimally-invasive, without the need for specially-trained medical staff. Analysis of whole blood provides a more holistic understanding of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) body burden. Capillary action microsamplers (Trajan hemaPEN®) allow the controlled collection of whole blood as dried blood spots (DBS) (four 2.74 µL ± 5 %). The quantification of 75 PFAS from DBS was evaluated by comparing five common extraction techniques. Spiked blood (5 ng/mL PFAS) was extracted by protein precipitation (centrifuged; filtered), acid-base liquid-liquid extraction, trypsin protease digestion, and weak anion exchange (WAX) solid-phase extraction with analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Filtered protein precipitation was the most effective extraction method, recovering 72 of the 75 PFAS within 70 to 130 % with method reporting limit (MRL) for PFOS of 0.17 ng/L and ranging between 0.05 ng/mL and 0.34 ng/mL for all other PFAS. The optimised method was applied to human blood samples to examine Inter- (n = 7) and intra-day (n = 5) PFAS blood levels in one individual. Sixteen PFAS were detected with an overall Σ16PFAS mean = 6.3 (range = 5.7-7.0) ng/mL and perfluorooctane sulfonate (branched and linear isomers, ΣPFOS) = 3.3 (2.8-3.7) ng/mL being the dominant PFAS present. To the authors knowledge, this minimally invasive self-sampling protocol is the most extensive method for PFAS in blood reported and could be a useful tool for large scale human biomonitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Partington
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Trajan Scientific and Medical, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia
| | - Jaye Marchiandi
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Drew Szabo
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE11418, Sweden
| | - Andrew Gooley
- Trajan Scientific and Medical, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia
| | | | - Fraser Smith
- Trajan Scientific and Medical, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia
| | - Bradley O Clarke
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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15
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Rickard BP, Overchuk M, Tulino J, Tan X, Ligler FS, Bae-Jump VL, Fenton SE, Rizvi I. Exposure to select PFAS and PFAS mixtures alters response to platinum-based chemotherapy in endometrial cancer cell lines. Environ Health 2023; 22:87. [PMID: 38098045 PMCID: PMC10720226 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01034-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with significant alterations in female reproductive health. These include changes in menstrual cyclicity, timing of menarche and menopause, and fertility outcomes, as well as increased risk of endometriosis, all of which may contribute to an increased risk of endometrial cancer. The effect of PFAS on endometrial cancer cells, specifically altered treatment response and biology, however, remains poorly studied. Like other gynecologic malignancies, a key contributor to lethality in endometrial cancer is resistance to chemotherapeutics, specifically to platinum-based agents that are used as the standard of care for patients with advanced-stage and/or recurrent disease. OBJECTIVES To explore the effect of environmental exposures, specifically PFAS, on platinum-based chemotherapy response and mitochondrial function in endometrial cancer. METHODS HEC-1 and Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells were exposed to sub-cytotoxic nanomolar and micromolar concentrations of PFAS/PFAS mixtures and were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Survival fraction was measured 48-h post-chemotherapy treatment. Mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated in both cell lines following exposure to PFAS ± chemotherapy treatment. RESULTS HEC-1 and Ishikawa cells displayed differing outcomes after PFAS exposure and chemotherapy treatment. Cells exposed to PFAS appeared to be less sensitive to carboplatin, with instances of increased survival fraction, indicative of platinum resistance, observed in HEC-1 cells. In Ishikawa cells treated with cisplatin, PFAS mixture exposure significantly decreased survival fraction. In both cell lines, increases in mitochondrial membrane potential were observed post-PFAS exposure ± chemotherapy treatment. DISCUSSION Exposure of endometrial cancer cell lines to PFAS/PFAS mixtures had varying effects on response to platinum-based chemotherapies. Increased survival fraction post-PFAS + carboplatin treatment suggests platinum resistance, while decreased survival fraction post-PFAS mixture + cisplatin exposure suggests enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Regardless of chemotherapy sensitivity status, mitochondrial membrane potential findings suggest that PFAS exposure may affect endometrial cancer cell mitochondrial functioning and should be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany P Rickard
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Marta Overchuk
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Engineering Building III, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Justin Tulino
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Engineering Building III, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Xianming Tan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Frances S Ligler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 101 Bizzell Street, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Victoria L Bae-Jump
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Suzanne E Fenton
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Imran Rizvi
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Engineering Building III, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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16
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Cuffney M, Wilkie AA, Kotlarz N, Knappe D, Lea CS, Collier DN, DeWitt J, Hoppin JA. Factors associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) serum concentrations in residents of New Hanover County, North Carolina: The GenX exposure study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:117020. [PMID: 37673120 PMCID: PMC10591865 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117020] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
In 2017, people living in New Hanover County, North Carolina, learned that for ∼40 years they were unknowingly exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through drinking water sourced by the Cape Fear River. Using data from the GenX Exposure Study, which measured serum PFAS levels in county residents, we aimed to understand questionnaire-measured factors associated with serum PFAS levels. Because most residents were served by the same municipal water source, we focused on surrogate factors of drinking water exposure that may contribute to variability in PFAS levels. Our analysis included 335 participants aged 6 and older. We included seven chemicals detected in ≥75% of the study population: four well-studied perfluoroalkyl acids (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS) and three understudied fluoroethers (Nafion byproduct 2, PFO4DA, PFO5DoA). For each PFAS, we evaluated associations of variables with serum PFAS levels adjusting for key demographic characteristics. Additionally, we developed predictive models for each PFAS. We used years of residence in the lower Cape Fear Region as a surrogate for water consumption. Duration of drinking water exposure was associated with higher serum levels of all seven PFAS. Drinking municipal water treated by home filters or other sources of water (non-city) were associated with lower PFAS concentrations for all seven PFAS compared to drinking municipal water without additional filtration. Males had higher levels of well-studied PFAS, but there was no difference for fluoroethers. For six PFAS, the predictive models explained ≥30% of the variance in serum PFAS levels. While some factors were significantly associated with levels of individual PFAS, their relative importance to overall prediction was low, such as microwave popcorn consumption. Consistently, water consumption-related variables were important for both the association and predictive investigations. These analyses provide additional evidence that drinking water is a primary source for serum PFAS concentrations among New Hanover County residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Cuffney
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - Adrien A Wilkie
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - Nadine Kotlarz
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, United States; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - Detlef Knappe
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States; Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, United States; Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - C Suzanne Lea
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States; Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, United States; Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - David N Collier
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States; Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, United States; Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - Jamie DeWitt
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States; Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, United States; Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, United States
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, United States; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, United States; Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, United States.
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Caroccia B, Caputo I, Rossi FB, Piazza M, Pallafacchina G, Paolo Rossi G. Endocrine disruptors and arterial hypertension: A developing story. Steroids 2023; 199:109292. [PMID: 37549779 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are substances that interfere with hormones by several mechanisms including receptor activation or antagonism, changes in gene and protein expression, modification of signal transduction, and/or epigenetic modifications in hormone-producing cells. A survey conducted by the European Union in a Northern Italian region led to the discovery of a large environmental contamination of drinking water by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). As the exposed population showed a high prevalence of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular disease, we decided to investigate if PFAS could enhance the biosynthesis of aldosterone. To this aim, we exposed human adrenocortical carcinoma HAC15 cells to PFAS and found that PFAS markedly increased aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) gene expression and aldosterone secretion. Moreover, we found that they promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in mitochondria, the organelles where aldosterone biosynthesis takes place. PFAS also enhanced the effects of the aldosterone secretagogue angiotensin II (Ang II) on CYP11B2 gene expression and aldosterone secretion. We also found that not only PFAS but also polychlorinated biphenyl 126 (PCB126), a chemical compound belonging to a different category of EDCs, can increase CYP11B2 gene expression and aldosterone secretion in adrenocortical cells. This novel information needs to be considered in the context of a widespread exposure to the most common EDC, that is excess Na+ intake, whose detrimental effects on human health occur in the setting of aldosterone production exceeding the physiological needs and lead to high blood pressure, congestion, and cardiovascular and renal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brasilina Caroccia
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED University of Padua, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Caputo
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED University of Padua, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Federico Bernardo Rossi
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED University of Padua, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Piazza
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED University of Padua, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Giorgia Pallafacchina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences-DSB, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; Italian National Research Council (CNR), Neuroscience Institute, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Gian Paolo Rossi
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED University of Padua, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, 35128 Padua, Italy.
