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Pomazal R, Malecki K, Stanton N, Shelton B, Lange M, Irving R, Meiman J, Remucal CK, Cochran A, Schultz AA. Determinants of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure among Wisconsin residents. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 254:119131. [PMID: 38759771 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include thousands of manufactured compounds with growing public health concerns due to their potential for widespread human exposure and adverse health outcomes. While PFAS contamination remains a significant concern, especially from ingestion of contaminated food and water, determinants of the variability in PFAS exposure among regional and statewide populations in the United States remains unclear. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to leverage The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), the only statewide representative cohort in the US, to assess and characterize the variability of PFAS exposure in a general population. METHODS This study sample included a sub-sample of 605 adult participants from the 2014-2016 tri-annual statewide representative sample. Geometric means for PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFPeS, PFHpA, and a summed measure of 38 analyzed serum PFAS were presented by demographic, diet, behavioral, and residential characteristics. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine significant predictors of serum PFAS after adjustment. RESULTS Overall, higher serum concentrations of long-chain PFAS were observed compared with short-chain PFAS. Older adults, males, and non-Hispanic White individuals had higher serum PFAS compared to younger adults, females, and non-White individuals. Eating caught fish in the past year was associated with elevated levels of several PFAS. DISCUSSION This is among the first studies to characterize serum PFAS among a representative statewide sample in Wisconsin. Both short- and long-chain serum PFAS were detectable for six prominent PFAS. Age and consumption of great lakes fish were the most significant predictors of serum PFAS. State-level PFAS biomonitoring is important for identifying high risk populations and informing state public health standards and interventions, especially among those not living near known contamination sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Pomazal
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kristen Malecki
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Noel Stanton
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Meshel Lange
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Roy Irving
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Christina K Remucal
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy Cochran
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy A Schultz
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA.
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Wang Y, Gui J, Howe CG, Emond JA, Criswell RL, Gallagher LG, Huset CA, Peterson LA, Botelho JC, Calafat AM, Christensen B, Karagas MR, Romano ME. Association of diet with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in plasma and human milk in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 933:173157. [PMID: 38740209 PMCID: PMC11247473 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are related to various adverse health outcomes, and food is a common source of PFAS exposure. Dietary sources of PFAS have not been adequately explored among U.S. pregnant individuals. We examined associations of dietary factors during pregnancy with PFAS concentrations in maternal plasma and human milk in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. PFAS concentrations, including perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), were measured in maternal plasma collected at ∼28 gestational weeks and human milk collected at ∼6 postpartum weeks. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive factors were collected from prenatal questionnaires and diet from food frequency questionnaires at ∼28 gestational weeks. We used adaptive elastic net (AENET) to identify important dietary variables for PFAS concentrations. We used multivariable linear regression to assess associations of dietary variables selected by AENET models with PFAS concentrations. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and reproductive factors, as well as gestational week of blood sample collection (plasma PFAS), postpartum week of milk sample collection (milk PFAS), and enrollment year. A higher intake of fish/seafood, eggs, coffee, or white rice during pregnancy was associated with higher plasma or milk PFAS concentrations. For example, every 1 standard deviation (SD) servings/day increase in egg intake during pregnancy was associated with 4.4 % (95 % CI: 0.6, 8.4), 3.3 % (0.1, 6.7), and 10.3 % (5.6, 15.2) higher plasma PFOS, PFOA, and PFDA concentrations respectively. Similarly, every 1 SD servings/day increase in white rice intake during pregnancy was associated with 7.5 % (95 % CI: -0.2, 15.8) and 12.4 % (4.8, 20.5) greater milk PFOS and PFOA concentrations, respectively. Our study suggests that certain dietary factors during pregnancy may contribute to higher PFAS concentrations in maternal plasma and human milk, which could inform interventions to reduce PFAS exposure for both birthing people and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Jiang Gui
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Caitlin G Howe
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Jennifer A Emond
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Rachel L Criswell
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA; Skowhegan Family Medicine, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan, ME 04976, USA
| | - Lisa G Gallagher
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Carin A Huset
- Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, MN 55101, USA
| | - Lisa A Peterson
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Julianne Cook Botelho
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Brock Christensen
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
| | - Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03755, USA
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Wise LA, Coleman CM, Schildroth S, Geller RJ, Lovett SM, Claus Henn B, Calafat AM, Botelho JC, Marsh EE, Noel N, Wegienka GR, Bethea TN, Harmon QE, Baird DD, Wesselink AK. Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with uterine leiomyomata incidence and growth: a prospective ultrasound study. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00698-3. [PMID: 38914782 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00698-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in commercial and consumer products. OBJECTIVE We evaluated PFAS exposure in relation to incidence and growth of uterine leiomyomata (UL), hormone-dependent neoplasms that are associated with severe gynecologic morbidity. METHODS We studied 1158 participants in the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids, a Detroit-based prospective cohort study of Black females aged 23-35 years at enrollment (2010-2012). At enrollment and four subsequent visits during 10 years of follow-up, participants attended in-person clinic visits, completed questionnaires, provided non-fasting blood samples, and underwent ultrasound for UL detection. We quantified 7 PFAS in baseline plasma samples using mass spectrometry. We used Cox regression and probit Bayesian kernel machine regression to estimate individual and joint effects of PFAS on UL incidence. We fit linear mixed models to estimate effects of individual PFAS on UL growth. We stratified by parity, an important route of PFAS elimination and determinant of UL. RESULTS In individual PFAS analyses, we observed inverse associations for perfluorodecanoate (PFDA; ≥0.3 vs. <0.2 ng/ml: hazard ratio [HR] = 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-1.00) and perfluoroundecanoate (detected vs. non-detected: HR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.61-1.01) and a weak positive association for perfluorohexane sulfonate (≥1 vs. <0.6 ng/ml: HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.85-1.61), while perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate, perfluorononanoate (PFNA), and 2-N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetate (MeFOSAA) showed little association with UL incidence. The PFAS mixture was inversely associated with UL incidence, a finding driven by MeFOSAA and PFDA; however, PFNA was positively associated with UL incidence. The inverse association for PFDA and positive association for PFNA were stronger among nulliparous participants. Most PFAS showed slight inverse associations with UL growth. IMPACT STATEMENT In this prospective ultrasound study of 1158 Black females aged 23-35 years at enrollment, we conducted a mixtures analysis to account for co-pollutant confounding and interaction. MeFOSAA and PFDA concentrations were inversely associated with UL incidence, while PFNA concentrations were positively associated with UL incidence. Concentrations of most PFAS were associated with decreased UL growth. This study contributes data to the sparse literature on PFAS exposure and UL development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Chad M Coleman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Schildroth
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ruth J Geller
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sharonda M Lovett
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Birgit Claus Henn
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julianne Cook Botelho
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Erica E Marsh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nyia Noel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Traci N Bethea
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Quaker E Harmon
- Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Center, Washington DC, WA, USA
| | - Donna D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Holder C, Cohen Hubal EA, Luh J, Lee MG, Melnyk LJ, Thomas K. Systematic evidence mapping of potential correlates of exposure for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on measured occurrence in biomatrices and surveys of dietary consumption and product use. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 259:114384. [PMID: 38735219 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114384] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely observed in environmental media and often are found in indoor environments as well as personal-care and consumer products. Humans may be exposed through water, food, indoor dust, air, and the use of PFAS-containing products. Information about relationships between PFAS exposure sources and pathways and the amounts found in human biomatrices can inform source-contribution assessments and provide targets for exposure reduction. This work collected and collated evidence for correlates of PFAS human exposure as measured through sampling of biomatrices and surveys of dietary consumption and use of consumer products and articles. A systematic evidence mapping approach was applied to perform a literature search, conduct title-abstract and full-text screening, and to extract primary data into a comprehensive database for 16 PFAS. Parameters of interest included: sampling dates and locations, cohort descriptors, PFAS measured in a human biomatrix, information about food consumption in 11 categories, use of products/articles in 11 categories, and reported correlation values (and their statistical strength). The literature search and screening process yielded 103 studies with information for correlates of PFAS exposures. Detailed data were extracted and compiled on measures of PFAS correlations between biomatrix concentrations and dietary consumption and other product/article use. A majority of studies (61/103; 59%) were published after 2015 with few (8/103; 8%) prior to 2010. Studies were most abundant for dietary correlates (n = 94) with fewer publications reporting correlate assessments for product use (n = 56), while some examined both. PFOA and PFOS were assessed in almost all studies, followed by PFHxS, PFNA, and PFDA which were included in >50% of the studies. No relevant studies included PFNS or PFPeS. Among the 94 studies of dietary correlates, significant correlations were reported in 83% of the studies for one or more PFAS. The significant dietary correlations most commonly were for seafood, meats/eggs, and cereals/grains/pulses. Among the 56 studies of product/article correlates, significant correlations were reported in 70% of the studies. The significant product/article correlations most commonly were for smoking/tobacco, cosmetics/toiletries, non-stick cookware, and carpet/flooring/furniture and housing. Six of 11 product/article categories included five or fewer studies, including food containers and stain- and water-resistant products. Significant dietary and product/article correlations most commonly were positive. Some studies found a mix of positive and negative correlations depending on the PFAS, specific correlate, and specific response level, particularly for fats/oils, dairy consumption, food containers, and cosmetics/toiletries. Most of the significant findings for cereals/grains/pulses were negative correlations. Substantial evidence was found for correlations between dietary intake and biomatrix levels for several PFAS in multiple food groups. Studies examining product/article use relationships were relatively sparse, except for smoking/tobacco, and would benefit from additional research. The resulting database can inform further assessments of dietary and product use exposure relationships and can inform new research to better understand PFAS source-to-exposure relationships. The search strategy should be extended and implemented to support living evidence review in this rapidly advancing area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elaine A Cohen Hubal
- U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, 27711.
| | | | | | - Lisa Jo Melnyk
- U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA.
| | - Kent Thomas
- U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, 27711.
