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Dong F, Zhang H, Sheng N, Hu J, Dai J, Pan Y. Nationwide distribution of perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids in Chinese diets: An emerging concern. Environ Int 2024; 186:108648. [PMID: 38615540 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
With the phase-out of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its replacement by perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), there is a potential for increased exposure to various new PFECAs among the general population in China. While there are existing studies on dietary exposure to legacy perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), research on dietary exposure to PFECAs, especially among the general Chinese populace, remains scarce. In the present study, we investigated the distribution of PFECAs in dietary sources from 33 cities across five major regions in China, along with the associated dietary intake. Analysis indicated that aquatic animal samples contained higher concentrations of legacy PFASs compared to those from terrestrial animals and plants. In contrast, PFECAs were found in higher concentrations in plant and terrestrial animal samples. Notably, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer (HFPO-DA) was identified as the dominant compound in vegetables, cereals, pork, and mutton across the five regions, suggesting widespread dietary exposure. PFECAs constituted the majority of PFAS intake (57 %), with the estimated daily intake (EDI) of HFPO-DA ranging from 2.33 to 3.96 ng/kg bw/day, which corresponds to 0.78-1.32 times the reference dose (RfD) (3.0 ng/kg bw/day) set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Given the ubiquity of HFPO-DA and many other PFECAs in the nationwide diet of China, there is an urgent need for further research into these chemicals to establish relevant safety benchmarks or consumption advisory values for the diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengfeng Dong
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Haijun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Nan Sheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jianglin Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yitao Pan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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Dong F, Pan Y, Zhang J, Hu J, Luo Y, Tang J, Dai J, Sheng N. Comprehensive Assessment of Exposure Pathways for Perfluoroalkyl Ether Carboxylic Acids ( PFECAs) in Residents Near a Fluorochemical Industrial Park: The Unanticipated Role of Cereal Consumption. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:19442-19452. [PMID: 37931148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
With the replacement of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with perfluorinated ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), residents living near fluorochemical industrial parks (FIPs) are exposed to various novel PFECAs. Despite expectations of low accumulation, short-chain PFECAs, such as perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), previously displayed a considerably high body burden, although the main exposure routes and health risks remain uncertain. Here, we explored the distribution of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in diverse environmental media surrounding a FIP in Shandong Province, China. PFECAs were found at elevated concentrations in all tested matrices, including vegetables, cereals, air, and dust. Among residents, 99.3% of the ∑36PFAS exposure, with a 43.9% contribution from PFECAs, was due to gastrointestinal uptake. Dermal and respiratory exposures were negligible at 0.1 and 0.6%, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFMOAA reached 114.0 ng/kg body weight (bw)/day, ranking first among all detected PFECAs. Cereals emerged as the dominant contributor to PFMOAA body burden, representing over 80% of the overall EDI. The median EDI of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) was 17.9 ng/kg bw/day, markedly higher than the USEPA reference doses (3.0 ng/kg bw/day). The absence of established threshold values for other PFECAs constrains a comprehensive risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengfeng Dong
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yitao Pan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jianglin Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yi Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jianhui Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nan Sheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
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Renyer A, Ravindra K, Wetmore BA, Ford JL, DeVito M, Hughes MF, Wehmas LC, MacMillan DK. Dose Response, Dosimetric, and Metabolic Evaluations of Replacement PFAS Perfluoro-(2,5,8-trimethyl-3,6,9-trioxadodecanoic) Acid (HFPO-TeA). Toxics 2023; 11:951. [PMID: 38133352 PMCID: PMC10747602 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Few studies are available on the environmental and toxicological effects of perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), such as GenX, which are replacing legacy PFAS in manufacturing processes. To collect initial data on the toxicity and toxicokinetics of a longer-chain PFECA, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to perfluoro-(2,5,8-trimethyl-3,6,9-trioxadodecanoic) acid (HFPO-TeA) by oral gavage for five days over multiple dose levels (0.3-335.2 mg/kg/day). Clinically, we observed mortality at doses >17 mg/kg/day and body weight changes at doses ≤17 mg/kg/day. For the 17 mg/kg/day dose level, T3 and T4 thyroid hormone concentrations were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) from controls and HFPO-TeA plasma concentrations were significantly different between sexes. Non-targeted analysis of plasma and in vitro hepatocyte assay extractions revealed the presence of another GenX oligomer, perfluoro-(2,5-dimethyl-3,6-dioxanonanoic) acid (HFPO-TA). In vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) parameterized with in vitro toxicokinetic data predicted steady-state blood concentrations that were within seven-fold of those observed in the in vivo study, demonstrating reasonable predictivity. The evidence of thyroid hormone dysregulation, sex-based differences in clinical results and dosimetry, and IVIVE predictions presented here suggest that the replacement PFECA HFPO-TeA induces a complex and toxic exposure response in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aero Renyer
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA;
| | - Krishna Ravindra
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA;
| | - Barbara A. Wetmore
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Jermaine L. Ford
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Michael DeVito
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Michael F. Hughes
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Leah C. Wehmas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Denise K. MacMillan
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
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Zhang F, Liu L, Hu J, Fu H, Li H, Chen J, Yang C, Guo Q, Liang X, Wang L, Guo Y, Dai J, Sheng N, Wang J. Accumulation and glucocorticoid signaling suppression by four emerging perfluoroethercarboxylic acids based on animal exposure and cell testing. Environ Int 2023; 178:108092. [PMID: 37463541 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Various perfluoroethercarboxylic acids (PFECA) have emerged as next-generation replacements of legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, there is a paucity of information regarding their bioaccumulation ability and hazard characterization. Here, we explored the accumulation and hepatotoxicity of four PFECA compounds (HFPO-DA, HFPO-TA, PFO4DA, and PFO5DoDA) in comparison to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) after chronic low-dose exposure in mice. Except for HFPO-DA, the levels of all tested PFAS in the liver exceeded that in serum. High molecular weight PFECA compounds (PFO5DoDA and HFPO-TA) showed stronger accumulation capacity and longer half-lives (t1/2) than low molecular weight PFECA compounds (HFPO-DA and PFO4DA) and even legacy PFOA. Although hepatomegaly is a common apical end point of PFAS exposure, the differentially expressed gene (DEG) profiles in the liver suggested significant differences between PFOA and the four PFECA compounds. Gene enrichment analysis supported a considerable inhibitory effect of PFECA, but not PFOA, on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling pathway. Both HFPO-TA and PFO5DoDA demonstrated a more pronounced ability to perturb RNA expression profiles in vivo and to suppress GR signaling in vitro compared to HFPO-DA and PFO4DA. Calculated reference doses (RfDs) emphasized the potential hazard of PFECA to human health. Overall, our findings indicate that PFECA alternatives do not ease the concerns raised from legacy PFAS pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Lei Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Jianglin Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Huayu Fu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Hongyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jiamiao Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chunyu Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Qingrong Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Xiaotian Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nan Sheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Jianshe Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China.
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