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Tunioli F, Marforio TD, Favaretto L, Mantovani S, Pintus A, Bianchi A, Kovtun A, Agnes M, Palermo V, Calvaresi M, Navacchia ML, Melucci M. Chemical Tailoring of β-Cyclodextrin-Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Adsorption from Drinking Water. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202301854. [PMID: 37548167 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202301854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
We report on the synthesis of β-cyclodextrin (βCD) modified graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, having different sized alkyl linkers (GO-Cn -βCD) and their exploitation as sorbent of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. βCD were functionalized with a pending amino group, and the resulting precursors grafted to GO nanosheets by epoxide ring opening reaction. Loading of βCD units in the range 12 %-36 % was estimated by combined XPS and elemental analysis. Adsorption tests on perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), a particularly persistent PFAS selected as case study, revealed a strong influence of the alkyl linker length on the adsorption efficiency, with the hexyl linker derivative GO-C6 -βCD outperforming both pristine GO and granular activated carbon (GAC), the standard sorbent benchmark. Molecular dynamic simulations ascribed this evidence to the favorable orientation of the βCD unit on the surface of GO which enables a strong contaminant molecules retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tunioli
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Tainah D Marforio
- Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum -, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Laura Favaretto
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Mantovani
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Angela Pintus
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Antonio Bianchi
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Alessandro Kovtun
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Marco Agnes
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Palermo
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
- Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 41258, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Matteo Calvaresi
- Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician" Alma Mater Studiorum -, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Navacchia
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Manuela Melucci
- Institute for Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, BO, Italy
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19
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Nyström-Kandola J, Ahrens L, Glynn A, Johanson G, Benskin JP, Gyllenhammar I, Lignell S, Vogs C. Low concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in municipal drinking water associated with serum PFAA concentrations in Swedish adolescents. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 180:108166. [PMID: 37708812 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
While highly contaminated drinking water (DW) is a major source of exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), the contribution of low-level contaminated DW (i.e. < 10 ng/L of individual PFAAs) to PFAA body burdens has rarely been studied. To address this knowledge gap, we evaluated the association between concentrations of perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and their sum (∑4PFAAs) in DW and serum in Swedish adolescents using weighted least squares regression. We paired serum PFAA concentrations in adolescents (age 10-21 years, n = 790) from the dietary survey Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17 (RMA) with mean PFAA concentrations in water samples collected in 2018 from waterworks (n = 45) supplying DW to the participant residential and school addresses. The median concentrations of individual PFAAs in DW were < 1 ng/L. Median concentrations of PFNA and PFHxS in serum were < 1 ng/g, while those of PFOA and PFOS were 1-2 ng/g. Significant positive associations between PFAA concentrations in DW and serum were found for all four PFAAs and ∑4PFAAs, with estimated serum/DW concentration ratios ranging from 210 (PFOA) to 670 (PFHxS), taking exposure from sources other than DW (background) into consideration. The mean concentrations of PFHxS and ∑4PFAA in DW that would likely cause substantially elevated serum concentrations above background variation were estimated to 0.9 ng/L and 2.4 ng/L, respectively. The European Food Safety Authority has determined a health concern concentration of 6.9 ng ∑4PFAAs/mL serum. This level was to a large degree exceeded by RMA participants with DW ∑4PFAA concentrations above the maximum limits implemented in Denmark (2 ng ∑4PFAAs/L) and Sweden (4 ng ∑4PFAAs/L) than by RMA participants with DW concentrations below the maximum limits. In conclusion, PFAA exposure from low-level contaminated DW must be considered in risk assessment for adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nyström-Kandola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7050, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Glynn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Johanson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Unit of Integrative Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 210, SE 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonathan P Benskin
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irina Gyllenhammar
- Department of Risk and Benefit Assessment, Swedish Food Agency, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sanna Lignell
- Department of Risk and Benefit Assessment, Swedish Food Agency, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Vogs
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Dalla Zuanna T, Batzella E, Russo F, Pitter G, Canova C. Migrant status disparities in blood pressure: a multiple mediation analysis of modifiable factors. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2023; 13:547-556. [PMID: 37421555 PMCID: PMC10468480 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00136-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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We examined differences in blood pressure (BP) levels between first-generation immigrants and natives in adult residents in Northeast Italy, and investigated the role of lifestyle behaviors, body mass index (BMI), and education as potentially modifiable mediating factors. METHODS We included 20-69-year-old participants from the Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region (n = 37,710). Immigrants born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) were further grouped into geographical macro-areas. The outcomes were systolic BP (SBP) and hypertension. Multiple mediation analyses were performed to determine the contribution of each mediator of the SBP/migrant status association. RESULTS Of the 37,380 subjects included, 8.7% were born in an HMPC. BMI, education, alcohol, sweets and meat consumption were included as potential mediators. A small advantage in SBP was seen for immigrants compared to natives (β = - 0.71,95%CI - 1.30; - 0.10). The direct effect (net of the covariates) of immigrant status on SBP was a reduction of 1.62 mmHg (95%CI - 2.25; - 0.98). BMI played the highest suppressive role (β = 1.14,95%CI 0.99; 1.35), followed by education. Alcohol consumption amplified the health advantage of immigrants. The suppressing effect of BMI was particularly evident among women and North Africans compared to natives. Similar results were seen for hypertension rates. CONCLUSIONS Although causation cannot be proven given the cross-sectional design, our findings identify BMI as the most effective target to preserve the health advantage of immigrants with respect to BP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Dalla Zuanna
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Via Loredan 18, 35100, Padua, Italy
| | - Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Via Loredan 18, 35100, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | - Gisella Pitter
- Screening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero-Veneto Region, Padua, Italy
| | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Via Loredan 18, 35100, Padua, Italy.
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21
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Dunder L, Salihovic S, Elmståhl S, Lind PM, Lind L. Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and diabetes in two population-based cohort studies from Sweden. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:748-756. [PMID: 36964247 PMCID: PMC10541316 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00529-x] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been suggested to contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, evidence from epidemiological studies remain divergent. The aim of the present study was to evaluate associations between PFAS exposure and prevalent diabetes in a cross-sectional analysis and fasting glucose in a longitudinal analysis. METHODS In 2373 subjects aged 45-75 years from the EpiHealth study, three PFAS; perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were analyzed in plasma together with information on prevalent diabetes. Participants in the PIVUS study (n = 1016 at baseline, all aged 70 years) were followed over 10 years regarding changes in plasma levels of six PFAS; PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), and changes in plasma levels of fasting glucose. RESULTS In the EpiHealth study, no overall associations could be observed between the levels of PFOA, PFOS or PFHxS and prevalent diabetes. However, there was a significant sex-interaction for PFOA (p = 0.02), and an inverse association could be seen between PFOA (on a SD-scale) and prevalent diabetes in women only (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.96, p-value: 0.02). This association showed a non-monotonic dose-response curve. In the PIVUS study, inverse relationships could be observed between the changes in levels (ln-transformed) of PFOA and PFUnDA vs the change in fasting glucose levels (ln-transformed) over 10 years (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). As in EpiHealth, these inverse associations were significant only in women (PFOA: β: -0.03, p = 0.02, PFUnDA: β: -0.03, p = 0.03). IMPACT Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to unfavorable human health, including metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, results from in vivo, in vitro and epidemiological studies are incoherent. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate associations between PFAS and diabetes in a cross-sectional study and glucose levels in a longitudinal study. Results show inverse associations in women only. Results also display non-monotonic dose response curves (i.e., that only low levels of PFOA are related to higher probability of prevalent diabetes). This suggests that sex differences and complex molecular mechanisms may underlie the observed findings. A better understanding of the factors and molecular mechanisms contributing to such differences is recognized as an important direction for future research. CONCLUSIONS PFOA was found to be inversely related to both prevalent diabetes and changes in plasma glucose levels among women only. Thus, our findings suggest there are sex differences in the inverse relationship of PFOA and type 2 diabetes and glucose levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Dunder
- Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | | | - Sölve Elmståhl
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - P Monica Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Lind
- Department of Medical Sciences, Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Girardi P, Lupo A, Mastromatteo LY, Scrimin S. Behavioral outcomes and exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances among children aged 6-13 years: The TEDDY child study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116049. [PMID: 37207732 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some studies report that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy and early life stages of a child could adversely impact neurodevelopment, literature shows mixed evidence. OBJECTIVES Using an ecological framework for human development, we assessed the association of risk factors for environmental PFAS exposure and childhood PFAS concentrations with behavioral difficulties among school-age children exposed to PFAS from birth, while also controlling for the important influence of the parenting and familial environment. METHODS The study participants included 331 school-age children (6-13 years) born in a PFAS-contaminated area in the Veneto Region (Italy). We study the associations between environmental risk factors of maternal PFAS exposure (residential time, consumption of tap water, residence in Red zone A or B), and breastfeeding duration with parent assessments of children's behavioral problems (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ]), adjusting for socio-demographic, parenting and familial variables. The direct relationships between serum blood PFAS concentrations and SDQ scores was evaluated in a subset of children (n = 79), both with single PFAS and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regressions. RESULTS Poisson regression models reported positive associations between high consumption of tap water and externalizing SDQ scores (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.32) and total difficulty scores (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.26). Childhood perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were associated with higher internalizing SDQ scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06-2.25), externalizing scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFHxS IRR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.09-2.32), and total difficulty scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.71; PFHxS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09-1.90). The WQS regressions confirmed the associations reported by single-PFAS analyses. CONCLUSIONS We observed cross-sectional associations of tap water consumption and childhood PFOS, and PFHxS concentrations with greater behavioral difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Girardi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
