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Exposure of children and adolescents from Northeastern Slovenia to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Runkel, Agneta A. LU orcid ; Stajnko, Anja LU ; Snoj Tratnik, Janja ; Mazej, Darja ; Horvat, Milena ; Přibylová, Petra and Kosjek, Tina (2023) In Chemosphere 321. p.1-11
Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7–10 and 12–15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS... (More)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7–10 and 12–15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after phospholipid removal. 9 out of 12 analytes were detected at detection frequencies above 30%, with the highest geometric means (GM) being observed for PFOS (GM 1.9 ng/mL) > PFOA (GM 1.0 ng/mL) > PFHxS (GM 0.3 ng/mL) = PFNA (GM 0.3 ng/mL). We identified the participants’ socio-economic status, age, sex, sampling region, public water supply, and the consumption of fish and seafood, cereals, and locally produced fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as the predominant determinants of exposure. Furthermore, we compared our results with the serum and plasma concentrations reported for similar age groups in other studies and concluded that PFAS exposure in this highly agricultural area in Slovenia is notably low. This is the first study systematic HBM study of PFAS exposure in Slovenia, although it was conducted on a limited number of participants representative of rural and agricultural areas, it represents a good basis for upgrading the approach to a nationwide HBM study.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Children, Exposure assessment, Human biomonitoring, PFAS, Serum, Slovenia
in
Chemosphere
volume
321
article number
138096
pages
1 - 11
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:36773682
  • scopus:85148029325
ISSN
0045-6535
DOI
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138096
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
id
12d3a9fc-ebd6-4b11-802f-d55e936b3b19
date added to LUP
2025-02-18 17:22:18
date last changed
2025-06-11 12:40:23
@article{12d3a9fc-ebd6-4b11-802f-d55e936b3b19,
  abstract     = {{<p>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7–10 and 12–15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after phospholipid removal. 9 out of 12 analytes were detected at detection frequencies above 30%, with the highest geometric means (GM) being observed for PFOS (GM 1.9 ng/mL) &gt; PFOA (GM 1.0 ng/mL) &gt; PFHxS (GM 0.3 ng/mL) = PFNA (GM 0.3 ng/mL). We identified the participants’ socio-economic status, age, sex, sampling region, public water supply, and the consumption of fish and seafood, cereals, and locally produced fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as the predominant determinants of exposure. Furthermore, we compared our results with the serum and plasma concentrations reported for similar age groups in other studies and concluded that PFAS exposure in this highly agricultural area in Slovenia is notably low. This is the first study systematic HBM study of PFAS exposure in Slovenia, although it was conducted on a limited number of participants representative of rural and agricultural areas, it represents a good basis for upgrading the approach to a nationwide HBM study.</p>}},
  author       = {{Runkel, Agneta A. and Stajnko, Anja and Snoj Tratnik, Janja and Mazej, Darja and Horvat, Milena and Přibylová, Petra and Kosjek, Tina}},
  issn         = {{0045-6535}},
  keywords     = {{Children; Exposure assessment; Human biomonitoring; PFAS; Serum; Slovenia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Chemosphere}},
  title        = {{Exposure of children and adolescents from Northeastern Slovenia to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138096}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138096}},
  volume       = {{321}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}