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Pacyga DC, Papandonatos GD, Rosas L, Whalen J, Smith S, Park JS, Gardiner JC, Braun JM, Schantz SL, Strakovsky RS. Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with maternal early second trimester sex-steroid hormones. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 259:114380. [PMID: 38657330 PMCID: PMC11127781 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114380] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Pregnant women are exposed to persistent environmental contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that disrupt thyroid function. However, it is unclear if PFAS alter maternal sex-steroid hormone levels, which support pregnancy health and fetal development. METHODS In Illinois women with relatively high socioeconomic status (n = 460), we quantified perfluorononanoic (PFNA), perfluorooctane sulfonic (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic (PFOA), methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acid, perfluorohexanesulphonic (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic (PFDeA), and perfluoroundecanoic (PFUdA) acid concentrations in fasting serum samples at median 17 weeks gestation, along with plasma progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol. We evaluated covariate-adjusted associations of ln-transformed hormones with each ln-transformed PFAS individually using linear regression and with the PFAS mixture using quantile-based g-computation (QGComp). RESULTS Interquartile range (IQR) increases in PFOS were associated with higher progesterone (%Δ 3.0; 95%CI: -0.6, 6.6) and estradiol (%Δ: 8.1; 95%CI: 2.2, 14.4) levels. Additionally, PFHxS was positively associated with testosterone (%Δ: 10.2; 95%CI: 4.0, 16.7), whereas both PFDeA and PFUdA were inversely associated with testosterone (%Δ: -5.7; 95%CI: -10.3, -0.8, and %Δ: -4.1; 95%CI: -7.6, -0.4, respectively). The IQR-standardized PFAS mixture was not associated with progesterone (%Δ: 1.6; 95%CI: -5.8, 9.2), due equal partial positive (%Δ: 9.2; driven by PFOA) and negative (%Δ: -7.4; driven by PFOS) mixture associations. Similarly, the mixture was not associated with testosterone (%Δ: 5.3; 95%CI: -9.0, 20.1), due to similar partial positive (%Δ: 23.6; driven by PFHxS) and negative (%Δ: -17.4; driven by PFDeA) mixture associations. However, we observed a slightly stronger partial positive (%Δ: 25.6; driven by PFOS and PFUdA) than negative (%Δ: -16.3; driven by PFOA) association resulting in an overall non-significant positive trend between the mixture and estradiol (%Δ: 8.5; 95%CI: -3.7, 20.9). CONCLUSION PFAS mixture modeled using QGComp was not associated with maternal sex-steroid hormones due to potential opposing effects of certain PFAS. Additional prospective studies could corroborate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C Pacyga
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Libeth Rosas
- The Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jason Whalen
- Michigan Diabetes Research Center Chemistry Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sabrina Smith
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - June-Soo Park
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Joseph C Gardiner
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Susan L Schantz
- The Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Rita S Strakovsky
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Cinzori ME, Pacyga DC, Rosas L, Whalen J, Smith S, Park JS, Geiger SD, Gardiner JC, Braun JM, Schantz SL, Strakovsky RS. Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with maternal metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in early-to-mid-pregnancy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118434. [PMID: 38346483 PMCID: PMC11102845 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118434] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can disrupt metabolism. Early-to-mid pregnancy is characterized by amplified metabolic processes and inflammation to support maternal adaptations and fetal growth. Thus, we cross-sectionally evaluated whether PFAS are individually and jointly associated with these processes in early-to-mid pregnancy. METHODS Pregnant Illinois women (n = 452) provided fasted blood samples at median 17 weeks gestation. We quantified serum perfluorononanoic (PFNA), perfluorooctane sulfonic (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic (PFOA), methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acid (Me-PFOSA-AcOH), perfluorohexanesulfonic (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic (PFDeA), and perfluoroundecanoic (PFUdA) acid. Key outcomes were plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), adiponectin, leptin, triglycerides, free fatty acids, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin 6. We calculated homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). We evaluated associations of PFAS with each metabolic/inflammatory biomarker individually using covariate-adjusted linear regression and jointly using quantile-based g-computation. RESULTS In linear regression, all PFAS (except Me-PFOSA-AcOH) were negatively associated with insulin, HOMA-IR, and leptin, whereas all PFAS were positively associated with HDL cholesterol. We also observed negative associations of some PFAS with TNF-α and MCP-1; positive associations with adiponectin and total cholesterol also emerged. Additionally, PFOS was positively, whereas Me-PFOSA-AcOH was negatively, associated with triglycerides and VLDL. Each 25% increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with -31.3% lower insulin (95%CI: -45.8, -12.9), -31.9% lower HOMA-IR (95%CI: -46.4, -13.4), and -9.4% lower leptin (95%CI: -17.3, -0.8), but 7.4% higher HDL cholesterol (95%CI: 4.6, 10.3). For most outcomes, the major contributors to the PFAS mixture often differed compared to single-PFAS analyses. IMPLICATIONS Individual and joint PFAS exposures were associated with markers of maternal metabolism and inflammation in pregnancy. Further investigation is needed to elucidate possible mechanisms and consequences of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Cinzori
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Diana C Pacyga
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Libeth Rosas
- The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Jason Whalen
- Michigan Diabetes Research Center Chemistry Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sabrina Smith
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - June-Soo Park
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sarah D Geiger
- The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA; Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Joseph C Gardiner
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Susan L Schantz
- The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Rita S Strakovsky
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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7
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Jones RR, Madrigal JM, Troisi R, Surcel HM, Öhman H, Kivelä J, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Koponen J, Medgyesi DN, McGlynn KA, Sampson J, Albert PS, Ward MH. Maternal serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:728-736. [PMID: 38092046 PMCID: PMC11077307 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread and environmentally persistent chemicals with immunotoxic properties. Children are prenatally exposed through maternal transfer of PFAS to cord blood, but no studies have investigated the relationship with childhood leukemia. METHODS We measured maternal serum levels of 19 PFAS in first-trimester samples collected in 1986-2010 and evaluated associations with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in full-term offspring (aged younger than 15 years) for 400 cases and 400 controls in the Finnish Maternity Cohort, matched on sample year, mother's age, gestational age, birth order, and child's sex. We analyzed continuous and categorical exposures, estimating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) via conditional logistic regression adjusted for maternal smoking and correlated PFAS (ρ ≥ ±0.3). We also stratified by calendar period, mean diagnosis age, and the child's sex. RESULTS N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid was associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in continuous models (per each doubling in levels: ORperlog2 = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.39), with a positive exposure-response across categories (OR>90th percentile = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.33 to 4.78; Ptrend = .01). Although we found no relationship with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid overall, an association was observed in samples collected in 1986-1995, when levels were highest (median = 17.9 µg/L; ORperlog2 = 4.01, 95% CI = 1.62 to 9.93). A positive association with perfluorononanoic acid was suggested among first births (Pinteraction = .06). The N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid association was mainly limited to children diagnosed before age 5 years (Pinteraction = .02). We found no consistent patterns of association with other PFAS or differences by sex. CONCLUSIONS These novel data offer evidence of a relationship between some PFAS and risk of the most common childhood cancer worldwide, including associations with the highest levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and with a precursor, N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena R Jones
- Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jessica M Madrigal
- Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Troisi
- Trans-Divisional Research Program, DCEG, NCI, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Heljä-Marja Surcel
- Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland/Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hanna Öhman
- Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland/Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Juha Kivelä
- Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland/Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jani Koponen
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Danielle N Medgyesi
- Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Rockville, MD, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Rockville, MD, USA
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8
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Svensson K, Gennings C, Lindh C, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Wikström S, Bornehag CG. EDC mixtures during pregnancy and body fat at 7 years of age in a Swedish cohort, the SELMA study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 248:118293. [PMID: 38281561 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118293] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC), are "obesogens" and have been associated with overweight and obesity in children. Daily exposure to different classes of EDCs demands for research with mixtures approach. OBJECTIVES This study evaluates the association, considering sex-specific effects, between prenatal exposure to EDC mixture and children's body fat at seven years of age. METHODS A total of 26 EDCs were assessed in prenatal urine and serum samples from first trimester in pregnancy from 737 mother-child pairs participating in the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and child, Asthma and allergy (SELMA) study. An indicator for children's "overall body fat" was calculated, using principal component analysis (PCA), based on BMI, percent body fat, waist, and skinfolds measured at seven years of age. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to assess associations between EDC mixture and children's body fat. RESULTS Principal component (PC1) represented 83.6 % of the variance, suitable as indicator for children's "overall body fat", with positive loadings of 0.40-0.42 for each body fat measure. A significant interaction term, WQS*sex, confirmed associations in the opposite direction for boys and girls. Higher prenatal exposure to EDC mixture was borderline significant with more "overall body fat" for boys (Mean β = 0.20; 95 % CI: -0.13, 0.53) and less for girls (Mean β = -0.23; 95 % CI: -0.58, 0.13). Also, higher prenatal exposure to EDC mixture was borderline significant with more percent body fat (standardized score) for boys (Mean β = 0.09; 95 % CI: -0.04, 0.21) and less for girls (Mean β = -0.10 (-0.26, 0.05). The chemicals of concern included bisphenols, phthalates, PFAS, PAH, and pesticides with different patterns for boys and girls. DISCUSSION Borderline significant associations were found between prenatal exposure to a mixture of EDCs and children's body fat. The associations in opposite directions suggests that prenatal exposure to EDCs may present sex-specific effects on children's body fat.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sverre Wikström
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden; School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Centre for Clinical Research, County Council of Värmland, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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9
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Säve-Söderbergh M, Gyllenhammar I, Schillemans T, Lindfeldt E, Vogs C, Donat-Vargas C, Halldin Ankarberg E, Glynn A, Ahrens L, Helte E, Åkesson A. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and fetal growth: A nation-wide register-based study on PFAS in drinking water. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108727. [PMID: 38735074 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108727] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is inconclusive evidence for an association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and fetal growth. OBJECTIVES We conducted a nation-wide register-based cohort study to assess the associations of the estimated maternal exposure to the sum (PFAS4) of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) with birthweight as well as risk of small- (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA). MATERIALS AND METHODS We included all births in Sweden during 2012-2018 of mothers residing ≥ four years prior to partus in localities served by municipal drinking water where PFAS were measured in raw and drinking water. Using a one-compartment toxicokinetic model we estimated cumulative maternal blood levels of PFAS4 during pregnancy by linking residential history, municipal PFAS water concentration and year-specific background serum PFAS concentrations in Sweden. Individual birth outcomes and covariates were obtained via register linkage. Mean values and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) of β coefficients and odds ratios (OR) were estimated by linear and logistic regressions, respectively. Quantile g-computation regression was conducted to assess the impact of PFAS4 mixture. RESULTS Among the 248,804 singleton newborns included, no overall association was observed for PFAS4 and birthweight or SGA. However, an association was seen for LGA, multivariable-adjusted OR 1.08 (95% CI: 1.01-1.16) when comparing the highest PFAS4 quartile to the lowest. These associations remained for mixture effect approach where all PFAS, except for PFOA, contributed with a positive weight. DISCUSSIONS We observed an association of the sum of PFAS4 - especially PFOS - with increased risk of LGA, but not with SGA or birthweight. The limitations linked to the exposure assessment still require caution in the interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melle Säve-Söderbergh
- Risk- and Benefit Assessment Department, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Irina Gyllenhammar
- Risk- and Benefit Assessment Department, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tessa Schillemans
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emelie Lindfeldt
- Risk- and Benefit Assessment Department, Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Vogs
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carolina Donat-Vargas
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Barcelona Intitute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anders Glynn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emilie Helte
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Agneta Åkesson
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Liu L, Yan P, Liu X, Zhao J, Tian M, Huang Q, Yan J, Tong Z, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Zhang T, Guo J, Liu G, Bian X, Li B, Wang T, Wang H, Shen H. Profiles and transplacental transfer of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in maternal and umbilical cord blood: A birth cohort study in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133501. [PMID: 38246060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133501] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can pass through the placental barrier and pose health risks to fetuses. However, exposure and transplacental transfer patterns of emerging PFAS remain unclear. Here, 24 PFAS were measured in paired maternal whole blood (n = 228), umbilical cord whole blood (n = 119) and serum (n = 120). Orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to differentiate PFAS between different matrices. The transplacental transfer (TPT) of PFAS was calculated using cord to maternal whole blood concentration ratios. PFOS and PFOA were still the dominant PFAS in maternal samples. The emerging PFAS had higher TPT than PFOS and PFOA. Moreover, PFAS with the same chain length but different functional groups and C-F bonds showed different TPT, such as PFOS and PFOSA (C8, median: 0.090 vs. 0.305, p < 0.05) and PFHxS and 4:2 FTS (C6, median: 0.220 vs. 1.190, p < 0.05). A significant sex difference in 4:2 FTS (median: boys 1.250, girls 1.010, p < 0.05) were found. Furthermore, we observed a significant U-shaped trend for the TPT of carboxylates with increasing carbon chain length. PFAS showed a compound-specific transfer through placental barrier and a compound-specific distribution between different matrices in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangpo Liu
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, 030001, PR China
| | - Peixia Yan
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China; Changping District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, 102200, PR China
| | - Xuan Liu
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Junxia Zhao
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Meiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China
| | - Qingyu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China
| | - Jianbo Yan
- Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, PR China
| | - Zhendong Tong
- Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, PR China
| | - Yongli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, PR China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China
| | - Tongjie Zhang
- Daishan County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Daishan, Zhejiang 316200, PR China
| | - Jianquan Guo
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Guiying Liu
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Xia Bian
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Ben Li
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Tong Wang
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Heng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, PR China
| | - Heqing Shen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China.