| | - Alice Lupo
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
| | | | - Sara Scrimin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
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Frigerio G, Ferrari CM, Fustinoni S. Prenatal and childhood exposure to per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and its associations with childhood overweight and/or obesity: a systematic review with meta-analyses. Environ Health 2023; 22:56. [PMID: 37580798 PMCID: PMC10424367 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic pollutants and suspected endocrine disruptors. OBJECTIVE The aim of this work was to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to summarise the associations between prenatal or childhood exposure to PFASs and childhood overweight/obesity. METHODS The search was performed on the bibliographic databases PubMed and Embase with text strings containing terms related to prenatal, breastfeeding, childhood, overweight, obesity, and PFASs. Only papers describing a biomonitoring study in pregnant women or in children up to 18 years that assessed body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), or fat mass in children were included. When the estimates of the association between a PFAS and an outcome were reported from at least 3 studies, a meta-analysis was conducted; moreover, to correctly compare the studies, we developed a method to convert the different effect estimates and made them comparable each other. Meta-analyses were performed also stratifying by sex and age, and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS In total, 484 and 779 articles were retrieved from PubMed and Embase, respectively, resulting in a total of 826 articles after merging duplicates. The papers included in this systematic review were 49: 26 evaluating prenatal exposure to PFASs, 17 childhood exposure, and 6 both. Considering a qualitative evaluation, results were conflicting, with positive, negative, and null associations. 30 papers were included in meta-analyses (19 prenatal, 7 children, and 4 both). Positive associations were evidenced between prenatal PFNA and BMI, between PFOA and BMI in children who were more than 3 years, and between prenatal PFNA and WC. Negative associations were found between prenatal PFOS and BMI in children who were 3 or less years, and between PFHxS and risk of overweight. Relatively more consistent negative associations were evidenced between childhood exposure to three PFASs (PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA) and BMI, in particular PFOS in boys. However, heterogeneity among studies was high. CONCLUSION Even though heterogeneous across studies, the pooled evidence suggests possible associations, mostly positive, between prenatal exposure to some PFASs and childhood BMI/WC; and relatively stronger evidence for negative associations between childhood exposure to PFASs and childhood BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Frigerio
- Environmental Cheminformatics, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval | House of Biomedicine II, 6 Avenue du Swing, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Matilde Ferrari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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24
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Sonne C, Desforges JP, Gustavson K, Bossi R, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Long M, Rigét FF, Dietz R. Assessment of exposure to perfluorinated industrial substances and risk of immune suppression in Greenland and its global context: a mixed-methods study. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e570-e579. [PMID: 37437998 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00106-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous global contaminants that do not readily biodegrade and are therefore routinely found worldwide in wildlife, humans, and the environment. There is a paucity of global assessments to understand regional and continental differences in exposure to PFASs and the associated health risks, including those for Indigenous Arctic communities who consume high trophic marine diets. We aimed to estimate the long-term exposure of dietary PFASs from consumption of polar bear and ringed seal meat and establish its association with blood serum concentrations of PFASs in Inuit in Ittoqoortoormiit (Scoresby Sound), East Greenland. We also aimed to assess the risk of immune suppression on the basis of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) thresholds for weekly intake and blood serum concentrations of PFASs. Last, we conducted a worldwide risk assessment based on blood concentrations of PFASs emphasising Arctic exposure in a global context. METHODS In this mixed-methods study, we conducted interviews to compare dietary exposure of PFASs in anonymous, non-pregnant, Inuit adults (aged ≥18 years) from full-time or part-time hunter families in Ittoqoortoormiit, East Greenland with ESFA toxic threshold values for tolerable weekly intake of the four most immunotoxic PFASs (∑4PFAS; perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, and perfluorooctane sulfonate). Independent hospital staff from the local hospital randomly selected participants using simple randomisation using a telephone directory. Blood serum concentrations were then compared with EFSA risk categories: low (0·7-9·5 ng/mL), moderate (>9·5-17·5 ng/mL), high (>17·5-31·9 ng/mL), and severe (>31·9 ng/mL). We also reviewed the available scientific literature of ∑4PFAS concentrations in human blood to place the Inuit dataset in a broader global context. FINDINGS Between Sept 21, and Oct 2, 2015, 22 participants were enrolled in the study, of which 12 were male and ten were female. Sex data were obtained from personal social security numbers and options were male or female. As a result of a subsistence diet high in marine mammal muscle, 322 (92%) of 350 people in the Ittoqoortoormiit cohort exceeded the established immunotoxic thresholds of ∑4PFASs set by EFSA's tolerable weekly intake of 4·4 ng/kg, and 301 (86%) were in the most severe risk category (>31·9 ng/mL) based on blood serum concentrations. This Inuit cohort had the highest non-occupational long-term exposure to PFASs worldwide despite their remote location relative to industrial sources. Using country-wide average values across global studies, we found that blood serum concentrations of PFASs in populations from European countries, North America, the Arctic, and Australia were generally higher than those in South America, Africa, and mainland Asia, with the highest concentrations found in people from USA, Canada, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Spain, Poland, and Australia. These high exposure countries all fall within the EFSA moderate-risk and high-risk categories. INTERPRETATION PFAS contamination of the environment and human populations occurs worldwide. This pollution not only poses substantial risks for immune system adverse events but also cardiovascular, cancerous, and reproductive endpoints. Data on such PFAS exposure is scarce in numerous countries. Therefore, it is important to also map out the exposure in these countries to enable a thorough global assessment of exposure and risks. FUNDING Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark; Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Department of Environmental Studies and Science, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Kim Gustavson
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Eva C Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Greenland Centre for Health Research, Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Manhai Long
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
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25
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Zhuchen HY, Wang JY, Liu XS, Shi YW. Research Progress on Neurodevelopmental Toxicity in Offspring after Indirect Exposure to PFASs in Early Life. TOXICS 2023; 11:571. [PMID: 37505537 PMCID: PMC10386615 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widespread environmental pollutants. There is increasing evidence that PFASs have various adverse health effects, including renal toxicity, metabolic dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and developmental toxicity. PFASs have been found to accumulate in the placenta, and some PFASs can cross the placental barrier and subsequently accumulate in the fetus via the maternal-fetal circulation. An increasing number of studies have shown that early life exposure to PFASs can affect fetal neurodevelopment. This paper reviews the characteristics of indirect exposure to PFASs in early life, the effects on neurodevelopment in offspring, and the possible mechanisms of toxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huai-Yu Zhuchen
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jie-Yu Wang
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Shan Liu
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Yan-Wei Shi
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou 510000, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
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26
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Davidson LM, Boland MR. Investigating Three Classification Methods for Per/Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Exposure from Electronic Health Records And Potential for Bias. AMIA JOINT SUMMITS ON TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE PROCEEDINGS. AMIA JOINT SUMMITS ON TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 2023:52-61. [PMID: 37350909 PMCID: PMC10283112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manmade compounds with known human toxicity and evidence of contamination in drinking water throughout the US. We augmented our electronic health record data with geospatial information to classify PFAS exposure for our patients living in New Jersey. We explored the utility of three different methods for classifying PFAS exposure that are popularly used in the literature, resulting in different boundary types: public water supplier service area boundary, municipality, and ZIP code. We also explored the intersection of the three boundaries. To study the potential for bias, we investigated known PFAS exposure-disease associations, specifically hypertension, thyroid disease and parathyroid disease. We found that both the significance of the associations and the effect size varied by the method for classifying PFAS exposure. This has important implications in knowledge discovery and also environmental justice as across cohorts, we found a larger proportion of Black/African-American patients PFAS-exposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena M Davidson
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Mary Regina Boland
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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27
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Sonne C, Jenssen BM, Rinklebe J, Lam SS, Hansen M, Bossi R, Gustavson K, Dietz R. EU need to protect its environment from toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162770. [PMID: 36906028 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agencies (EPAs) of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands submitted a proposal to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) in February 2023 calling for a ban in the use of toxic industrial chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are highly toxic causing elevated cholesterol, immune suppression, reproductive failure, cancer and neuro-endocrine disruption in humans and wildlife being a significant threat to biodiversity and human health. The main reason for the submitted proposal is recent findings of significant flaws in the transition to PFAS replacements that is leading to a widespread pollution. Denmark was the first country banning PFAS, and now other EU countries support the restrictions of these carcinogenic, endocrine disruptive and immunotoxic chemicals. The proposed plan is among the most extensive received by the ECHA for 50 years. Denmark is now the first EU country to initiate the establishment of groundwater parks to try and protect its drinking water. These parks are areas free of agricultural activities and nutritious sewage sludge to secure drinking water free of xenobiotic including PFAS. The PFAS pollution also reflects the lack of comprehensive spatial and temporal environmental monitoring programs in the EU. Such monitoring programs should include key indicator species across ecosystems of livestock, fish and wildlife, to facilitate detection of early ecological warning signals and sustain public health. Simultaneously with inferring a total PFAS ban, the EU should also push for more persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) PFAS substances to be listed on the Stockholm Convention (SC) Annex A such as PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) that is currently listed on the SCs Annex B. The combination of these regulative restrictions combined with groundwater parks and pan-European biomonitoring programs, would pave the way forward for a cleaner environment to sustain health across the EU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience, Roskilde, Denmark; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India.
| | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience, Roskilde, Denmark; Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Martin Hansen
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Kim Gustavson
- Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience, Roskilde, Denmark
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Caroccia B, Seccia TM, Pallafacchina G, Piazza M, Caputo I, Zamberlan S, Rizzuto R, Rossi GP. Aldosterone Biosynthesis Is Potently Stimulated by Perfluoroalkyl Acids: A Link between Common Environmental Pollutants and Arterial Hypertension. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119376. [PMID: 37298327 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The large environmental contamination of drinking water by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) markedly increased the plasma levels of pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in a Northern Italy population with a high prevalence of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular disease. As the link between PFAS and arterial hypertension is unknown, we investigated if they enhance the biosynthesis of the well-known pressor hormone aldosterone. We found that PFAS increased aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) gene expression by three-fold and doubled aldosterone secretion and cell and mitochondria reactive oxygen species (ROS) production over controls (p < 0.01 for all) in human adrenocortical carcinoma cells HAC15. They also enhanced the effects of Ang II on CYP11B2 mRNA and aldosterone secretion (p < 0.01 for all). Moreover, when added 1 h before, the ROS scavenger tempol abolished the effect of PFAS on CYP11B2 gene expression. These results indicate that at concentrations mimicking those found in human plasma of exposed individuals, PFAS are potent disruptors of human adrenocortical cell function, and might act as causative factors of human arterial hypertension via increased aldosterone production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brasilina Caroccia
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Teresa Maria Seccia
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Giorgia Pallafacchina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences-DSB, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Piazza
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Caputo
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Stefania Zamberlan
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Rosario Rizzuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences-DSB, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Gian Paolo Rossi
- Internal Emergency Medicine Unit, Specialized Center for Blood Pressure Disorders-Regione Veneto, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
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Ubong D, Stewart L, Sepai O, Knudsen LE, Berman T, Reynders H, Van Campenhout K, Katsonouri A, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Ingelido AM, Castaño A, Pedraza-Díaz S, Eiríksdóttir ÁV, Thomsen C, Hartmann C, Gjorgjev D, De Felip E, Tolonen H, Santonen T, Klanova J, Norström K, Kononenko L, Silva MJ, Uhl M, Kolossa-Gehring M, Apel P, Jõemaa M, Jajcaj M, Estokova M, Luijten M, Lebret E, von Goetz N, Holcer NJ, Probst-Hensch N, Cavaleiro R, Barouki R, Tarroja E, Balčienė RM, Strumylaite L, Latvala S, Namorado S, Szigeti T, Ingi Halldorsson T, Olafsdottir K, Wasowicz W. Application of human biomonitoring data to support policy development, raise awareness and environmental public health protection among countries within the HBM4EU project. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 251:114170. [PMID: 37207539 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Most countries have acknowledged the importance of assessing and quantifying their population's internal exposure from chemicals in air, water, soil, food and other consumer products due to the potential health and economic impact. Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a valuable tool which can be used to quantify such exposures and effects. Results from HBM studies can also contribute to improving public health by providing evidence of individuals' internal chemical exposure as well as data to understand the burden of disease and associated costs thereby stimulating the development and implementation of evidence-based policy. To have a holistic view on HBM data utilisation, a multi-case research approach was used to explore the use of HBM data to support national chemical regulations, protect public health and raise awareness among countries participating in the HBM4EU project. The Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) Initiative (https://www.hbm4eu.eu/) is a collaborative effort involving 30 countries, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission (contracting authority) to harmonise procedures across Europe and advance research into the understanding of the health impacts of environmental chemical exposure. One of the aims of the project was to use HBM data to support evidence based chemical policy and make this information timely and directly available for policy makers and all partners. The main data source for this article was the narratives collected from 27 countries within the HBM4EU project. The countries (self-selection) were grouped into 3 categories in terms of HBM data usage either for public awareness, policy support or for the establishment HBM programme. Narratives were analysed/summarised using guidelines and templates that focused on ministries involved in or advocating for HBM; steps required to engage policy makers; barriers, drivers and opportunities in developing a HBM programme. The narratives reported the use of HBM data either for raising awareness or addressing environmental/public health issues and policy development. The ministries of Health and Environment were reported to be the most prominent entities advocating for HBM, the involvement of several authorities/institutions in the national hubs was also cited to create an avenue to interact, discuss and gain the attention of policy makers. Participating in European projects and the general population interest in HBM studies were seen as drivers and opportunities in developing HBM programmes. A key barrier that was cited by countries for establishing and sustaining national HBM programmes was funding which is mainly due to the high costs associated with the collection and chemical analysis of human samples. Although challenges and barriers still exist, most countries within Europe were already conversant with the benefits and opportunities of HBM. This article offers important insights into factors associated with the utilisation of HBM data for policy support and public awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dragan Gjorgjev
- Institute of Public Health, Republic of North Macedonia, Macedonia
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Shanmuganathan R, Sibtain Kadri M, Mathimani T, Hoang Le Q, Pugazhendhi A. Recent innovations and challenges in the eradication of emerging contaminants from aquatic systems. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 332:138812. [PMID: 37127197 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Presence of emerging pollutants (EPs), aka Micropollutants (MPs) in the freshwater environments is a severe threat to the environment and human beings. They include pharmaceuticals, insecticides, industrial chemicals, natural hormones, and personal care items and the pollutants are mostly present in wastewater generated from urbanization and increased industrial growth. Even concentrations as low as ngL-1 or mgL-1 have proven ecologically lethal to aquatic biota. For several years, the biodegradation of various Micropollutants (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems has been a significant area of research worldwide, with many chemical compounds being discovered in various water bodies. As aquatic biota spends most of their formative phases in polluted water, the impacts on aquatic biota are obvious, indicating that the environmental danger is substantial. In contrast, the impact of these contaminants on aquatic creatures and freshwater consumption is more subtle and manifests directly when disrupting the endocrine system. Research and development activities are expected to enable the development of ecologically sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient treatments for practical systems in the near future. Therefore, this review aims to understand recent emerging pollutants discovered and the available treatment technologies and suggest an innovative and cost-effective method to treat these EPs, which is sustainable and follows the circular bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajasree Shanmuganathan
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam; Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam
| | - Mohammad Sibtain Kadri
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung City, 804201, Taiwan
| | - Thangavel Mathimani
- Department of Energy and Environment, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Quynh Hoang Le
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam; Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam
| | - Arivalagan Pugazhendhi
- Emerging Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications Research Group, School of Engineering and Technology, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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Ojemaye CY, Ojemaye MO, Okoh AI, Okoh OO. Evaluation of the research trends on perfluorinated compounds using bibliometric analysis: knowledge gap and future perspectives. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2023; 58:570-595. [PMID: 37128712 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2023.2203639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Detection of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environment has been a global concern because of the risk they pose due to their endocrine-disruptive properties. This study analyzed the global trends and research productivity of PFCs from 1990 to 2021. A total number of 3256 articles on PFCs were retrieved from the Web of Science focusing on different environmental and biological matrices. An increase in the productivity of research on PFCs was observed during the survey period which indicates that more research and publications on this class of contaminants are expected in the future. Evaluating the most productive countries and the number of citations per country on PFCs research shows that China and the United States of America were ranked in first and second places. It was also observed that research on PFCs received the most attention from scientists in developed countries, with little research emerging from Africa. Hence, research on PFCs in developing countries, especially low-income countries should be promoted. Consequently, more research programs should be implemented to investigate PFCs in countries and regions where research on these contaminants is low. The study will help researchers, government agencies and policymakers to tailor future research, allocation of funds to PFCs research and countries' collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Y Ojemaye
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - Mike O Ojemaye
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
- SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - Anthony I Okoh
- SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
- Department of Environmental health Sciences, College of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Omobola O Okoh
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
- SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
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Holder C, DeLuca N, Luh J, Alexander P, Minucci JM, Vallero DA, Thomas K, Cohen Hubal EA. Systematic Evidence Mapping of Potential Exposure Pathways for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Based on Measured Occurrence in Multiple Media. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5107-5116. [PMID: 36940151 PMCID: PMC11131971 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Given that human biomonitoring surveys show per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to be ubiquitous, humans can be exposed to PFAS through various sources, including drinking water, food, and indoor environmental media. Data on the nature and level of PFAS in residential environments are required to identify important pathways for human exposure. This work investigated important pathways of exposure to PFAS by reviewing, curating, and mapping evidence for the measured occurrence of PFAS in exposure media. Real-world occurrence for 20 PFAS was targeted primarily in media commonly related to human exposure (outdoor and indoor air, indoor dust, drinking water, food, food packaging, articles, and products, and soil). A systematic-mapping process was implemented to conduct title-abstract and full-text screening and to extract PECO-relevant primary data into comprehensive evidence databases. Parameters of interest included the following: sampling dates and locations, numbers of collection sites and participants, detection frequencies, and occurrence statistics. Detailed data were extracted on PFAS occurrence in indoor and environmental media from 229 references and on PFAS occurrence in human matrices where available from those references. Studies of PFAS occurrence became numerous after 2005. Studies were most abundant for PFOA (80% of the references) and PFOS (77%). Many studies analyzed additional PFAS, particularly, PFNA and PFHxS (60% of references each). Food (38%) and drinking water (23%) were the commonly studied media. Most studies found detectable levels of PFAS, and detectable levels were reported in a majority of states in the United States. Half or more of the limited studies for indoor air and products detected PFAS in 50% or more of the collected samples. The resulting databases can inform problem formulation for systematic reviews to address specific PFAS exposure queries and questions, support prioritization of PFAS sampling, and inform PFAS exposure measurement studies. The search strategy should be extended and implemented to support living evidence review in this rapidly advancing area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Holder
- ICF, Durham, North Carolina 27713, United States
| | - Nicole DeLuca
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Jeanne Luh
- ICF, Durham, North Carolina 27713, United States
| | | | - Jeffrey M Minucci
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Daniel A Vallero
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Kent Thomas
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Elaine A Cohen Hubal
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
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Runkel AA, Stajnko A, Snoj Tratnik J, Mazej D, Horvat M, Přibylová P, Kosjek T. Exposure of children and adolescents from Northeastern Slovenia to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 321:138096. [PMID: 36773682 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7-10 and 12-15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after phospholipid removal. 9 out of 12 analytes were detected at detection frequencies above 30%, with the highest geometric means (GM) being observed for PFOS (GM 1.9 ng/mL) > PFOA (GM 1.0 ng/mL) > PFHxS (GM 0.3 ng/mL) = PFNA (GM 0.3 ng/mL). We identified the participants' socio-economic status, age, sex, sampling region, public water supply, and the consumption of fish and seafood, cereals, and locally produced fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as the predominant determinants of exposure. Furthermore, we compared our results with the serum and plasma concentrations reported for similar age groups in other studies and concluded that PFAS exposure in this highly agricultural area in Slovenia is notably low. This is the first study systematic HBM study of PFAS exposure in Slovenia, although it was conducted on a limited number of participants representative of rural and agricultural areas, it represents a good basis for upgrading the approach to a nationwide HBM study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agneta A Runkel
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anja Stajnko
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janja Snoj Tratnik
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Darja Mazej
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Milena Horvat
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Petra Přibylová
- RECETOX (Research Center for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tina Kosjek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Rickard BP, Tan X, Fenton SE, Rizvi I. Photodynamic Priming Overcomes Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS)-Induced Platinum Resistance in Ovarian Cancer †. Photochem Photobiol 2023; 99:793-813. [PMID: 36148678 PMCID: PMC10033467 DOI: 10.1111/php.13728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants linked to adverse outcomes, including for female reproductive biology and related cancers. We recently reported, for the first time, that PFAS induce platinum resistance in ovarian cancer, potentially through altered mitochondrial function. Platinum resistance is a major barrier in the management of ovarian cancer, necessitating complementary therapeutic approaches. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-based treatment modality that reverses platinum resistance and synergizes with platinum-based chemotherapy. The present study is the first to demonstrate the ability of photodynamic priming (PDP), a low-dose, sub-cytotoxic variant of PDT, to overcome PFAS-induced platinum resistance. Comparative studies of PDP efficacy using either benzoporphyrin derivative (BPD) or 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) were conducted in two human ovarian cancer cell lines (NIH:OVCAR-3 and Caov-3). BPD and PpIX are clinically approved photosensitizers that preferentially localize to, or are partly synthesized in, mitochondria. PDP overcomes carboplatin resistance in PFAS-exposed ovarian cancer cells, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach to target the deleterious effects of environmental contaminants. Decreased survival fraction in PDP + carboplatin treated cells was accompanied by decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that PDP modulates the mitochondrial membrane, reducing membrane potential and re-sensitizing ovarian cancer cells to carboplatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany P. Rickard
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Xianming Tan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Imran Rizvi
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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Johanson G, Gyllenhammar I, Ekstrand C, Pyko A, Xu Y, Li Y, Norström K, Lilja K, Lindh C, Benskin JP, Georgelis A, Forsell K, Jakobsson K, Glynn A, Vogs C. Quantitative relationships of perfluoroalkyl acids in drinking water associated with serum concentrations above background in adults living near contamination hotspots in Sweden. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115024. [PMID: 36535390 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Contaminated drinking water (DW) is a major source of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at locations around PFAS production/use facilities and military airports. This study aimed to investigate quantitative relationships between concentrations in DW and serum of nine perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in Swedish adult populations living near contamination hotspots. Short-chained (PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and PFBS) and long-chained PFAAs (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS and PFOS) were measured in DW and serum. We matched DW and serum concentrations for a total of 398 subjects living or working in areas receiving contaminated DW and in one non-contaminated area. Thereafter, linear regression analysis with and without adjustments for co-variates was conducted. This enabled to derive (i) serum concentrations at background exposure (CB) from sources other than local DW exposure (i.e. food, dust and textiles) at 0 ng/L DW concentration, (ii) population-mean PFAA serum:water ratios (SWR) and (iii) PFAA concentrations in DW causing observable elevated serum PFAA concentrations above background variability. Median concentrations of the sum of nine PFAAs ranged between 2.8 and 1790 ng/L in DW and between 7.6 and 96.9 ng/mL in serum. DW concentration was the strongest predictor, resulting in similar unadjusted and adjusted regression coefficients. Mean CB ranged from <0.1 (PFPeA, PFHpA, PFBS) to 5.1 ng/mL (PFOS). Serum concentrations increased significantly with increasing DW concentrations for all PFAAs except for PFPeA with SWRs ranging from <10 (PFHxA, PFHpA and PFBS) to 111 (PFHxS). Observed elevated serum concentrations above background variability were reached at DW concentrations between 24 (PFOA) and 357 ng/L (PFHxA). The unadjusted linear regression predictions agreed well with serum concentrations previously reported in various populations exposed to low and high DW levels of PFOA, PFHxS and PFOS. The quantitative relationships derived herein should be helpful to translate PFAA concentrations in DW to concentrations in serum at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Johanson
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Unit of Integrative Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 210, SE 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irina Gyllenhammar
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Swedish Food Agency, Box 622, 751 26, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carl Ekstrand
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrei Pyko
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Region Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yiyi Xu
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ying Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Karin Norström
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Circular Economy Department, 106 48, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Lilja
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Circular Economy Department, 106 48, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Antonios Georgelis
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Region Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Forsell
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden; Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Glynn
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Vogs
