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. 2023 Feb:313:137530.
doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137530. Epub 2022 Dec 9.

PFAS levels and exposure determinants in sensitive population groups

L Fábelová  1 , A Beneito  2 , M Casas  3 , A Colles  4 , L Dalsager  5 , E Den Hond  6 , C Dereumeaux  7 , K Ferguson  8 , L Gilles  4 , E Govarts  4 , A Irizar  9 , M J Lopez Espinosa  10 , P Montazeri  11 , B Morrens  12 , H Patayová  1 , K Rausová  1 , D Richterová  1 , L Rodriguez Martin  4 , L Santa-Marina  13 , T Schettgen  14 , G Schoeters  4 , L S Haug  15 , M Uhl  16 , G D Villanger  15 , M Vrijheid  3 , C Zaros  17 , Ľ Palkovičová Murínová  18
Affiliations

PFAS levels and exposure determinants in sensitive population groups

L Fábelová et al. Chemosphere. 2023 Feb.

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.

Keywords: Cord blood; Determinants; F ood consumption; Maternal blood; per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Associations between PFAS concentrations in blood of pregnant women (ln-transformed) and study population characteristics
Reference category: cohort – ELFE; parity – multipara; smoking before and during pregnancy and ETS – no; educational level of father – ISCED 1-2; fish & seafood consumption – less than 1x/week; meat consumption – less than 1x/day; offal consumption – never; milk & dairy consumption – less than 1x/day; egg consumption – less than 1x/week
Figure 2
Figure 2. Associations between cord blood PFAS concentrations (ln-transformed) and study population characteristics
Reference category: cohort – FLEHS 3; parity – multipara; smoking ETS – no; educational level of father – ISCED 1-2; milk & dairy consumption – less than 1x/day; meat consumption – less than 1x/day; offal consumption – never
Figure 3
Figure 3. Associations between PFAS concentrations in blood of pregnant women and cord blood (ln-transformed) and milk consumption
Reference category: milk & dairy consumption – less than 1x/day
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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