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11
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Ebel M, Rylander L, Fletcher T, Jakobsson K, Nielsen C. Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes mellitus after high exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water in Ronneby, Sweden. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117316. [PMID: 37805182 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117316] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leakage of fire-fighting foam from an airfield caused contamination of the drinking water supplied to a third of the population in Ronneby, resulting in very high serum levels of predominantly perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). The results of studies investigating the association between exposure to perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and pregnancy complications are inconsistent, and studies at high exposures of PFOS and PFHxS are lacking. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between exposure to high levels of PFAS and gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS We retrieved data on 27 292 childbirths between 1995 and 2013 from the National Medical Birth Register for women that had a residential address in Blekinge county for at least one year before delivery. Residential history was used as a proxy for exposure by categorizing women into high-, intermediate-, or background exposed based on their residential address during the five-year period before childbirth. Data on confounders were retrieved from administrative registers. The outcomes were defined based on International Classification of Diseases codes. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) for gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes mellitus. We also investigated effect modification by fetal sex. RESULTS We found no evidence of increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia (OR 0.80; CI 0.63-1.03), nor gestational diabetes (OR 1.03; CI 0.67-1.58) after high PFAS exposure. There was no effect modification by fetal sex. DISCUSSION This was the first study to investigate the association between high exposure to PFOS and PFHxS and pregnancy complications. The results from this study add important knowledge to public health management as new hotspots with high levels of PFAS are continuously discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilda Ebel
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Lars Rylander
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christel Nielsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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12
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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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13
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DeLuca NM, Thomas K, Mullikin A, Slover R, Stanek LW, Pilant AN, Cohen Hubal EA. Geographic and demographic variability in serum PFAS concentrations for pregnant women in the United States. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:710-724. [PMID: 36697764 PMCID: PMC10541323 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00520-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While major pathways of human PFAS exposure are thought to be drinking water and diet, other pathways and sources have also been shown to contribute to a person's cumulative exposure. However, the degree of contribution of these other sources to PFAS body burdens is still not well understood and occurrence data for PFAS in conssumer products and household materials are sparse. Questionnaire data concordant with biomonitoring may improve understanding of associations between other PFAS exposure pathways and exposure in human populations. OBJECTIVE This study aims to better understand maternal and early-life exposures to PFAS from various potential sources and pathways in the context of household and community level characteristics. METHODS PFAS data from the National Children's Study (NCS) Vanguard Data and Sample Archive Access System were analyzed from serum of 427 pregnant women residing in 7 counties throughout the United States. Location and self-reported questionnaire responses were used to analyze variability in serum concentrations based on demographics, housing characteristics, behaviors, and geography. Spatial mapping analyses incorporated publicly available data to further hypothesize potential sources of exposure in two NCS counties. RESULTS Location was associated with serum concentrations for all PFAS chemicals measured. Questionnaire responses for race/ethnicity, income, education level, number of household members, drinking water source, home age, and fast-food consumption were associated with PFAS levels. Statistical differences were observed between participants with the same questionnaire responses but in different locations. Spatial mapping analyses suggested that participants' proximity to local point sources can overshadow expected trends with demographic information. SIGNIFICANCE By increasing understanding of maternal and early-life PFAS exposures from various potential sources and pathways, as well as highlighting the importance of proximity to potential sources in identifying vulnerable populations and locations, this work reveals environmental justice considerations and contributes to risk management strategies that maximize public health protection. IMPACT This work increases understanding of maternal and early-life PFAS exposures, reveals environmental justice considerations, and contributes to study design and risk management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M DeLuca
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Kent Thomas
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Ashley Mullikin
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Rachel Slover
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Lindsay W Stanek
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Andrew N Pilant
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Elaine A Cohen Hubal
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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14
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Goodman CV, Till C, Green R, El-Sabbagh J, Arbuckle TE, Hornung R, Lanphear B, Seguin JR, Booij L, Fisher M, Muckle G, Bouchard MF, Ashley-Martin J. Prenatal exposure to legacy PFAS and neurodevelopment in preschool-aged Canadian children: The MIREC cohort. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2023; 98:107181. [PMID: 37178772 PMCID: PMC10979774 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2023.107181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been shown to be neurotoxic in experimental studies, but epidemiological evidence linking prenatal PFAS exposure to child neurodevelopment is equivocal and scarce. OBJECTIVE To quantify associations between prenatal exposure to legacy PFAS and children's intelligence (IQ) and executive functioning (EF) in a Canadian pregnancy and birth cohort and to determine if these associations differ by child sex. METHODS We measured first-trimester plasma concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study and assessed children's full-scale (n = 522), performance (n = 517), and verbal (n = 519) IQ using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III). Children's working memory (n = 513) and ability to plan and organize (n = 514) were assessed using a parent-reported questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). We quantified associations between individual log2-transformed PFAS exposure and children's IQ and EF using multiple linear regression analyses and evaluated effect modification by child sex. We also used Repeated Holdout Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression models with effect modification by child sex to quantify the effect of combined exposure to all three PFAS chemicals on IQ and EF. All models were adjusted for key sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS Geometric mean plasma concentrations (IQR) for PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS were 1.68 (1.10-2.50), 4.97 (3.20-6.20) and 1.09 (0.67-1.60) μg/L respectively. We found evidence of effect modification by child sex in all models examining performance IQ (p < .01). Specifically, every doubling of PFOA, PFOS, and or PFHxS was inversely associated with performance IQ, but only in males (PFOA: B = -2.80, 95% CI: -4.92, -0.68; PFOS: B = -2.64, 95% CI: -4.77, -0.52; PFHxS: B = -2.92, 95% CI: -4.72, -1.12). Similarly, every quartile increase in the WQS index was associated with poorer performance IQ in males (B = -3.16, 95% CI: -4.90, -1.43), with PFHxS contributing the largest weight to the index. In contrast, no significant association was found for females (B = 0.63, 95% CI: -0.99, 2.26). No significant associations were found for EF in either males or females. CONCLUSIONS Higher prenatal PFAS exposure was associated with lower performance IQ in males, suggesting that this association may be sex- and domain-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly V Goodman
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christine Till
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Rivka Green
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jana El-Sabbagh
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Richard Hornung
- Pediatrics and Environmental Health, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (retired), United States
| | - Bruce Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Jean R Seguin
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mandy Fisher
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gina Muckle
- École de psychologie, Université Laval, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre and Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Université du Quebec, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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15
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Mahfouz M, Harmouche-Karaki M, Matta J, Mahfouz Y, Salameh P, Younes H, Helou K, Finan R, Abi-Tayeh G, Meslimani M, Moussa G, Chahrour N, Osseiran C, Skaiki F, Narbonne JF. Maternal Serum, Cord and Human Milk Levels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Association with Predictors and Effect on Newborn Anthropometry. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11050455. [PMID: 37235269 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11050455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The understanding of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) health effects is rapidly advancing among critical populations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess PFAS serum levels among Lebanese pregnant women, cord serum and human milk levels, their determinants, and effects on newborn anthropometry. METHODS We measured concentrations of six PFAS (PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA) using liquid chromatography MS/MS for 419 participants, of which 269 had sociodemographic, anthropometric, environmental and dietary information. RESULTS The percentage of detection for PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS and PFOS was 36.3-37.7%. PFOA and PFOS levels (95th percentile) were higher than HBM-I and HBM-II values. While PFAS were not detected in cord serum, five compounds were detected in human milk. Multivariate regression showed that fish/shellfish consumption, vicinity to illegal incineration and higher educational level were associated with an almost twice higher risk of elevated PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS and PFOS serum levels. Higher PFAS levels in human milk were observed with higher eggs and dairy products consumption, in addition to tap water (preliminary findings). Higher PFHpA was significantly associated with lower newborn weight-for-length Z-score at birth. CONCLUSIONS Findings establish the need for further studies, and urgent action to reduce exposure among subgroups with higher PFAS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Mahfouz
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Medical Sciences Campus, Damascus Road, P.O. Box 115076, Riad Solh Beirut 1107 2180, Lebanon
| | - Mireille Harmouche-Karaki
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Medical Sciences Campus, Damascus Road, P.O. Box 115076, Riad Solh Beirut 1107 2180, Lebanon
| | - Joseph Matta
- Industrial Research Institute, Lebanese University Campus, Hadath Baabda P.O. Box 112806, Lebanon
| | - Yara Mahfouz
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Medical Sciences Campus, Damascus Road, P.O. Box 115076, Riad Solh Beirut 1107 2180, Lebanon
| | - Pascale Salameh
- School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Hassan Younes
- Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle, Collège Santé, Equipe PANASH, Membre de l'ULR 7519, Université d'Artois, 19 Rue Pierre Waguet, 60026 Beauvais, France
| | - Khalil Helou
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Medical Sciences Campus, Damascus Road, P.O. Box 115076, Riad Solh Beirut 1107 2180, Lebanon
| | - Ramzi Finan
- Hotel-Dieu de France, Saint Joseph University of Beirut Hospital, Blvd Alfred Naccache, Beirut P.O. Box 166830, Lebanon
| | - Georges Abi-Tayeh
- Hotel-Dieu de France, Saint Joseph University of Beirut Hospital, Blvd Alfred Naccache, Beirut P.O. Box 166830, Lebanon
| | | | - Ghada Moussa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chtoura Hospital, Beqaa, Lebanon
| | - Nada Chahrour
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, SRH University Hospital, Nabatieh, Lebanon
| | - Camille Osseiran
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kassab Hospital, Saida, Lebanon
| | - Farouk Skaiki
- Department of Molecular Biology, General Management, Al Karim Medical Laboratories, Saida, Lebanon
| | - Jean-François Narbonne
- Laboratoire de Physico-Toxico Chimie des Systèmes Naturels, University of Bordeaux, CEDEX, 33405 Talence France
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16
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McAdam J, Bell EM. Determinants of maternal and neonatal PFAS concentrations: a review. Environ Health 2023; 22:41. [PMID: 37161484 PMCID: PMC10170754 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00992-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used for their properties such as stain and water resistance. The substances have been associated with adverse health outcomes in both pregnant mothers and infants, including pre-eclampsia and low birthweight. A growing body of research suggests that PFAS are transferred from mother to fetus through the placenta, leading to in utero exposure. A systematic review was performed using the PubMed database to search for studies evaluating determinants of PFAS concentrations in blood matrices of pregnant mothers and neonates shortly after birth. Studies were included in this review if an observational study design was utilized, exposure to at least one PFAS analyte was measured, PFAS were measured in maternal or neonatal matrices, at least one determinant of PFAS concentrations was assessed, and results such as beta estimates were provided. We identified 35 studies for inclusion in the review and evaluated the PFAS and determinant relationships among the factors collected in these studies. Parity, breastfeeding history, maternal race and country of origin, and household income had the strongest and most consistent evidence to support their roles as determinants of certain PFAS concentrations in pregnant mothers. Reported study findings on smoking status, alcohol consumption, and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) suggest that these factors are not important determinants of PFAS concentrations in pregnant mothers or neonates. Further study into informative factors such as consumer product use, detailed dietary information, and consumed water sources as potential determinants of maternal or neonatal PFAS concentrations is needed. Research on determinants of maternal or neonatal PFAS concentrations is critical to estimate past PFAS exposure, build improved exposure models, and further our understanding on dose-response relationships, which can influence epidemiological studies and risk assessment evaluations. Given the potential for adverse outcomes in pregnant mothers and neonates exposed to PFAS, it is important to identify and understand determinants of maternal and neonatal PFAS concentrations to better implement public health interventions in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan McAdam
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Erin M Bell
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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17
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Ames JL, Burjak M, Avalos LA, Braun JM, Bulka CM, Croen LA, Dunlop AL, Ferrara A, Fry RC, Hedderson MM, Karagas MR, Liang D, Lin PID, Lyall K, Moore B, Morello-Frosch R, O’Connor TG, Oh J, Padula AM, Woodruff TJ, Zhu Y, Hamra GB. Prenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Childhood Autism-related Outcomes. Epidemiology 2023; 34:450-459. [PMID: 36630444 PMCID: PMC10074577 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001587] [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: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic evidence linking prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with altered neurodevelopment is inconclusive, and few large studies have focused on autism-related outcomes. We investigated whether blood concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy are associated with child autism-related outcomes. METHODS We included 10 cohorts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 1,429). We measured 14 PFAS analytes in maternal blood collected during pregnancy; eight analytes met detection criteria for analysis. We assessed quantitative autism-related traits in children via parent report on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). In multivariable linear models, we examined relationships of each PFAS (natural log-transformed) with SRS scores. We further modeled PFAS as a complex mixture using Bayesian methods and examined modification of these relationships by child sex. RESULTS Most PFAS in maternal blood were not associated with child SRS T-scores. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) showed the strongest and most consistent association: each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed PFNA was associated with greater autism-related traits (adjusted β [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.5 [-0.1, 3.0]). The summed mixture, which included six PFAS detected in >70% of participants, was not associated with SRS T-scores (adjusted β [95% highest posterior density interval] = 0.7 [-1.4, 3.0]). We did not observe consistent evidence of sex differences. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal blood concentrations of PFNA may be associated with modest increases in child autism-related traits. Future work should continue to examine the relationship between exposures to both legacy and emerging PFAS and additional dimensional, quantitative measures of childhood autism-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Ames
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | | | - Lyndsay A. Avalos
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | | | - Lisa A. Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Assiamira Ferrara
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | | | | | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Pi-I D. Lin
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse (CoRAL), Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Brianna Moore
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Jiwon Oh
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis CA, USA
| | - Amy M. Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Tracey J. Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
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18