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Liang LX, Dong P, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Qian Z, Geiger SD, Bingheim E, Tang X, Wu Y, Lv J, Lin LZ, Zeeshan M, Zeng XW, Feng W, Dong GH. Joint effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance alternatives and heavy metals on renal health: A community-based population study in China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115057. [PMID: 36529335 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have indicated that chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acids (Cl-PFESAs), when used as an alternative to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), result in kidney toxicity. However, their co-exposure with heavy metals, has not yet been described. OBJECTIVES To explore the joint effects of Cl-PFESAs and heavy metal exposure on renal health in Chinese adults, and identify specific pollutants driving the associations. METHODS Our sample consists of 1312 adults from a cross-sectional survey of general communities in Guangzhou, China. We measured Cl-PFESAs, legacy PFASs (perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA] and perfluorooctane sulfonated [PFOS]), and heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, and lead). The relationship between single pollutant and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the odds ratio (OR) of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was studied using Generalized additive models (GAMs). Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were applied to assess joint effects of Cl-PFESAs and heavy metals. Additionally, we conducted a sex-specific analysis to determine the modification effect of this variable. RESULTS In single pollutant models, CI-PFESAs, PFOA, PFOS and arsenic were negatively associated with eGFR. Additionally, PFOA and heavy metals were positively correlated with the OR of CKD. For example, the estimated change with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of eGFR at from the highest quantile of 6:2 Cl-PFESA versus the lowest quantile was -5.65 ng/mL (95% CI: -8.21, -3.10). Sex played a role in modifying the association between 8:2 Cl-PFESA, PFOS and eGFR. In BKMR models, pollutant mixtures had a negative joint association with eGFR and a positive joint effect on CKD, especially in women. Arsenic appeared to be the primary contributing pollutant. CONCLUSION We provide epidemiological evidence that Cl-PFESAs independently and jointly with heavy metals impaired kidney health. More population-based human and animal studies are needed to confirm our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xia Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Pengxin Dong
- Nursing College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510440, China
| | - Zhengmin Qian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Sarah Dee Geiger
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bingheim
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Xiaojiang Tang
- Guangzhou JES+US Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510440, China
| | - Jiayun Lv
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510440, China
| | - Li-Zi Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Mohammed Zeeshan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Wenru Feng
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510440, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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Zhang L, Liang J, Gao A. Contact to perfluoroalkyl substances and thyroid health effects: A meta-analysis directing on pregnancy. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 315:137748. [PMID: 36610509 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In vivo, in vitro, and epidemiological evidence suggests that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may alter thyroid function in human health, with negative effects on maternal and fetal development outcomes. However, data on the effects of PFAS on thyroid hormones remain controversial. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of 13 eligible studies searched from Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science by July 10, 2022, to explore the relationship between maternal exposure to PFAS and thyroid health effects, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (TT3), thyroxin (TT4), free T3 (FT3), and free T4 (FT4). The estimated values (β) and the corresponding confidence intervals (95%CI) were extracted for analysis. The tests for heterogeneity, sensitivity and publication bias between studies were performed using Stata 15.0. The combined results showed a positive association between changes in TSH and exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), with no significant correlation observed between changes in other thyroid hormones and exposure to PFAS. This difference was attributed to sample size, region, sample type, body mass index (BMI), and gestational week. Our data recommend verifying the relationship between PFAS exposure and thyroid health effects in a large sample population cohort in future studies. In addition, health care should be taken into account in early and mid-pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Jiayi Liang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Ai Gao
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Chen Z, Lu YL, Wang L, Xu J, Zhang J, Xu X, Cheng P, Yang S, Shi W. Efficient Recognition and Removal of Persistent Organic Pollutants by a Bifunctional Molecular Material. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:260-267. [PMID: 36538618 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exist widely in the environment and place significant impact on human health by bioaccumulation. Efficient recognition of POPs and their removal are highly challenging tasks because their specific structures interact often very weakly with the capture materials. Herein, a molecular nanocage (1) is studied as an efficient sensing and sorbent material for POPs, which is demonstrated by a representative and stable perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) substrate containing a hydrophilic sulfonic group and a hydrophobic fluoroalkyl chain. A highly sensitive and unusual turn-on fluorescence response within 10 s and a 97% total removal of PFOS from water in 20 min have been achieved owing to the strong host-guest interactions between 1 and PFOS. The binding constant of 1 to PFOS is 2 orders of magnitude higher than state-of-the-art adsorbents for PFOS and thus represents a new benchmark material for the recognition and removal of PFOS. The host-guest interaction has been elucidated by solid-state NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which provide key insights at a molecular level for the design of new advanced sensing/sorbent materials for POPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter and Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yi-Lin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter and Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Liang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Tianjin Key Lab for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, School of Materials Science and Engineering & National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Tianjin Eco-Environmental Monitoring Center, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Xiufang Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter and Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter and Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Sihai Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter and Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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Dalla Zuanna T, Batzella E, Pitter G, Russo F, Spadea T, Canova C. Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy. Front Public Health 2023; 11:956146. [PMID: 36875357 PMCID: PMC9975734 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.956146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The health condition of immigrants traditionally follows a transition from a low disease occurrence to the epidemiological profile of the deprived groups in the host country. In the Europe, studies examining differences in biochemical and clinical outcomes among immigrants and natives are lacking. We examined differences in cardiovascular risk factors between first-generation immigrants and Italians, and how migration pattern variables could affect health outcomes. Material and methods We included participants between 20 and 69 years recruited from a Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region. Blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels were measured. Immigrant status was defined by being born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) and subdivided by geographical macro-areas. We used generalized linear regression models to investigate differences between these outcomes among immigrants compared to native-born, adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, food consumption, salt consumption in the BP analysis and the laboratory in charge for cholesterol analysis. Within immigrant subjects, the results were stratified by variables of the migration pattern: age at immigration and length of residence in Italy. Results Thirty seven thousand three hundred and eighty subjects were included in the analysis, 8.6% were born in an HMPC. Heterogeneous results were seen by the macro-areas of origin and sex, with male immigrants from CE Europe (β = 8.77 mg/dl) and Asia (β = 6.56 mg/dl) showing higher levels of TC than native-born, while female immigrants from Northern Africa showed lower levels of TC (β = -8.64 mg/dl). BP levels were generally lower among immigrants. Immigrants residing in Italy for more than 20 years had lower levels of TC (β = -2.9 mg/dl) than native-born. In contrast, immigrants who arrived <20 years ago or arrived older than 18 years had higher levels of TC. This trend was confirmed for CE Europeans and was inverted for Northern Africans. Conclusions The large heterogeneity in the results depending on sex and macro-area of origin indicates the need for targeted intervention in each specific immigrant group. The results confirm that acculturation leads to a convergence toward the epidemiological profile of the host population that depends on the starting condition of the immigrant group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Dalla Zuanna
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Gisella Pitter
- Screening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero, Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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Menegatto M, Lezzi S, Musolino M, Zamperini A. The Psychological Impact of Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pollution in the Veneto Region, Italy: A Qualitative Study with Parents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14761. [PMID: 36429487 PMCID: PMC9690247 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the psychosocial impact on people who live in polluted areas, and its consequences for the parental role have been neglected. This study addresses this gap, proposing qualitative research referring to the case of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) water pollution in the Veneto Region of Italy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chronic exposure contamination (CEC) experience of parents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 parents living in the so-called 'Red Area' considered to have had maximum exposure. Grounded theory was used to analyse the data. The three themes to emerge were three phases of a dynamic process: shock around the discovery (phase 1), lifestyle change (phase 2), and living with PFAS (phase 3). The two transitions (loss of innocence and environmental adaptation) linked the phases. Our findings show that PFAS CEC experience is a process whereby parents need to move from the shock of discovery to adapting to the new situation in order to incorporate a change into their daily life, especially in regard to children. Two emerging aspects that characterised the process as a constant were uncertainty and health concerns, while role strains could be a stress source in the context of CEC. We suggest introducing the notion of chronic role strain (CRS).
