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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure in hexavalent chromium exposed workers and the effects of exposure mixtures on oxidative stress and genomic instability

Jiang, Zheshun LU orcid ; Liu, Yishan LU orcid ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Pineda, Daniela LU orcid ; Carøe, Tanja K ; Catalán, Julia ; Ebbehøj, Niels E ; Givelet, Lucas ; Huusom, Anja J and Kines, Pete , et al. (2025) In Environmental Pollution
Abstract

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can induce oxidative stress, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. In occupational settings, Cr(VI)-exposed workers may also be exposed to other toxicants, such as elements besides Cr, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, research on the extent of these co-exposures and their combined effects remains limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure levels of ten elements and eight PFAS in Cr(VI)-exposed workers and to assess the combined effects of these exposure mixtures on biomarkers of oxidative stress and genomic instability. This study included 138 Cr(VI)-exposed workers and 96 controls from Swedish SafeChrom and Danish SAM-Krom studies.... (More)

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can induce oxidative stress, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. In occupational settings, Cr(VI)-exposed workers may also be exposed to other toxicants, such as elements besides Cr, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, research on the extent of these co-exposures and their combined effects remains limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure levels of ten elements and eight PFAS in Cr(VI)-exposed workers and to assess the combined effects of these exposure mixtures on biomarkers of oxidative stress and genomic instability. This study included 138 Cr(VI)-exposed workers and 96 controls from Swedish SafeChrom and Danish SAM-Krom studies. Concentrations of elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and PFAS were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Effect biomarkers, including 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn), telomere length (TL) and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter (MGMT) methylation, were analyzed in blood. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression and quantile-based g-computation models were used to evaluate the mixture effects. Exposed workers had higher concentrations of Cr, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), lower mtDNA-cn and longer TL compared to controls. In the SAM-Krom study, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels were significantly elevated among exposed workers, with the P95 reaching 2044 ng/mL. The exposure mixtures were associated with increased 8-OHdG and MGMT hypermethylation. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of multiple occupational exposures in Cr(VI)-related work environments and suggest that combined exposure may contribute to early biological alterations related to oxidative stress and DNA methylation.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Environmental Pollution
article number
127255
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:41086906
ISSN
0269-7491
DOI
10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127255
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
id
399b8a5d-29c0-4918-b11f-adf5e1bbef18
date added to LUP
2025-10-31 11:21:56
date last changed
2025-11-03 08:26:59
@article{399b8a5d-29c0-4918-b11f-adf5e1bbef18,
  abstract     = {{<p>Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can induce oxidative stress, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. In occupational settings, Cr(VI)-exposed workers may also be exposed to other toxicants, such as elements besides Cr, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, research on the extent of these co-exposures and their combined effects remains limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure levels of ten elements and eight PFAS in Cr(VI)-exposed workers and to assess the combined effects of these exposure mixtures on biomarkers of oxidative stress and genomic instability. This study included 138 Cr(VI)-exposed workers and 96 controls from Swedish SafeChrom and Danish SAM-Krom studies. Concentrations of elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and PFAS were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Effect biomarkers, including 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn), telomere length (TL) and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter (MGMT) methylation, were analyzed in blood. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression and quantile-based g-computation models were used to evaluate the mixture effects. Exposed workers had higher concentrations of Cr, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), lower mtDNA-cn and longer TL compared to controls. In the SAM-Krom study, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels were significantly elevated among exposed workers, with the P95 reaching 2044 ng/mL. The exposure mixtures were associated with increased 8-OHdG and MGMT hypermethylation. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of multiple occupational exposures in Cr(VI)-related work environments and suggest that combined exposure may contribute to early biological alterations related to oxidative stress and DNA methylation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jiang, Zheshun and Liu, Yishan and Lindh, Christian and Pineda, Daniela and Carøe, Tanja K and Catalán, Julia and Ebbehøj, Niels E and Givelet, Lucas and Huusom, Anja J and Kines, Pete and Krais, Annette M and Aimonen, Kukka and Lundh, Thomas and Loeschner, Katrin and Rastkhani, Hamideh and Tondel, Martin and Saber, Anne T and Vogel, Ulla and Broberg, Karin}},
  issn         = {{0269-7491}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Pollution}},
  title        = {{Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure in hexavalent chromium exposed workers and the effects of exposure mixtures on oxidative stress and genomic instability}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127255}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127255}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}