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Fábelová L, Beneito A, Casas M, Colles A, Dalsager L, Den Hond E, Dereumeaux C, Ferguson K, Gilles L, Govarts E, Irizar A, Lopez Espinosa MJ, Montazeri P, Morrens B, Patayová H, Rausová K, Richterová D, Rodriguez Martin L, Santa-Marina L, Schettgen T, Schoeters G, Haug LS, Uhl M, Villanger GD, Vrijheid M, Zaros C, Palkovičová Murínová Ľ. PFAS levels and exposure determinants in sensitive population groups. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137530. [PMID: 36509187 PMCID: PMC9846180 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants. The first exposure to PFAS occurs in utero, after birth it continues via breast milk, food intake, environment, and consumer products that contain these chemicals. Our aim was to identify determinants of PFAS concentrations in sensitive population subgroups- pregnant women and newborns. METHODS Nine European birth cohorts provided exposure data on PFAS in pregnant women (INMA-Gipuzkoa, Sabadell, Valencia, ELFE and MoBa; total N = 5897) or newborns (3xG study, FLEHS 2, FLEHS 3 and PRENATAL; total N = 940). PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA concentrations were measured in maternal or cord blood, depending on the cohort (FLEHS 2 measured only PFOS and PFOA). PFAS concentrations were analysed according to maternal characteristics (age, BMI, parity, previous breastfeeding, smoking, and food consumption during pregnancy) and parental educational level. The association between potential determinants and PFAS concentrations was evaluated using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS We observed significant variations in PFAS concentrations among cohorts. Higher PFAS concentrations were associated with higher maternal age, primipara birth, and educational level, both for maternal blood and cord blood. Higher PFAS concentrations in maternal blood were associated with higher consumption of fish and seafood, meat, offal and eggs. In cord blood, higher PFHxS concentrations were associated with daily meat consumption and higher PFNA with offal consumption. Daily milk and dairy consumption were associated with lower concentrations of PFAS in both, pregnant women and newborns. CONCLUSION High detection rates of the four most abundant PFAS demonstrate ubiquitous exposure of sensitive populations, which is of concern. This study identified several determinants of PFAS exposure in pregnant women and newborns, including dietary factors, and these findings can be used for proposing measures to reduce PFAS exposure, particularly from dietary sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Fábelová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - A Beneito
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - M Casas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Colles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Dalsager
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - E Den Hond
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene (PIH), Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - K Ferguson
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), North Carolina, USA
| | - L Gilles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - E Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - A Irizar
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia, Epidemiology and Public Health Area, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - M J Lopez Espinosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - B Morrens
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - H Patayová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - K Rausová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - D Richterová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - L Rodriguez Martin
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Santa-Marina
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia, Epidemiology and Public Health Area, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, 20013 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - T Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - G Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - M Uhl
- Umweltbundesamt, Vienna, Austria
| | - G D Villanger
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - M Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - C Zaros
- Institut national d'études démographiques (INED), Aubervilliers, France
| | - Ľ Palkovičová Murínová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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19
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Mwapasa M, Huber S, Chakhame BM, Maluwa A, Odland ML, Röllin H, Choko A, Xu S, Odland JØ. Serum Concentrations of Selected Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Pregnant Women and Associations with Birth Outcomes. A Cross-Sectional Study from Southern Malawi. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1689. [PMID: 36767049 PMCID: PMC9914481 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031689] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pervasive exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) shows associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present study was to examine the determinants of different serum PFAS concentrations in late pregnancy and their relationship with birth outcomes in southern Malawi. The sample included 605 pregnant women with a mean age of 24.8 years and their offspring from three districts in the southern region of Malawi. Six PFAS were measured in serum from third-trimester women. The serum PFAS concentrations were assessed with head circumference, birth length, birth weight, gestational age and ponderal index. Participants living in urban areas had significantly higher serum levels of PFOA, PFNA and SumPFOS, while SumPFHxS concentrations were higher in women from rural settings. High PFOA, PFNA and SumPFHxS concentrations were generally inversely associated with head circumference. Birth length was negatively associated with PFOA and PFNA while SumPFHxS was negatively associated with birth weight. SumPFOS was inversely associated with gestational age. Urban area of residence was the strongest predictor for high PFAS concentrations in the maternal serum and was generally associated with adverse birth outcomes. The results highlight the need to investigate SumPFHxS further as it follows a pattern that is different to similar compounds and cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mphatso Mwapasa
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- School of Maternal, Neonatal and Reproductive Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre 312225, Malawi
| | - Sandra Huber
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bertha Magreta Chakhame
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- School of Maternal, Neonatal and Reproductive Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre 312225, Malawi
| | - Alfred Maluwa
- Directorate of Research and Outreach, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Thyolo 310106, Malawi
| | - Maria Lisa Odland
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre 312233, Malawi
| | - Halina Röllin
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Augustine Choko
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre 312233, Malawi
| | - Shanshan Xu
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Jon Øyvind Odland
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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20
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Zhang Y, Chen R, Gao Y, Qu J, Wang Z, Zhao M, Bai X, Jin H. Human serum poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance concentrations and their associations with gestational diabetes mellitus. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120833. [PMID: 36493933 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been found in high concentrations in maternal serum, have the potential to impair glucose metabolism in pregnant women. However, the effects of PFAS exposure on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remain inconsistent. In the current investigation, a case-control study involving 135 patients with GDM and 69 controls was conducted in Hangzhou, China. We determined the concentrations of 17 PFAS in maternal serum from each participant and elucidated the associations between those concentrations and the risk of GDM. Among the 17 PFAS, perfluorooctanesulfonate (median 7.53 and 7.44 ng/mL) was the predominant PFAS in both cases and controls, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; median 5.22 and 5.03 ng/mL) and 6:2 chlorinated perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA; median 2.58 and 2.42 ng/mL). Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the maternal serum continuous levels of PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), and 6:2 Cl-PFESA were significantly associated with the GDM risk, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 1.84 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26, 3.51), 1.47 (1.17, 3.29), 1.33 (1.72, 3.48), and 1.34 (1.17, 2.53), respectively. In the adjusted model, the ORs of GDM for increasing tertiles of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA significantly increased. The adjusted ORs (95% CI) were 3.38 (2.16, 6.89), 2.61 (1.26, 5.40), 3.46 (1.64, 6.30), and 3.50 (1.62, 6.91) at the highest concentrations of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA, respectively. These results suggest that higher PFAS exposure, reflected in serum PFAS concentrations, was associated with GDM incidence in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China.
| | - Rongrong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Yu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Jianli Qu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Zhengzheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Meirong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Xiaoxia Bai
- Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, PR China
| | - Hangbiao Jin
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China.
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21
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Richterová D, Govarts E, Fábelová L, Rausová K, Rodriguez Martin L, Gilles L, Remy S, Colles A, Rambaud L, Riou M, Gabriel C, Sarigiannis D, Pedraza-Diaz S, Ramos JJ, Kosjek T, Snoj Tratnik J, Lignell S, Gyllenhammar I, Thomsen C, Haug LS, Kolossa-Gehring M, Vogel N, Franken C, Vanlarebeke N, Bruckers L, Stewart L, Sepai O, Schoeters G, Uhl M, Castaño A, Esteban López M, Göen T, Palkovičová Murínová Ľ. PFAS levels and determinants of variability in exposure in European teenagers - Results from the HBM4EU aligned studies (2014-2021). Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 247:114057. [PMID: 36327670 PMCID: PMC9758614 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made fluorinated chemicals, widely used in various types of consumer products, resulting in their omnipresence in human populations. The aim of this study was to describe current PFAS levels in European teenagers and to investigate the determinants of serum/plasma concentrations in this specific age group. METHODS PFAS concentrations were determined in serum or plasma samples from 1957 teenagers (12-18 years) from 9 European countries as part of the HBM4EU aligned studies (2014-2021). Questionnaire data were post-harmonized by each study and quality checked centrally. Only PFAS with an overall quantification frequency of at least 60% (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA) were included in the analyses. Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were analysed together with food consumption frequencies to identify determinants of PFAS exposure. The variables study, sex and the highest educational level of household were included as fixed factors in the multivariable linear regression models for all PFAS and each dietary variable was added to the fixed model one by one and for each PFAS separately. RESULTS The European exposure values for PFAS were reported as geometric means with 95% confidence intervals (CI): PFOS [2.13 μg/L (1.63-2.78)], PFOA ([0.97 μg/L (0.75-1.26)]), PFNA [0.30 μg/L (0.19-0.45)] and PFHxS [0.41 μg/L (0.33-0.52)]. The estimated geometric mean exposure levels were significantly higher in the North and West versus the South and East of Europe. Boys had significantly higher concentrations of the four PFAS compared to girls and significantly higher PFASs concentrations were found in teenagers from households with a higher education level. Consumption of seafood and fish at least 2 times per week was significantly associated with 21% (95% CI: 12-31%) increase in PFOS concentrations and 20% (95% CI: 10-31%) increase in PFNA concentrations as compared to less frequent consumption of seafood and fish. The same trend was observed for PFOA and PFHxS but not statistically significant. Consumption of eggs at least 2 times per week was associated with 11% (95% CI: 2-22%) and 14% (95% CI: 2-27%) increase in PFOS and PFNA concentrations, respectively, as compared to less frequent consumption of eggs. Significantly higher PFOS concentrations were observed for participants consuming offal (14% (95% CI: 3-26%)), the same trend was observed for the other PFAS but not statistically significant. Local food consumption at least 2 times per week was associated with 40% (95% CI: 19-64%) increase in PFOS levels as compared to those consuming local food less frequently. CONCLUSION This work provides information about current levels of PFAS in European teenagers and potential dietary sources of exposure to PFAS in European teenagers. These results can be of use for targeted monitoring of PFAS in food.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Richterová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - E Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Fábelová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - K Rausová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - L Rodriguez Martin
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Gilles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - S Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - A Colles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - L Rambaud
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Santé Publique France, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - M Riou
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Santé Publique France, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - C Gabriel
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Greece
| | - D Sarigiannis
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Greece; Environmental Health Engineering, Institute of Advanced Study, Pavia, Italy
| | - S Pedraza-Diaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - J J Ramos
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - T Kosjek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - J Snoj Tratnik
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - S Lignell
- Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - C Thomsen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - L S Haug
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - N Vogel
- German Environment Agency (UBA), GerES V-sub, Germany
| | - C Franken
- Provincial Institute for Hygiene, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - L Bruckers
- BioStat, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - L Stewart
- Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - O Sepai
- Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - G Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - M Uhl
- Umweltbundesamt, Vienna, Austria
| | - A Castaño
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Esteban López
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - T Göen
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ľ Palkovičová Murínová
- Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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22
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Eick SM, Goin DE, Trowbridge J, Cushing L, Smith SC, Park JS, DeMicco E, Padula AM, Woodruff TJ, Morello-Frosch R. Dietary predictors of prenatal per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances exposure. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:32-39. [PMID: 34615969 PMCID: PMC8983786 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00386-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly detected in a variety of foods and food packaging materials. However, few studies have examined diet as a potential source of PFAS exposure during pregnancy. In the present cross-sectional study, we examined prenatal PFAS levels in relation to self-reported consumption of meats, dairy products, and processed foods during pregnancy. METHODS Participants were enrolled in the Chemicals in Our Bodies study, a demographically diverse pregnancy cohort in San Francisco, CA (N = 509). Diet was assessed using a self-reported interview questionnaire administered during the second trimester. Participants were asked on average how many times a day, week, or month they ate 11 different foods since becoming pregnant. Responses were categorized as at least once a week or less than once a week and foods were grouped into three categories: processed foods, dairy products, and meats. Twelve PFAS (ng/mL) were measured in second trimester serum samples. We investigated relationships between consumption of individual dairy products, meats, and processed foods and natural log-transformed PFAS using separate linear regression models adjusted for maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, and nativity. RESULTS Seven PFAS were detected in ≥65% of participants. Consumption of dairy milk and cheese at least once per week was moderately associated with elevated levels of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDeA) relative to those who ate dairy products less than once week. The strongest associations observed were with PFDeA for dairy milk (β = 0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02, 0.39) and PFNA for cheese (β = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.41). Eating fish, poultry, and red meat at least once per week was associated with higher levels of perfluoroundecanoic acid, PFDeA, PFNA, and perflucorooctane sulfonic acid. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that consumption of animal products may contribute to elevated prenatal PFAS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Eick
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Dana E Goin
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Trowbridge
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lara Cushing
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sabrina Crispo Smith
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - June-Soo Park
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Erin DeMicco
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amy M Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Giffard NG, Gitlin SA, Rardin M, Petali JM, Chen CY, Romano ME. Occurrence and Risks of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Shellfish. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:591-603. [PMID: 36255596 PMCID: PMC9841895 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00379-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of persistent, fluorinated surfactants used widely in industrial and commercial applications with known adverse health effects. Seafood consumption is thought to be an underappreciated source of PFAS exposure in the general population. This review synthesizes the current understanding of PFAS occurrence in shellfish, a term used to describe animals such as mollusk bivalves, certain gastropods (snails), cephalopods (e.g., octopuses and squid), and crustaceans, and highlights scientific gaps relative to bioaccumulation and the protection of shellfish consumers. RECENT FINDINGS A range of sampling methodologies are used across studies, and the suite of PFAS surveyed across studies is highly variable. Concentrations of PFAS observed in shellfish vary by geographic location, shellfish species, habitat, and across PFAS compounds, and studies informing estimates of bioaccumulation of PFAS in shellfish are extremely limited at this time. This review identifies several important opportunities for researchers to standardize PFAS sampling techniques, sample preparation, and analytical methodologies to allow for better comparison of PFAS analytes both within and across future studies. Increasing the range of geographic locations where samples are collected is also a critical priority to support a greater knowledge of worldwide PFAS contamination. When put into the context of risk to consumer, concentrations of PFAS, especially PFOS, found in shellfish collected from sites containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and industrial contamination may present risks to frequent consumers. Further research is needed to protect shellfish consumers and to inform shellfish advisories and health protective policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan G Giffard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Saige A Gitlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Marta Rardin
- Environmental Health Program, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH, USA
| | - Jonathan M Petali
- Environmental Health Program, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH, USA
| | - Celia Y Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA.