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Cara B, Lies T, Thimo G, Robin L, Lieven B. Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in marine biota from the Belgian North Sea: Distribution and human health risk implications. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119907. [PMID: 35985433 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent chemicals, which pose a potential risk for aquatic wildlife due to their bioaccumulative behaviour and toxicological effects. Although the distribution of PFAS in marine environments has been studied worldwide, little is known on the contamination of PFAS in the southern North Sea. In the present study, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) was studied in liver and muscle tissue of seven fish species and in whole-body tissue of two crustacean species, collected at 10 sites in the Belgian North Sea. Furthermore, the human and ecological health risks were examined. Overall, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was predominant in all matrices and other long-chain PFAS were frequently detected. Mean PFOS concentrations ranged from <LOQ to 107 ng/g (ww) in fish liver, from <LOQ to 24 ng/g ww in fish muscle and from 0.29 to 5.6 ng/g ww in crustaceans. Elevated perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) concentrations were detected in fish liver from the estuarine and coastal region (<LOQ-116 ng/g ww), indicating a specific point source of this compound. Based on stable isotope analysis, no distinctive trophic transfer patterns of PFAS could be identified which implies that the bioconcentration of PFAS from the surrounding abiotic environment is most likely dominating over the biomagnification in the studied biota. The consumption of commercially important species such as the brown shrimp (Crangon crangon), plaice (Pleuronecta platessa), sole (Solea solea) and whiting (Merlangus merlangus) might pose potential health risks if it exceeds 17 g/day, 18 g/day, 26 g/day and 43 g/day respectively. Most PFOS measurements did not exceed the QSbiota,hh of 9.1 ng/g ww, however, the benchmark of 33 ng/g ww targeting the protection of wildlife from secondary poisoning was exceeded for 43% and 28% of the samples in plaice and sole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byns Cara
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Teunen Lies
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Groffen Thimo
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Lasters Robin
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Bervoets Lieven
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Batzella E, Zare Jeddi M, Pitter G, Russo F, Fletcher T, Canova C. Associations between Mixture of Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Lipid Profile in a Highly Exposed Adult Community in the Veneto Region. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12421. [PMID: 36231722 PMCID: PMC9566306 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residents of a large area in the Veneto Region (Northeastern Italy) were exposed to drinking water contaminated by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for decades. While exposure to PFAS has been consistently associated with elevated serum lipids, combined exposures to multiple PFASs have been poorly investigated. Utilising different statistical approaches, we examine the association between chemical mixtures and lipid parameters. METHODS Cross-sectional data from the regional health surveillance program (34,633 individuals aged 20-64 years) were used to examine the combined effects of PFAS mixture (Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS)) on total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression, Quantile-based G-computation (Q-Gcomp) and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were used based on their ability to handle highly correlated chemicals. RESULTS We observed that each quartile increase in the WQS index was associated with an increase in the levels of TC (β: 4.09, 95% CI: 3.47-4.71), HDL-C (β: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.92-1.33) and LDL-C (β: 3.14, 95% CI: 2.65-3.63). Q-Gcomp estimated that a quartile increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with increased TC (ψ: 4.04, 95% CI 3.5-4.58), HDL-C (ψ: 1.07, 95% CI 20.87-1.27) and LDL-C (ψ: 2.71, 95% CI 2.23-3.19). In the BKMR analysis, the effect of PFAS mixture on serum lipids increased significantly when their concentrations were at their 75th percentiles or above, compared to those at their 50th percentile. All methods revealed a major contribution of PFOS and PFNA, although the main exposure was due to PFOA. We found suggestive evidence that associations varied when stratified by gender. CONCLUSIONS The PFAS mixture was positively associated with lipid parameters, regardless of the applied method. Very similar results obtained from the three methods may be attributed to the linear positive association with the outcomes and no interaction between each PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Maryam Zare Jeddi
- RIVM-National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720 Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Gisella Pitter
- Screening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero-Veneto Region, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Tony Fletcher
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Attema B, Janssen AW, Rijkers D, van Schothorst EM, Hooiveld GJ, Kersten S. Exposure to low-dose perfluorooctanoic acid promotes hepatic steatosis and disrupts the hepatic transcriptome in mice. Mol Metab 2022; 66:101602. [PMID: 36115532 PMCID: PMC9526138 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals with demonstrated endocrine-disrupting properties. Exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been linked to disturbed metabolism via the liver, although the exact mechanism is not clear. Moreover, information on the metabolic effects of the new PFAS alternative GenX is limited. We examined whether exposure to low-dose PFOA and GenX induces metabolic disturbances in mice, including NAFLD, dyslipidemia, and glucose tolerance, and studied the involvement of PPARα. METHODS Male C57BL/6J wildtype and PPARα-/- mice were given 0.05 or 0.3 mg/kg body weight/day PFOA, or 0.3 mg/kg body weight/day GenX while being fed a high-fat diet for 20 weeks. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed after 18 and 19 weeks. Plasma metabolite levels were measured next to a detailed assessment of the liver phenotype, including lipid content and RNA sequencing. RESULTS Exposure to high-dose PFOA decreased body weight and increased liver weight in wildtype and PPARα-/- mice. High-dose but not low-dose PFOA reduced plasma triglycerides and cholesterol, which for triglycerides was dependent on PPARα. PFOA and GenX increased hepatic triglycerides in a PPARα-dependent manner. RNA sequencing showed that the effects of GenX on hepatic gene expression were entirely dependent on PPARα, while the effects of PFOA were mostly dependent on PPARα. In the absence of PPARα, the involvement of PXR and CAR became more prominent. CONCLUSION Overall, we show that long-term and low-dose exposure to PFOA and GenX disrupts hepatic lipid metabolism in mice. Whereas the effects of PFOA are mediated by multiple nuclear receptors, the effects of GenX are entirely mediated by PPARα. Our data underscore the potential of PFAS to disrupt metabolism by altering signaling pathways in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brecht Attema
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
| | | | - Deborah Rijkers
- Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Guido J.E.J. Hooiveld
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Kersten
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, the Netherlands,Corresponding author. Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, Netherlands.
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Nyström J, Benskin JP, Plassmann M, Sandblom O, Glynn A, Lampa E, Gyllenhammar I, Lignell S, Moraeus L. Healthy eating index and diet diversity score as determinants of serum perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) concentrations in a national survey of Swedish adolescents. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113170. [PMID: 35339470 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Food is an important source of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) exposure for the general adult population, but few data exist for adolescents. Healthy food habits established during adolescence may positively influence health later in life. Associations between serum PFAA concentrations and a healthy eating index (SHEIA15), as well as a diet diversity score (RADDS), were determined in a nationally representative adolescent population from Sweden (Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-2017, RMA). Using consumption data from food registrations and frequency questionnaires, we additionally analyzed associations with commonly consumed food groups. Associations were analyzed by fitting a cumulative probability model using ordinal regression. Among the seven PFAAs detected in ≥70% of the 1098 participants (age 10-21 years), median concentrations ranged from <1 ng/g serum of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perflurorundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), linear (lin-) perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and branched (br-) perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) to 1-2 ng/g serum of lin-perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and lin-PFOS. PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA and lin-PFOS concentrations were positively associated with both SHEIA15 and RADDS, a finding most likely driven by higher consumption of seafood. PFDA, PFUnDA and lin-PFOS concentrations were positively related to commonly consumed fish/shellfish groups, such as lean marine fish and shellfish. Inverse associations between PFAA concentrations and dairy consumption suggest an underlying factor behind dairy consumption that similarly affects adolescent exposure to the different PFAAs. Isomeric differences in dietary exposure between lin-PFOS and br-PFOS were suggested, as br-PFOS concentrations, in contrast to lin-PFOS, were not associated with SHEIA15, RADDS and consumption of different food groups. We conclude that Swedish adolescents, adhering to a diverse and healthy diet, appears to be more highly exposed to legacy PFAAs than those eating less healthy. Additional research is necessary for a better understanding of the health implications of healthy eating from a PFAA exposure perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nyström
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jonathan P Benskin
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Merle Plassmann
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oskar Sandblom
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Glynn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Lampa
- Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Irina Gyllenhammar
- Department of Risk and Benefit Assessment, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sanna Lignell
- Department of Risk and Benefit Assessment, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lotta Moraeus
- Department of Risk and Benefit Assessment, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
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Batzella E, Girardi P, Russo F, Pitter G, Da Re F, Fletcher T, Canova C. Perfluoroalkyl substance mixtures and cardio-metabolic outcomes in highly exposed male workers in the Veneto Region: A mixture-based approach. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113225. [PMID: 35390304 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been consistently associated with cardio-metabolic traits. Occupational exposures to multiple PFAS with health outcomes have been poorly investigated. The aim of the present study was to examine these associations among former workers involved in PFAS production. METHODS We considered 232 male ex-employees who had worked in a factory (Trissino, Veneto Region, Italy), which produced PFAS and other chemicals during 1968-2018. Out of twelve serum PFAS, only four (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA) were quantifiable in at least 50% of samples. Non-fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured. The associations between serum PFAS mixture and considered outcomes were assessed through linear regression mixed models and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS PFOA was detected at the highest level, with a median concentration (in ng/mL) of 80.8 (min-max: 0.35-13,033), followed by PFOS (median: 8.55, min-max: 0.35-343), PFHxS (median: 6.8, min-max: 0.35-597) and PFNA (median: 0.8, min-max: 0.35-5). We observed that each A quartile increase in the WQS index was positively associated with the levels of TC (β: 8.41, 95% IC: 0.78-16.0), LDL-C (β: 8.02, 95% IC: 1-15.0) and SBP (β: 3.21, 95% IC: 0.82-5.60). No association of serum PFAS concentration on HDL cholesterol and DBP emerged. WQS analyses revealed a major contribution of PFNA and PFHxS for the cholesterol levels, although PFOA reported the highest concentration. PFOA and PFOS emerged as chemicals of concern regarding the association with SBP. CONCLUSIONS The results showed a clear association between serum PFAS levels and markers of cardiovascular risk and support the importance of clinical surveillance of cardiovascular risk factors in population with a high exposure to PFAS, especially in the occupational setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich Batzella
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Girardi
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Padua, Italy & Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Regional Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | - Gisella Pitter
- Screening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero-Veneto Region, Padua, Italy
| | - Filippo Da Re
- Regional Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, Italy
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Canova
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padova, Italy.