- One Medical Center Drive, Hinman, Box 7927, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
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24
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Blomberg A, Mortensen J, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Bone mass density following developmental exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): a longitudinal cohort study. Environ Health 2022; 21:113. [PMID: 36402982 PMCID: PMC9675242 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00929-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposures to industrial chemicals, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), may play a role in bone development and future risk of osteoporosis. However, as prospective evidence is limited, the role of developmental PFAS exposures in bone density changes in childhood is unclear. The objective of this study was to estimate associations between serum-PFAS concentrations measured in infancy and early childhood and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measured at age 9 years in a birth cohort of children from the Faroe Islands. METHODS We prospectively measured concentrations of five PFAS in cord serum and serum collected at 18 months, 5 years and 9 years, and conducted whole-body DXA scans at the 9-year clinical visit. Our study included 366 mother-child pairs with DXA scans and at least one PFAS measurement. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations of individual PFAS concentrations with age-, sex- and height-adjusted aBMD z-scores using multivariable regression models and applied formal mediation analysis to estimate the possible impact of by several measures of body composition. We also evaluated whether associations were modified by child sex. RESULTS We found PFAS exposures in childhood to be negatively associated with aBMD z-scores, with the strongest association seen for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) at age 5 years. A doubling in age-5 PFNA was associated with a 0.15 decrease in aBMD z-score (95% CI: - 0.26, - 0.039). The PFNA-aBMD association was significantly stronger in males than females, although effect modification by sex was not significant for other PFAS exposures. Results from the mediation analysis suggested that any potential associations between aBMD and 18-month PFAS concentrations may be mediated by total body fat and BMI, although most estimated total effects for PFAS exposures at age 18 months were non-significant. PFAS exposures at age 9 were not associated with age-9 aBMD z-scores. CONCLUSIONS The PFAS-aBMD associations identified in this and previous studies suggest that bone may be a target tissue for PFAS. Pediatric bone density has been demonstrated to strongly track through young adulthood and possibly beyond; therefore, these prospective results may have important public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, 22363, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Jann Mortensen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Medicine, The Faroese National Hospital, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
- Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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25
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Hærvig KK, Petersen KU, Hougaard KS, Lindh C, Ramlau-Hansen CH, Toft G, Giwercman A, Høyer BB, Flachs EM, Bonde JP, Tøttenborg SS. Maternal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Male Reproductive Function in Young Adulthood: Combined Exposure to Seven PFAS. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:107001. [PMID: 36197086 PMCID: PMC9533763 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Concerns remain about the human reproductive toxicity of the widespread per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during early stages of development. OBJECTIVES We examined associations between maternal plasma PFAS levels during early pregnancy and male offspring reproductive function in adulthood. METHODS The study included 864 young men (age range:18.9-21.2 y) from the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) cohort established between 2017 and 2019. Plasma samples from their mothers, primarily from the first trimester, were retrieved from the Danish National Biobank and levels of 15 PFAS were measured. Seven PFAS had detectable levels above the limit of detection in >80% of the samples and were included in analyses. Semen quality, testicular volume, and levels of reproductive hormones and PFAS were assessed in the young men. We used weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression to estimate the associations between combined exposure to maternal PFAS and reproductive function, and negative binomial regression to estimate the associations of single substances, while adjusting for a range of a priori-defined fetal and postnatal risk factors. RESULTS By a 1-unit increase in the WQS index, combined maternal PFAS exposure was associated with lower sperm concentration (-8%; 95% CI: -16%, -1%), total sperm count (-10%; 95% CI: -17%, -2%), and a higher proportion of nonprogressive and immotile sperm (5%; 95% CI: 1%, 8%) in the young men. Different PFAS contributed to the associations with varying strengths; however, perfluoroheptanoic acid was identified as the main contributor in the analyses of all three outcomes despite the low concentration. We saw no clear association between exposure to maternal PFAS and testicular volume or reproductive hormones. DISCUSSION In a sample of young men from the general Danish population, we observed consistent inverse associations between exposure to maternal PFAS and semen quality. The study needs to be replicated in other populations, taking combined exposure, as well as emerging short-chain PFAS, into consideration. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10285.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Keglberg Hærvig
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karin Sørig Hougaard
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Gunnar Toft
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Aleksander Giwercman
- Molecular Reproductive Medicine, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden
| | - Birgit Bjerre Høyer
- Department of Regional Development, Region of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
| | - Esben Meulengracht Flachs
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Peter Bonde
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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26
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Gustafsson Å, Bergman Å, Weiss JM. Estimated daily intake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances related to different particle size fractions of house dust. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 303:135061. [PMID: 35649447 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Indoor environmental pollutants are a threat to human health. In the current study, we analysed 25 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in seven different size fraction of house dust including the two relevant for exposure via ingestion and inhalation. The highest PFAS concentration is found in the inhalable particulate fraction which is explained by the increased surface area as the particulate's sizes decrease. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of the individual PFAS and exposure pathways were calculated for children and adults. In addition, the total EDI for PFOA and its precursors was estimated. The polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters (diPAP), followed by PFOA and PFHxA fluortelomer, showed the highest concentrations of PFAS analysed. The cumulative EDI of PFAS for children was 3.0 ng/kg bw per day, a worst-case scenario, which is 17 times higher than the calculated EDI for adults. For children, ingestion of dust was found to result in 800 times higher PFOA exposure than via inhalation. The contribution from PFOA precursors corresponded to only 1% of the EDI from dust indicating PFOA as the main source of exposure. The EDI's of PFOA and PFOS from dust were lower than the calculated EDI's from food ingestion reported by the Swedish Food Agency. Our data indicate that the EDI for the sum of four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS from dust intake alone is close to the established tolerable weakly intake of 4.4 ng/kg bw in children, set by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020. The combined EDI levels PFOA and PFOS from both dust and food exceeded the EFSA TWI for both children and adults. This study demonstrates that dust is a relevant exposure pathway for PFAS intake and that analysis of relevant particle size fractions is important for evaluation of dust as an exposure pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åsa Gustafsson
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Åke Bergman
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden; Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jana M Weiss
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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27
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Wielsøe M, Long M, Bossi R, Vorkamp K, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Persistent organic pollutant exposures among Greenlandic adults in relation to lifestyle and diet: New data from the ACCEPT cohort. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 827:154270. [PMID: 35245549 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in blood of the Greenlandic population are well known. The exposure is mainly through traditional food intake, including marine mammals and seabirds. The present study aimed to follow up on POP concentrations (organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs)) and relations to lifestyle and diet of the mothers included in the Greenlandic ACCEPT cohort (3-5 years after inclusion in 2013-15) and to include the children's fathers. This new data collection in 2019-20 included blood samples for measurement of POP concentrations and lifestyle and food frequency questionnaires from 101 mothers and 76 fathers aged 24-55 years living in Nuuk, Sisimiut, and Ilulissat, Greenland. The mothers' intra-individual median percentage decrease in POP concentrations from inclusion to this follow-up (3-5 years later) was 16-58%, except for mirex (0% change). Median concentrations of POPs were 1.4-4.6 times higher in fathers than in mothers. The POPs differed by residential town with generally higher concentrations in Ilulissat compared to Sisimiut and Nuuk. We report, for the first time, novel HFRs in human samples from Greenland. However, concentrations were low and only dechlorane plus (with its anti-isomer) was detected in >50% of the samples. Most POPs correlated positively with age and n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio. The lipophilic POPs correlated positively with the percentage of life lived in Greenland, whereas few POPs correlated positively with BMI, income (personal and household), education, and alcohol intake. The POPs generally associated positively with the intake of marine mammals, seabirds, and dried fish, while few POPs associated positively with Greenlandic fish intake. In contrast, POPs generally associated negatively with imported meat products intake. The study findings may be of interest for future dietary recommendations in Greenland. We discuss the potential explanations for the findings and suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wielsøe
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Katrin Vorkamp
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland, Manutooq 1, 3905 Nuussuaq, Greenland.
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28
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Hall SM, Zhang S, Hoffman K, Miranda ML, Stapleton HM. Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human placental tissues and associations with birth outcomes. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 295:133873. [PMID: 35143854 PMCID: PMC8923299 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants commonly detected in human serum. Previous studies have observed associations between maternal serum PFAS and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes such as lower birth weight or pre-eclampsia; however, few studies have explored these associations with birth outcomes and placental tissue PFAS concentration. The placenta is a vital contributor to a healthy pregnancy and may be involved in the mechanism of PFAS reproductive toxicity. Our goal was to measure placental PFAS concentrations and examine associations with birth outcomes (e.g., birth weight, gestational duration). Placenta samples (n = 120) were collected during delivery from women enrolled in the Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby cohort (HPHB) in Durham, North Carolina. All placenta samples contained detectable PFAS, with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) being the most abundant and most frequently detected (all >96% detection frequency). While placental PFAS concentrations did not differ by infant sex, higher PFAS levels were observed in placenta from nulliparous women, suggesting that parity influences the accumulation of PFAS in the placenta. We used linear regression models to examine associations between placental PFAS and birth outcomes. After adjustment for parity, tobacco use, maternal age, and maternal race, we found that placental PFOS was associated with lower birth weight for gestational age in male infants and higher birth weight for gestational age in female infants. Similar findings were seen for PFNA for birth weight for gestational age. These differences in birth outcomes based on infant sex highlight a need to explore mechanistic differences in PFAS toxicity during gestation for male and female infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Hall
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, NC, 27710, United States
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, NC, 27710, United States
| | - Kate Hoffman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, NC, 27710, United States
| | - Marie Lynn Miranda
- University of Notre Dame, Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, United States
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, NC, 27710, United States.
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29
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Eick SM, Enright EA, Padula AM, Aung M, Geiger SD, Cushing L, Trowbridge J, Keil AP, Gee Baek H, Smith S, Park JS, DeMicco E, Schantz SL, Woodruff TJ, Morello-Frosch R. Prenatal PFAS and psychosocial stress exposures in relation to fetal growth in two pregnancy cohorts: Applying environmental mixture methods to chemical and non-chemical stressors. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 163:107238. [PMID: 35436721 PMCID: PMC9202828 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to individual per‑ and poly‑fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and psychosocial stressors have been associated with reductions in fetal growth. Studies suggest cumulative or joint effects of chemical and non-chemical stressors on fetal growth. However, few studies have examined PFAS and non-chemical stressors together as a mixture, which better reflects real life exposure patterns. We examined joint associations between PFAS, perceived stress, and depression, and fetal growth using two approaches developed for exposure mixtures. METHODS Pregnant participants were enrolled in the Chemicals in Our Bodies cohort and Illinois Kids Development Study, which together make up the ECHO.CA.IL cohort. Seven PFAS were previously measured in 2nd trimester maternal serum samples and were natural log transformed for analyses. Perceived stress and depression were assessed using self-reported validated questionnaires, which were converted to t-scores using validated methods. Quantile g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess joint associations between PFAS, perceived stress and depression t-scores and birthweight z-scores (N = 876). RESULTS Individual PFAS, depression and perceived stress t-scores were negatively correlated with birthweight z-scores. Using quantile g-computation, a simultaneous one quartile increase in all PFAS, perceived stress and depression t-scores was associated with a slight reduction in birthweight z-scores (mean change per quartile increase = -0.09, 95% confidence interval = -0.21,0.03). BKMR similarly indicated that cumulative PFAS and stress t-scores were modestly associated with lower birthweight z-scores. Across both methods, the joint association appeared to be distributed across multiple exposures rather than due to a single exposure. CONCLUSIONS Our study is one of the first to examine the joint effects of chemical and non-chemical stressors on fetal growth using mixture methods. We found that PFAS, perceived stress, and depression in combination were modestly associated were lower birthweight z-scores, which supports prior studies indicating that chemical and non-chemical stressors are jointly associated with adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Eick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A Enright
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - Amy M Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Max Aung
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Sarah D Geiger
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Lara Cushing
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Trowbridge
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexander P Keil
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hyoung Gee Baek
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sabrina Smith
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - June-Soo Park
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Erin DeMicco
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susan L Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL USA; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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30
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Hoyeck MP, Matteo G, MacFarlane EM, Perera I, Bruin JE. Persistent organic pollutants and β-cell toxicity: a comprehensive review. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2022; 322:E383-E413. [PMID: 35156417 PMCID: PMC9394781 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00358.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a diverse family of contaminants that show widespread global dispersion and bioaccumulation. Humans are continuously exposed to POPs through diet, air particles, and household and commercial products; POPs are consistently detected in human tissues, including the pancreas. Epidemiological studies show a modest but consistent correlation between exposure to POPs and increased diabetes risk. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of epidemiological evidence and an in-depth evaluation of the in vivo and in vitro evidence that POPs cause β-cell toxicity. We review evidence for six classes of POPs: dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), flame retardants, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The available data provide convincing evidence implicating POPs as a contributing factor driving impaired glucose homeostasis, β-cell dysfunction, and altered metabolic and oxidative stress pathways in islets. These findings support epidemiological data showing that POPs increase diabetes risk and emphasize the need to consider the endocrine pancreas in toxicity assessments. Our review also highlights significant gaps in the literature assessing islet-specific endpoints after both in vivo and in vitro POP exposure. In addition, most rodent studies do not consider the impact of biological sex or secondary metabolic stressors in mediating the effects of POPs on glucose homeostasis and β-cell function. We discuss key gaps and limitations that should be assessed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam P Hoyeck
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geronimo Matteo
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin M MacFarlane
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ineli Perera
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer E Bruin
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Varsi K, Torsvik IK, Huber S, Averina M, Brox J, Bjørke-Monsen AL. Impaired gross motor development in infants with higher PFAS concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112392. [PMID: 34800539 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112392] [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: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Industrial produced perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmentally persistent and found in humans around the globe. PFAS is transferred from mother to child during pregnancy and lactation and PFAS concentrations are high in infants. PFAS exposure in early life has been linked to a range of negative health effects. In the present study we have investigated PFAS concentrations in mothers (pregnancy week 18, 28 and 36 and six weeks, four and six months postpartum, n = 114) and in infants at six months age (n = 94), and studied the effects of PFAS status on infant gross motor development by Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at age six months. PFAS concentrations declined in the mothers during pregnancy and postpartum period, and the highest concentrations were seen in infants aged six months. Parity was a strong negative predictor and fish intake a strong positive predictor of maternal PFAS status, while maternal concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy week 18 and months of exclusive breastfeeding determined the PFAS concentrations in infants at six months. Infants who scored below the median on gross motor development had higher PFAS concentrations than infants with a better gross motor development. Ninety percent of the women reported having fish for dinner at least once a week, with fatty fish as the most popular choice (72%). A higher maternal fish intake in pregnancy week 18 was associated with a poorer gross motor development in the infants at six months. Infant gross motor development is a marker of later cognitive outcome and our findings indicate that higher PFAS concentrations in young infants and maternal fatty fish intake may impair neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Varsi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | - Sandra Huber