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46
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Brown-Leung JM, Cannon JR. Neurotransmission Targets of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Neurotoxicity: Mechanisms and Potential Implications for Adverse Neurological Outcomes. Chem Res Toxicol 2022; 35:1312-1333. [PMID: 35921496 PMCID: PMC10446502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent environmental pollutants that are ubiquitously found in the environment and virtually in all living organisms, including humans. PFAS cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain. Thus, PFAS are a likely risk for neurotoxicity. Studies that measured PFAS levels in the brains of humans, polar bears, and rats have demonstrated that some areas of the brain accumulate greater amounts of PFAS. Moreover, in humans, there is evidence that PFAS exposure is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and an increased cause of death from Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease in elderly populations. Given possible links to neurological disease, critical analyses of possible mechanisms of neurotoxic action are necessary to advance the field. This paper critically reviews studies that investigated potential mechanistic causes for neurotoxicity including (1) a change in neurotransmitter levels, (2) dysfunction of synaptic calcium homeostasis, and (3) alteration of synaptic and neuronal protein expression and function. We found growing evidence that PFAS exposure causes neurotoxicity through the disruption of neurotransmission, particularly the dopamine and glutamate systems, which are implicated in age-related psychiatric illnesses and neurodegenerative diseases. Evaluated research has shown there are highly reproduced increased glutamate levels in the hippocampus and catecholamine levels in the hypothalamus and decreased dopamine in the whole brain after PFAS exposure. There are significant gaps in the literature relative to the assessment of the nigrostriatal system (striatum and ventral midbrain) among other regions associated with PFAS-associated neurologic dysfunction observed in humans. In conclusion, evidence suggests that PFAS may be neurotoxic and associated with chronic and age-related psychiatric illnesses and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, it is imperative that future mechanistic studies assess the impact of PFAS and PFAS mixtures on the mechanism of neurotransmission and the consequential functional effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine M Brown-Leung
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neurosciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Jason R Cannon
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neurosciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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47
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Popli S, Badgujar PC, Agarwal T, Bhushan B, Mishra V. Persistent organic pollutants in foods, their interplay with gut microbiota and resultant toxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155084. [PMID: 35395291 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have become immensely prevalent in the environment as a result of their unique chemical properties (persistent, semi-volatile and bioaccumulative nature). Their occurrence in the soil, water and subsequently in food has become a matter of concern. With food being one of the major sources of exposure, the detrimental impact of these chemicals on the gut microbiome is inevitable. The gut microbiome is considered as an important integrant for human health. It participates in various physiological, biochemical and immunological activities; thus, affects the metabolism and physiology of the host. A myriad of studies have corroborated an association between POP-induced gut microbial dysbiosis and prevalence of disorders. For instance, ingestion of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers or organochlorine pesticides influenced bile acid metabolism via alteration of bile salt hydrolase activity of Lactobacillus, Clostridium or Bacteroides genus. At the same time, some chemicals such as DDE have the potential to elevate Proteobacteria and Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratio influencing their metabolic activity leading to enhanced short-chain fatty acid synthesis, ensuing obesity or a pre-diabetic state. This review highlights the impact of POPs exposure on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity, along with an account of its corresponding consequences on the host physiology. The critical role of gut microbiota in impeding the POPs excretion out of the body resulting in their prolonged exposure and consequently, enhanced degree of toxicity is also emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Popli
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana 131 028, India
| | - Prarabdh C Badgujar
- Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana 131 028, India.
| | - Tripti Agarwal
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana 131 028, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana 131 028, India
| | - Vijendra Mishra
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana 131 028, India.
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48
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Girardi P, Lupo A, Mastromatteo LY, Scrimin S. Mothers living with contamination of perfluoroalkyl substances: an assessment of the perceived health risk and self-reported diseases. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:60491-60507. [PMID: 35426015 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20085-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Widespread contamination of the superficial, drinking, and groundwater by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was discovered in the Veneto Region (northeast of Italy) in 2013. Mothers from the contaminated area were concerned about the effects of PFAS on their own and their children's health. We determined the factors that influenced the perceived risk of PFAS and the presence of self-reported diseases by conducting a study with 384 mothers of children aged 1-13 years living in the contaminated area (Red Zone, Veneto, Italy). Information on demography, the sources of exposure, and the health condition of the mothers was collected through an online survey. The serum PFAS concentration was recorded for some of the participants. We determined the factors influencing the perceived risk, risk of health outcomes, and serum PFAS levels through regression analyses. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers increased with an increase in the trust in scientific institutions and social media, and when many friends were present, trust in politics and full-time employment had a protective effect. The PFAS perceived risk increased the occurrences of self-reported and autoimmune diseases. Longer residence (> 20 years) in the most exposed area (Red Zone A) increased the frequency of some health outcomes. Serum PFAS concentrations decreased with breastfeeding, but increased with tap water consumption, residence in Red Zone A, and residence time. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers was associated with many factors that influenced reporting of health issues. The association between PFAS exposure and health outcomes needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Girardi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
| | - Alice Lupo
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Sara Scrimin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Babayev M, Capozzi SL, Miller P, McLaughlin KR, Medina SS, Byrne S, Zheng G, Salamova A. PFAS in drinking water and serum of the people of a southeast Alaska community: A pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 305:119246. [PMID: 35367506 PMCID: PMC9090981 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a target of rigorous scientific research due to their ubiquitous nature and adverse health effects. However, there are still gaps in knowledge about their environmental fate and health implications. More attention is needed for remote locations with source exposures. This study focuses on assessing PFAS exposure in Gustavus, a small Alaska community, located near a significant PFAS source from airport operations and fire training sites. Residential water (n = 25) and serum (n = 40) samples were collected from Gustavus residents and analyzed for 39 PFAS compounds. In addition, two water samples were collected from the previously identified PFAS source near the community. Fourteen distinct PFAS were detected in Gustavus water samples, including 6 perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), 7 perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), and 1 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTS). ΣPFAS concentrations in residential drinking water ranged from not detected to 120 ng/L. High ΣPFAS levels were detected in two source samples collected from the Gustavus Department of Transportation (14,600 ng/L) and the Gustavus Airport (228 ng/L), confirming these two locations as a nearby major source of PFAS contamination. Seventeen PFAS were detected in serum and ΣPFAS concentrations ranged from 0.0170 to 13.1 ng/mL (median 0.0823 ng/mL). Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) were the most abundant PFAS in both water and serum samples and comprised up to 70% of ΣPFAS concentrations in these samples. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed PFAS concentrations in water and sera were significantly and positively correlated (r = 0.495; p = 0.0192). Our results confirm a presence of a significant PFAS source near Gustavus, Alaska and suggest that contaminated drinking water from private wells contributes to the overall PFAS body burden in Gustavus residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksat Babayev
- School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Staci L Capozzi
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 United States
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK 99518, United States
| | | | | | - Samuel Byrne
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, United States
| | - Guomao Zheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Amina Salamova
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
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50
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Bil W, Zeilmaker MJ, Bokkers BG. Internal Relative Potency Factors for the Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Human Biomonitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:77005. [PMID: 35881550 PMCID: PMC9320915 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In human biomonitoring, blood is often used as a matrix to measure exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Because the toxicokinetics of a substance (determining the steady-state blood concentration) may affect the toxic potency, the difference in toxicokinetics among PFAS has to be accounted for when blood concentrations are used in mixture risk assessment. OBJECTIVES This research focuses on deriving relative potency factors (RPFs) at the blood serum level. These RPFs can be applied to PFAS concentrations in human blood, thereby facilitating mixture risk assessment with primary input from human biomonitoring studies. METHODS Toxicokinetic models are generated for 10 PFAS to estimate the internal exposure in the male rat at the blood serum level over time. By applying dose-response modeling, these internal exposures are used to derive quantitative internal RPFs based on liver effects. RESULTS Internal RPFs were successfully obtained for nine PFAS. Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA, or GenX) were found to be more potent than perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at the blood serum level in terms of relative liver weight increase, whereas perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were found to be less potent. The practical implementation of these internal RPFs is illustrated using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) biomonitoring data of 2017-2018. DISCUSSION It is recommended to assess the health risk resulting from exposure to PFAS as combined, aggregate exposure to the extent feasible. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10009.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieneke Bil
- Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Marco J. Zeilmaker
- Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Bas G.H. Bokkers
- Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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