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Maria Averina
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Community Medicine, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jan Brox
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anne-Lise Bjørke-Monsen
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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32
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Caporale N, Leemans M, Birgersson L, Germain PL, Cheroni C, Borbély G, Engdahl E, Lindh C, Bressan RB, Cavallo F, Chorev NE, D'Agostino GA, Pollard SM, Rigoli MT, Tenderini E, Tobon AL, Trattaro S, Troglio F, Zanella M, Bergman Å, Damdimopoulou P, Jönsson M, Kiess W, Kitraki E, Kiviranta H, Nånberg E, Öberg M, Rantakokko P, Rudén C, Söder O, Bornehag CG, Demeneix B, Fini JB, Gennings C, Rüegg J, Sturve J, Testa G. From cohorts to molecules: Adverse impacts of endocrine disrupting mixtures. Science 2022; 375:eabe8244. [PMID: 35175820 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe8244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Convergent evidence associates exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with major human diseases, even at regulation-compliant concentrations. This might be because humans are exposed to EDC mixtures, whereas chemical regulation is based on a risk assessment of individual compounds. Here, we developed a mixture-centered risk assessment strategy that integrates epidemiological and experimental evidence. We identified that exposure to an EDC mixture in early pregnancy is associated with language delay in offspring. At human-relevant concentrations, this mixture disrupted hormone-regulated and disease-relevant regulatory networks in human brain organoids and in the model organisms Xenopus leavis and Danio rerio, as well as behavioral responses. Reinterrogating epidemiological data, we found that up to 54% of the children had prenatal exposures above experimentally derived levels of concern, reaching, for the upper decile compared with the lowest decile of exposure, a 3.3 times higher risk of language delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Caporale
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Michelle Leemans
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lina Birgersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cheroni
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Gábor Borbély
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Elin Engdahl
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Francesca Cavallo
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Nadav Even Chorev
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alessandro D'Agostino
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marco Tullio Rigoli
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Tenderini
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Alejandro Lopez Tobon
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Trattaro
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Flavia Troglio
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Zanella
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Åke Bergman
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.,School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Jönsson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wieland Kiess
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department of Women and Child Health, University Hospital, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Efthymia Kitraki
- Lab of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Eewa Nånberg
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Mattias Öberg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Christina Rudén
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olle Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Division, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, SE- 651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chris Gennings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joachim Sturve
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
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33
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Itoh S, Yamazaki K, Suyama S, Ikeda-Araki A, Miyashita C, Ait Bamai Y, Kobayashi S, Masuda H, Yamaguchi T, Goudarzi H, Okada E, Kashino I, Saito T, Kishi R. The association between prenatal perfluoroalkyl substance exposure and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 8-year-old children and the mediating role of thyroid hormones in the Hokkaido study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 159:107026. [PMID: 34890903 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruption of thyroid hormone (TH) levels during pregnancy contributes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during gestation may affect levels of maternal and neonatal TH; however, little is known about the effect of PFAS on ADHD mediated by TH. OBJECTIVES We investigated the impact of maternal PFAS exposure on children's ADHD symptoms with the mediating effect of TH. METHODS In a prospective birth cohort (the Hokkaido study), we included 770 mother-child pairs recruited between 2002 and 2005 for whom both prenatal maternal and cord blood samples were available. Eleven PFAS were measured in maternal serum obtained at 28-32 weeks of gestation using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. TH and thyroid antibody, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) were measured in maternal blood during early pregnancy (median 11 gestational weeks) and in cord blood at birth. ADHD symptoms in the children at 8 years of age were rated by their parents using the ADHD-Rating Scale (ADHD-RS). The cut-off value was set at the 80th percentile for each sex. RESULTS Significant inverse associations were found between some PFAS in maternal serum and ADHD symptoms among first-born children. Assuming causality, we found only one significant association: maternal FT4 mediated 17.6% of the estimated effect of perfluoroundecanoic acid exposure on hyperactivity-impulsivity among first-born children. DISCUSSION Higher PFAS levels in maternal serum during pregnancy were associated with lower risks of ADHD symptoms at 8 years of age. The association was stronger among first-born children in relation to hyperactivity-impulsivity than with regard to inattention. There was little mediating role of TH during pregnancy in the association between maternal exposure to PFAS and reduced ADHD symptoms at 8 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachiko Itoh
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Keiko Yamazaki
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Suyama
- Funded Research Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Atsuko Ikeda-Araki
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Chihiro Miyashita
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yu Ait Bamai
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Sumitaka Kobayashi
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Masuda
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yamaguchi
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Houman Goudarzi
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Center for Medical Education and International Relations, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Emiko Okada
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ikuko Kashino
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takuya Saito
- Funded Research Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Reiko Kishi
- Center for Environmental Health and Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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34
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Wise LA, Wesselink AK, Schildroth S, Calafat AM, Bethea TN, Geller RJ, Coleman CM, Fruh V, Claus Henn B, Botelho JC, Harmon QE, Thirkill M, Wegienka GR, Baird DD. Correlates of plasma concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances among reproductive-aged Black women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111860. [PMID: 34403666 PMCID: PMC8616815 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in commercial and consumer goods. Black women are underrepresented in studies of PFAS exposure. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis of correlates of plasma PFAS concentrations among 1499 Black women aged 23-35 participating in the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a Detroit-based cohort study. At baseline (2010-2012), participants provided questionnaire data on socio-demographics; behaviors; diet; and menstrual, contraceptive, and reproductive histories. Using mass spectrometry in non-fasting plasma samples collected at enrollment, we quantified several PFAS, including perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA), and 2-N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetate (MeFOSAA). We used linear regression to calculate percentage differences (%D) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between selected correlates and PFAS concentrations, adjusting for all other correlates. RESULTS PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA were detected in ≥97 % of women; PFDA in 86 %; MeFOSAA in 70 %; and PFUnDA in 52 %. Age, income, education, and intakes of water, alcohol, and seafood were positively associated with several PFAS. Current smoking was positively associated with MeFOSAA. Body mass index was inversely associated with most PFAS, except PFHxS. Strong inverse associations (%D; 95 % CI) were observed between parity (≥3 vs. 0 births) and PFHxS (-34.7; -43.0, -25.1) and PFOA (-33.1; -39.2, -26.3); breastfeeding duration (≥6 months vs. nulliparous) and PFOA (-31.1; -37.8, -23.7), PFHxS (-24.2; -34.5, -12.3), and PFOS (-18.4; -28.3, -7.1); recent birth (<2 years ago vs. nulliparous) and PFOA (-33.1; -39.6, -25.8), PFHxS (-29.3; -39.0, -18.1), PFNA (-25.2; -32.7, -16.8), and PFOS (-18.3; -28.3, -6.9); and intensity of menstrual bleed (heavy vs. light) and PFHxS (-18.8; -28.3, -8.2), PFOS (-16.4; -24.9, -7.1), PFNA (-10.5; -17.8, -2.6), and PFOA (-10.0; -17.2, -2.1). Current use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) was positively associated with PFOS (20.2; 1.4, 42.5), PFOA (16.2; 1.5, 33.0), and PFNA (15.3; 0.4, 32.4). CONCLUSIONS Reproductive factors that influence PFAS elimination showed strong associations with several PFAS (reduced concentrations with parity, recent birth, lactation, heavy menstrual bleeding; increased concentrations with DMPA use).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Schildroth
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Traci N Bethea
- Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities Research, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ruth J Geller
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chad M Coleman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Fruh
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Birgit Claus Henn
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julianne C Botelho
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Quaker E Harmon
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Maya Thirkill
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Donna D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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35
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Zhang YT, Zeeshan M, Su F, Qian ZM, Dee Geiger S, Edward McMillin S, Wang ZB, Dong PX, Ou YQ, Xiong SM, Shen XB, Zhou PE, Yang BY, Chu C, Li QQ, Zeng XW, Feng WR, Zhou YZ, Dong GH. Associations between both legacy and alternative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and glucose-homeostasis: The Isomers of C8 health project in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106913. [PMID: 34624590 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies on the associations of legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and glucose homeostasis remain discordant. Understanding of PFAS alternatives is limited, and few studies have reported joint associations of PFASs and PFAS alternatives. OBJECTIVES To investigate associations of novel PFAS alternatives (chlorinated perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acids, Cl-PFESAs and perfluorobutanoic acid, PFBA) and two legacy PFASs (Perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate, PFOS) with glucose-homeostasis markers and explore joint associations of 13 legacy and alternative PFASs with the selected outcomes. METHODS We used cross-sectional data of 1,038 adults from the Isomers of C8 Health Project in China. Associations of PFASs and PFAS alternatives with glucose-homeostasis were explored in single-pollutant models using generalized linear models with natural cubic splines for PFASs. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were applied to assess joint associations of exposures and outcomes. Sex-specific analyses were also conducted to evaluate effect modification. RESULTS After adjusting for confounders, both legacy (PFOA, PFOS) and alternative (Cl-PFESAs and PFBA) PFASs were positively associated with glucose-homeostasis markers in single-pollutant models. For example, in the total study population, estimated changes with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of fasting glucose at the 95th percentile of 6:2Cl-PFESA and PFOS against the thresholds were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.21) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.62). Positive joint associations were found in BKMR models with 6:2Cl-PFESA contributing most. Sex-specific associations existed in both single- and multi-pollutant models. CONCLUSIONS Legacy and alternative PFASs were positively associated with glucose-homeostasis markers. 6:2Cl-PFESA was the primary contributor. Sex-specific associations were also identified. These results indicate that joint associations and effect modification should be considered in risk assessment. However, further studies are recommended to strengthen our findings and to elucidate the mechanisms of action of legacy and alternative PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ting Zhang
- 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
| | - Fan Su
- 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
| | - Zheng-Min 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
| | - Stephen Edward McMillin
- School of Social Work, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Zhi-Bin Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Laboratory of Human Environmental Epigenomes, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Peng-Xin Dong
- Nursing College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yan-Qiu Ou
- Department of Epidemiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Cardiovascular Diseases, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shi-Min Xiong
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563060, China
| | - Xu-Bo Shen
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563060, China
| | - Pei-En Zhou
- 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
| | - Bo-Yi Yang
- 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
| | - Chu Chu
- 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
| | - Qing-Qing Li
- 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
| | - Wen-Ru Feng
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510440, China.
| | - Yuan-Zhong Zhou
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563060, 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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Polachova A, Gramblicka T, Bechynska K, Parizek O, Parizkova D, Dvorakova D, Honkova K, Rossnerova A, Rossner P, Sram RJ, Topinka J, Pulkrabova J. Biomonitoring of 89 POPs in blood serum samples of Czech city policemen. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 291:118140. [PMID: 34555793 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this biomonitoring study, we evaluated the concentrations of 8 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 11 organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), 33 brominated flame retardants (BFRs), 7 novel brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (novel FRs) and 30 per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in human serum samples (n = 274). A total of 89 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured in blood serum samples of city policemen living in three large cities and their adjacent areas (Ostrava, Prague, and Ceske Budejovice) in the Czech Republic. All samples were collected during the year 2019 in two sampling periods (spring and autumn). The identification/quantification of PCBs, OCPs, BFRs, novel FRs and PFAS was performed by means of gas chromatography coupled to (tandem) mass spectrometry (GC-MS/(MS)) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The most frequently detected pollutants were perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), 2,2',3,4,4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB 138), 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB 153), 2,2',3,3',4,4',5-heptachlorobiphenyl (CB 170), 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl (CB 180), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) quantified in 100% of serum samples. In the serum samples, the concentrations of determined POPs were in the range of 0.108-900 ng g-1 lipid weight (lw) for PCBs, 0.106-1016 ng g-1 lw for OCPs, <0.1-618 ng g-1 lw for FRs and <0.01-18.3 ng mL-1 for PFAS, respectively. Locality, sampling season, and age were significantly associated with several POP concentrations. One of the important conclusions was that within the spring sampling period, statistically significant higher concentrations of CB 170 and CB 180 were observed in the samples from Ostrava (industrial area) compared to Prague and Ceske Budejovice. Older policemen had higher concentrations of five PCBs and two OCPs in blood serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Polachova
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Gramblicka
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Bechynska
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Parizek
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Denisa Parizkova
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Darina Dvorakova
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Honkova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Rossnerova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Rossner
- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Nanotoxicology and Molecular Epidemiology Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Radim J Sram
- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Topinka
- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Pulkrabova
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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Björvang RD, Vinnars MT, Papadogiannakis N, Gidlöf S, Mamsen LS, Mucs D, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Ruokojärvi P, Lindh CH, Andersen CY, Damdimopoulou P. Mixtures of persistent organic pollutants are found in vital organs of late gestation human fetuses. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 283:131125. [PMID: 34467953 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are industrial chemicals with long half-lives. Early life exposure to POPs has been associated with adverse effects. Fetal exposure is typically estimated based on concentrations in maternal serum or placenta and little is known on the actual fetal exposure. We measured the concentrations of nine organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), ten polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners by gas chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry in maternal serum, placenta, and fetal tissues (adipose tissue, liver, heart, lung and brain) in 20 pregnancies that ended in stillbirth (gestational weeks 36-41). The data were combined with our earlier data on perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the same cohort (Mamsen et al. 2019). HCB, p,p'-DDE, PCB 138 and PCB 153 were quantified in all samples of maternal serum, placenta and fetal tissues. All 22 POPs were detected in all fetal adipose tissue samples, even in cases where they could not be detected in maternal serum or placenta. Tissue:serum ratios were significantly higher in later gestations, male fetuses, and pregnancies with normal placental function. OCPs showed the highest tissue:serum ratios and PFAS the lowest. The highest chemical burden was found in adipose tissue and lowest in the brain. Overall, all studied human fetuses were intrinsically exposed to mixtures of POPs. Tissue:serum ratios were significantly modified by gestational age, fetal sex and placental function. Importantly, more chemicals were detected in fetal tissues compared to maternal serum and placenta, implying that these proxy samples may provide a misleading picture of actual fetal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelle D Björvang
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden; Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Unit of Toxicology Sciences, 151 36, Södertälje, Sweden.
| | - Marie-Therese Vinnars
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology Örnsköldsviks Hospital, Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Örnsköldsvik/Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Nikos Papadogiannakis
- Division of Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Linn Salto Mamsen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Section 5712, The Juliane Marie Centre for Women, Children and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen and University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Daniel Mucs
- Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Unit of Toxicology Sciences, 151 36, Södertälje, Sweden.
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Päivi Ruokojärvi
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 223 61, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Section 5712, The Juliane Marie Centre for Women, Children and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen and University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden; Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Unit of Toxicology Sciences, 151 36, Södertälje, Sweden.
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Schildroth S, Wise LA, Wesselink AK, De La Cruz P, Bethea TN, Weuve J, Fruh V, Botelho JC, Sjodin A, Calafat AM, Baird DD, Henn BC. Correlates of Persistent Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Mixtures among Reproductive-Aged Black Women. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:14000-14014. [PMID: 34591461 PMCID: PMC9215200 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Black women are exposed to multiple endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), but few studies have examined their profiles of exposure to EDC mixtures. We identified biomarker profiles and correlates of exposure to EDC mixtures in a cross-sectional analysis of data from a prospective cohort study of 749 Black women aged 23-35 years. We quantified plasma concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nonfasting samples collected at baseline. Demographic, behavioral, dietary, and reproductive covariates were also collected at baseline. We used k-means clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) to describe concentration profiles of EDC mixtures (17 PCBs, 6 PBDEs, 4 OCPs, 6 PFAS), followed by multinomial logistic and multivariable linear regression to estimate mean differences in PCA scores (β) and odds ratios (ORs) of cluster membership with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Older age (per 1 year increase: β = 0.47, CI = 0.39, 0.54; OR = 1.27, CI = 1.20, 1.35), lower body mass index (per 1 kg/m2 increase: β = -0.14, CI = -0.17, -0.12; OR = 0.91, CI = 0.89, 0.94), and current smoking (≥10 cigarettes/day vs never smokers: β = 1.37, CI = 0.20, 2.55; OR = 2.63, CI = 1.07, 6.50) were associated with profiles characterized by higher concentrations of all EDCs. Other behaviors and traits, including dietary factors and years since last birth, were also associated with EDC mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Schildroth
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Corresponding Author: Samantha Schildroth.
| | - Lauren A. Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Amelia K. Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Payton De La Cruz
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Traci N. Bethea
- Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities Research, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Jennifer Weuve
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Victoria Fruh
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Julianne C. Botelho
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Andreas Sjodin
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, USA
| | - Birgit Claus Henn
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Norén E, Lindh C, Glynn A, Rylander L, Pineda D, Nielsen C. Temporal trends, 2000-2017, of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) concentrations in serum of Swedish adolescents. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106716. [PMID: 34144476 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been extensively used as surfactants because of their high stability and good water/oil-repellent properties. PFASs, especially perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), have long biological half-lives, and exposure may cause adverse health effects in humans. We assessed temporal trends of concentrations of eight PFAAs in serum of Swedish adolescents (age 16-21 years) from the general population, and estimated the stability of PFAAs and serum samples after 6 years of storage. Repeated cross-sectional sampling was performed on five occasions (covering in total 1213 individuals, 83% males) in southern Sweden between 2000 and 2017. We analyzed serum for perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We assessed time trends using linear regression, long-term stability was assessed by reanalyzing samples collected 2013, and the comparison was done using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman plots. PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA decreased by 6.7% (CI: -7.0, -6.3%), 12.6% (CI: -12.9, -12.3%), and 6.5% (CI: -6.8, -6.1%) per year, respectively, and year of sampling explained 48-81% of the variation in concentrations. PFNA and PFDA seemed to increase up to 2009 and decrease thereafter. The trends were consistent after sensitivity analyses excluding women. Strong correlations of 94-97% were observed for concentrations of all compounds, except PFHxS, after storage. The observed trends closely followed the timing of manufacturers' voluntary phase-out initiatives, and of regulatory measures governing the compounds implemented in the EU and USA. This indicates that these actions mitigated the population's exposure to PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA and, in recent years, to PFNA and PFDA, in southern Sweden. Furthermore, the results suggest that PFAAs remain stable in serum samples after long-term storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Norén
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Glynn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Rylander
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniela Pineda
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christel Nielsen
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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40
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Blomberg AJ, Shih YH, Messerlian C, Jørgensen LH, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Early-life associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and serum lipids in a longitudinal birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111400. [PMID: 34081971 PMCID: PMC8403652 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may affect metabolic outcomes, including lipid concentrations in the blood. However, few studies have evaluated potential associations between PFASs and lipids longitudinally. OBJECTIVES We estimated associations between PFAS and lipid concentrations at birth and at several points in childhood. METHODS We measured concentrations of five major PFASs in cord serum and in serum collected at 18 months, five years and nine years in 490 children from a prospective cohort in the Faroe Islands. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were measured at birth, 18 months and nine years. We estimated associations between PFAS and lipid concentrations and evaluated possible effect modification by sex. We also tested whether PFAS associations with age-nine lipids varied by exposure period. RESULTS Serum PFAS concentrations at ages five and nine were positively associated with lipid concentrations at age nine. Cross-sectional associations between PFASs and lipids at age nine were the strongest, with increases in serum concentrations of perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) associated with increases in TC, HDL-C and LDL-C. We found statistically significant differences in estimated PFAS effects by sex, where girls had stronger positive associations between PFASs and TC and LDL-C and boys had stronger positive associations with HDL-C. In repeated measure models, exposure period was a significant modifier of PFAS effects. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that childhood PFAS exposures may be associated with elevated serum lipid concentrations. This is a public health concern, as a detrimental lipid profile in childhood is a risk factor for later development of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise J Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Yu-Hsuan Shih
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carmen Messerlian
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Louise Helskov Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Chang CJ, Ryan PB, Smarr MM, Kannan K, Panuwet P, Dunlop AL, Corwin EJ, Barr DB. Serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) concentrations and predictors of exposure among pregnant African American women in the Atlanta area, Georgia. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 198:110445. [PMID: 33186575 PMCID: PMC8107192 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, especially when exposure occurs within sensitive time windows such as the pre- and post-natal periods and early childhood. However, few studies have focused on PFAS exposure distribution and predictors in pregnant women, especially among African American women. We quantified serum concentrations of the four most common PFAS collected in all 453 participants and an additional 10 PFAS in 356 participants who were pregnant African American women enrolled from 2014 to 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia, and investigated the sociodemographic predictors of exposure. Additional home environment and behavior predictors were also examined in 130 participants. Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were detected in >95% of the samples with PFOS having the highest concentrations (geometric mean (GM) 2.03 ng/mL). N-Methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (NMeFOSAA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) were found in 40-50% of the samples, whereas the detection frequencies for the other six PFAS were below 15%. When compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants matching sex, race, and age with this study, our results showed similar concentrations of most PFAS, but higher concentrations of PFHxS (GM 0.99 ng/mL in this study; 0.63 and 0.4 ng/mL in NHANES, 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 cycles). A decline in concentrations over the study period was found for most PFAS but not PFPeA. In adjusted models, education, sampling year, parity, BMI, tobacco and marijuana use, age of house, drinking water source, and cosmetic use were significantly associated with serum PFAS concentrations. Our study reports the first PFAS exposure data among pregnant African American women in the Atlanta area, Georgia. The identified predictors will facilitate the setting of research priorities and enable development of exposure mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Jung Chang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - P Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Melissa M Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Alhamdow A, Zettergren A, Kull I, Hallberg J, Andersson N, Ekström S, Berglund M, Wheelock CE, Essig YJ, Krais AM, Georgelis A, Lindh CH, Melén E, Bergström A. Low-level exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is associated with reduced lung function among Swedish young adults. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111169. [PMID: 33857464 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been linked to adverse pulmonary effects. However, the impact of low-level environmental PAH exposure on lung function in early adulthood remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the associations between urinary PAH metabolites and lung function parameters in young adults. METHODS Urinary metabolites of pyrene, phenanthrene, and fluorene were analysed in 1000 young adults from Sweden (age 22-25 years) using LC-MS/MS. Lung function and eosinophilic airway inflammation were measured by spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO), respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between PAH metabolites and the outcomes. RESULTS Median urinary concentrations of 1-OH-pyrene, ∑OH-phenanthrene, and ∑OH-fluorene were 0.066, 0.36, 0.22 μg/L, respectively. We found inverse associations of ∑OH-phenanthrene and ∑OH-fluorene with FEV1 and FVC, as well as between 1-OH-pyrene and FEV1/FVC ratio (adjusted P < 0.05; all participants). An increase of 1% in ∑OH-fluorene was associated with a decrease of 73 mL in FEV1 and 59 mL in FVC. In addition, ∑OH-phenanthrene concentrations were, in a dose-response manner, inversely associated with FEV1 (B from -109 to -48 compared with the lowest quartile of ∑OH-phenanthrene; p trend 0.004) and FVC (B from -159 to -102 compared with lowest quartile; p-trend <0.001). Similar dose-response associations were also observed between ∑OH-fluorene and FEV1 and FVC, as well as between 1-OH-pyrene and FEV1/FVC (p-trend <0.05). There was no association between PAH exposure and FeNO, nor was there an interaction with smoking, sex, or asthma. CONCLUSION Low-level PAH exposure was, in a dose-response manner, associated with reduced lung function in young adults. Our findings have public health implications due to i) the widespread occurrence of PAHs in the environment and ii) the clinical relevance of lung function in predicting all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Alhamdow
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Zettergren
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inger Kull
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Sachs' Children's and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, SE, 11883, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 11883, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jenny Hallberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Sachs' Children's and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, SE, 11883, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas Andersson
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sandra Ekström
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, SE, 11365, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marika Berglund
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Craig E Wheelock
- Division of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 77, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Karolinska University Hospital, SE, 17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yona J Essig
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE, 22363, Lund, Sweden
| | - Annette M Krais
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE, 22363, Lund, Sweden
| | - Antonios Georgelis
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, SE, 11365, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE, 22363, Lund, Sweden
| | - Erik Melén
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Sachs' Children's and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, SE, 11883, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 11883, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Bergström
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, SE, 11365, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances in early pregnancy and risk of sporadic first trimester miscarriage. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3568. [PMID: 33574373 PMCID: PMC7878909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Many first trimester sporadic miscarriages are unexplained and the role of environmental exposures is unknown. The present aim was to study if levels of Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in early pregnancy are associated with unexplained, sporadic first trimester miscarriage. The study was performed within the Swedish SELMA pregnancy cohort. Seventy-eight women with non-recurrent first trimester miscarriage were included and 1449 women were available as live birth controls. Eight PFASs were measured in first trimester serum. A doubling of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure, corresponding to an inter-quartile increase, was associated with an odds ratio (95%CI) for miscarriage of 1.48 (1.09–2.01) when adjusting for parity, age and smoking. Analyses per quartiles of PFOA exposure indicated a monotonic dose response association with miscarriage. A similar, but not significant, pattern was observed for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). For other PFAS, there were no associations with miscarriage. We have previously shown associations between early pregnancy PFAS exposures and preeclampsia, as well as lower birth weight. Now we report an association between PFOA and miscarriage within the same cohort, which may suggest shared but unknown mechanisms. The study can only represent a period of early placentation and clinical pregnancy loss during the second half of the first trimester.
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Bjorke-Monsen AL, Varsi K, Averina M, Brox J, Huber S. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and mercury in never-pregnant women of fertile age: association with fish consumption and unfavorable lipid profile. BMJ Nutr Prev Health 2020; 3:277-284. [PMID: 33521539 PMCID: PMC7841832 DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives To examine concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and lifestyle factors that may contribute to higher levels of pollutants in never-pregnant women of fertile age. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting Participants were recruited among employees and students at Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen, Norway. Participants Healthy, never-pregnant Norwegian women (n=158) of fertile age (18-39 years). Outcomes Concentrations of 20 different PFASs, mercury (Hg), lead, cadmium, total, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, in addition to self-reported data on dietary intake. Results Seven PFASs were detected in more than 95% of the women. Women aged 30-39 years had higher concentrations of sum PFAS compared with younger women. Serum PFASs were significantly intercorrelated (rho: 0.34-0.98, p<0.001) and six of them were significantly correlated to whole blood Hg (rho: 0.21-0.74, p<0.01). Fish consumption was the strongest predictor for most serum PFASs and for whole blood Hg. Fish consumption and serum perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations were both positively associated with serum total and LDL cholesterol, established risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Conclusions The majority of Norwegian never-pregnant women of fertile age had a mixture of seven different PFASs and Hg detected in their blood. PFAS concentrations were higher in older women and associated with fish intake. As the mean age of women at first birth is increasing, several factors require further consideration including diet, as this may influence the burden of PFAS to the next generation. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03272022, Unique Protocol ID: 2011/2447, Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics West (2011/2447), 12 January 2012.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Lise Bjorke-Monsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kristin Varsi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria Averina
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
| | - Jan Brox
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
| | - Sandra Huber
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway
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Liu Y, Li A, Buchanan S, Liu W. Exposure characteristics for congeners, isomers, and enantiomers of perfluoroalkyl substances in mothers and infants. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 144:106012. [PMID: 32771830 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous in the environment, making it inevitable for humans to be exposed to these pollutants. The exposure begins while in utero and continues in infancy, during the potentially most sensitive early stages of life. This review summarizes the current knowledge on pre- and neo-natal exposures based on more than 200 articles published from 2000 to date. All relevant biological matrices used in the cited studies were included, such as maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, breast milk, placenta, amniotic fluid, fetal organs, newborns' dried blood spots, and infant serum. We show that such exposures are geographically global with significant discrepancies among countries and continents, and that while the levels of major legacy PFASs (PFOS and PFOA) have declined since 2000, those of others may have not. We also show that levels of PFOS and PFOA exceed those of some major environmental toxins, such as p,p'-DDE, BDE-47, PCB-153, PBB-153, and OH-PBDEs in maternal blood. Given that the behavior and potential effects have an origin in molecular structure, biomonitoring and research at the levels of isomers and enantiomers are critically important. Through critical analysis of these works, we summarize the major achievements, consensus, and the deficiencies of existing research. To our knowledge, this is the first review on the overall internal exposure status of mothers and infants to PFASs during pregnancy and lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxue Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Institution of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - An Li
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Susan Buchanan
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Weiping Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Institution of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Xu H, Zhou Q, Zhang J, Chen X, Zhao H, Lu H, Ma B, Wang Z, Wu C, Ying C, Xiong Y, Zhou Z, Li X. Exposure to elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in early pregnancy is related to increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A nested case-control study in Shanghai, China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105952. [PMID: 32717645 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and their short-chain alternatives have been produced and used extensively in China. However, it is unclear whether these compounds contribute to the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women residing in contaminated areas. OBJECTIVE The study was performed to explore the association between PFASs varying in chain length and the risk of developing GDM. METHOD A nested case-control study was conducted in a prospective cohort of 2,460 pregnant women between July 1, 2017, and January 31, 2019 in Shanghai, China. Twelve PFASs of interest were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS) in the sera of pregnant women at 16-20 weeks. GDM was diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test administered over 24-28 gestational weeks. The cases and controls were matched by maternal age. The relationship between maternal serum PFAS level and GDM risk was determined by conditional logistic and linear regression analyses. RESULTS A total of 165 GDM cases and 330 controls were enrolled in the study cohort. The frequencies of detection of PFHpA, PFDS, and PFOSA were all ≤80%. Hence, they were excluded from any further risk analysis. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected at relatively high serum levels (medians 6.57 ng/mL and 8.07 ng/mL, respectively). The serum levels of perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) were significantly higher in the GDM group than they were in the control group (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively) according to a nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. A quartile analysis showed that the odds ratio of GDM would significantly increase at the highest PFBS and PFDoA levels. In the core model, the adjusted ORs were 2.02 (95% CI = 1.04-3.79) and 13.00 (95% CI = 4.74-24.59), respectively, after adjusting for maternal age, sampling time, parity and body mass index [BMI]). CONCLUSION Elevated maternal serum PFBS and PFDoA levels in early pregnancy may be associated with a substantially higher GDM risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huangfang Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiongjie Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiming Zhang
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinning Chen
- Women's Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huanqiang Zhao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiqing Lu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Ma
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunhua Wu
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunmei Ying
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotian Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; The Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.
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Mottaleb MA, Petriello MC, Morris AJ. High-Throughput UHPLC-MS/MS Measurement of Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Alkyl Substances in Human Serum. J Anal Toxicol 2020; 44:339-347. [PMID: 31776573 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkz097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are a large group of synthetic surfactant chemicals with widespread uses in food packaging and textile manufacturing and as the main constituent of aqueous film-forming firefighting foams. PFASs are highly persistent in the environment, and human exposures are extensive with these chemicals detectable in the blood of almost all adult Americans. PFASs exhibit a range of toxic effects in preclinical models. In humans, PFAS exposure has been associated with lower birth weights, decreased immune responses, cancer and impaired fertility and elevated circulating cholesterol levels. We have developed a sensitive high-throughput method for quantification of representative PFAS in human serum and plasma for biomonitoring and epidemiological studies of human health effects of PFAS exposure. The method combines robust and reproducible 96-well plate format sample preparation with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method was developed, validated and used for targeted measurements of eight short-/long-chain PFAS analytes in human serum. Targeted analytes were measured in 50 microliters of sample using mass-labeled internal standards. Mean spiked recoveries (n = 10) of target analytes for three tiers quality control (QC-low, QC-medium, QC-high) samples ranged from 70 to 127% with 2-14% relative standard deviation (RSD). The average spiked recoveries (n = 10) of surrogates were 79-115% with 8-12% RSD for QC-low, 90-123% with 7-12% RSD for QC-medium and 82-114% with 9-15% RSD for QC-high. The limit of detection for the target compounds was 0.05-0.04 ng/mL. The method was used to reveal regional differences in PFAS exposures in Kentucky residents receiving care at the University of Kentucky Hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Abdul Mottaleb
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, Superfund Research Center and Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Michael C Petriello
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, Superfund Research Center and Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.,Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Andrew J Morris
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, Superfund Research Center and Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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Nielsen C, Andersson Hall U, Lindh C, Ekström U, Xu Y, Li Y, Holmäng A, Jakobsson K. Pregnancy-induced changes in serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances and the influence of kidney function. Environ Health 2020; 19:80. [PMID: 32641055 PMCID: PMC7346349 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00626-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological associations between maternal concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and birth weight are inconsistent. There is concern that studies based on samples collected in late pregnancy may be confounded by kidney function but studies of the relation between pregnancy-induced changes in PFAS and kidney function are lacking. Our aims were to investigate changes in serum concentrations of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) from early to late pregnancy and to explore relations to changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and glomerular pore size. METHODS We conducted the study in a cohort of 73 pregnancies of normal-weight Swedish women without gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, enrolled 2009-2014. Blood was collected in median weeks 11 and 36, respectively, and analysed PFAS using liquid chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry. We estimated GFR based on creatinine and cystatin C and used the ratio eGFRcystatin C/eGFRcreatinine to indicate glomerular pore size. We used Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare early and late measures and partial Spearman rank correlations to explore relations between changes in PFAS and kidney function. RESULTS Median concentrations of PFNA, PFOA and PFOS decreased by 15-21% but changes were uncorrelated to changes in kidney function (partial R = - 0.06-0.11). The observed increase in median PFHxS concentration of 69% was likely an artefact of systematic measurement error caused by coeluting endogenous inferences. CONCLUSIONS Serum concentrations of PFNA, PFOA and PFOS decrease during pregnancy but the magnitudes of change are unrelated to parallel changes in eGFR and glomerular pore size, suggesting that changes in these indicators of kidney function are not important confounders in studies of PFAS and birth weight in pregnancies without gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christel Nielsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Medicon Village (402A), Scheelevägen 8, 223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Andersson Hall
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Medicon Village (402A), Scheelevägen 8, 223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ekström
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yiyi Xu
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Ying Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Agneta Holmäng
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
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Kim K, Bennett DH, Calafat AM, Hertz-Picciotto I, Shin HM. Temporal trends and determinants of serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances among Northern California mothers with a young child, 2009-2016. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 186:109491. [PMID: 32361076 PMCID: PMC7363519 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has changed since the early 2000s, in part, because of the phase-out and replacement of some long-chain PFAS. Studies of PFAS exposure and its temporal changes have been limited to date mostly to adults and pregnant women. We examined temporal trends and determinants of PFAS serum concentrations among mothers with a young child who participated in the CHARGE (CHildhood Autism Risk from Genetics and Environment) case-control study. METHODS We quantified nine PFAS in serum samples collected from 2009 to 2016 in 450 Northern California mothers when their child was 2-5 years old. With five compounds that were detected in more than 50% of the samples, we performed multiple regression to estimate least square geometric means (LSGMs) of PFAS concentrations with adjustment for sampling year and other characteristics that may affect maternal concentrations (e.g., breastfeeding duration). We also used time-related regression coefficients to calculate percent changes over the study period. RESULTS LSGM concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) decreased over the study period [percent change (95% confidence interval): -10.7% (-12.7%, -8.7%); -10.8% (-12.9%, -8.5%); -8.0% (-10.5%, -5.5%), respectively]. On the other hand, perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) showed mixed time trends. Among the selected covariates, longer breastfeeding duration was associated with decreased maternal serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and PFDA. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that body burden of some common long-chain PFAS among California mothers with a young child decreased over the study period and that breastfeeding appears to contribute to the elimination of PFAS in lactating mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyunghoon Kim
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis MIND (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Hyeong-Moo Shin
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas, Arlington, TX, USA.
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50
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Björvang RD, Gennings C, Lin PI, Hussein G, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Ruokojärvi P, Lindh CH, Damdimopoulou P, Bornehag CG. Persistent organic pollutants, pre-pregnancy use of combined oral contraceptives, age, and time-to-pregnancy in the SELMA cohort. Environ Health 2020; 19:67. [PMID: 32539770 PMCID: PMC7294652 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00608-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We are exposed to several chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in our everyday lives. Prior evidence has suggested that POPs may have adverse effects on reproductive function by disrupting hormone synthesis and metabolism. While there is age-related decline of fertility, the use of hormonal combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and its association to return of fertility remains controversial. The goal of this study is to investigate the association between exposure to POPs, both individually and as a mixture, and fecundability measured as time-to-pregnancy (TTP) according to pre-pregnancy use of COCs and age. METHODS Using the SELMA (Swedish Environmental Longitudinal Mother and Child, Allergy and Asthma) study, we have identified 818 pregnant women aged 18-43 years (mean 29 years) with data on how long they tried to get pregnant and what was their most recently used contraceptive method. These data were collected at enrollment to the study (median week 10 of pregnancy). Concentrations of 22 POPs and cotinine were analyzed in the blood samples collected at the same time as the questions on TTP and pre-pregnancy use of contraceptive. Analyses were done on the association between POPs exposure and TTP measured as continuous (months) and binary (infertile for those with TTP > 12 months). To study the chemicals individually, Cox regression and logistic regression were used to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and odds ratios (ORs), respectively. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to investigate the chemicals as a mixture where chemicals of concern were identified above the 7.6% threshold of equal weights. To perform the subgroup analysis, we stratified the sample according to use of COCs as the most recent pre-pregnancy contraception method and age (< 29 years, and ≥ 29 years). The models were adjusted for parity, regularity of menses, maternal body mass index (BMI) and smoking status, and stratified as described above. RESULTS Prior to stratification, none of the POPs were associated with fecundability while increased exposure to HCB, PCB 74 and 118 had higher odds of infertility. Upon stratification, POP exposure was significantly associated with longer TTP in women aged ≥29 years who did not use COC. Specifically, PCBs 156, 180, 183, and 187 were associated with reduced fecundability while PCBs 99, 153, 156, 180, 183, and 187 had higher odds of infertility. As a mixture, we identified the chemicals of concern for a longer TTP include PCBs 118, 156, 183, and 187. Moreover, chemicals of concern identified with increased odds of infertility were PCB 74, 156, 183, 187, and transnonachlor. CONCLUSION Serum concentrations of selected POPs, both as individual chemicals and as a mixture, were significantly associated with lower fecundability and increased odds of infertility in women aged 29 years and above not using COC as their most recent pre-pregnancy contraceptive. Our findings suggest that pre-pregnancy use of oral contraceptive and age may modify the link between POPs and fecundability. The differences of specific chemicals in the individual analysis and as a mixture support the need to study combination effects of chemicals when evaluating reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelle D. Björvang
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Toxicology Sciences, Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Ping-I Lin
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Ghada Hussein
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karlstad Central Hospital, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Päivi Ruokojärvi
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Christian H. Lindh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Toxicology Sciences, Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
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