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Determinants of serum half-lives for linear and branched perfluoroalkyl substances after long-term high exposure-A study in Ronneby, Sweden

Li, Ying ; Andersson, Axel ; Xu, Yiyi ; Pineda, Daniela LU ; Nilsson, Carina A LU ; Lindh, Christian H LU orcid ; Jakobsson, Kristina LU and Fletcher, Tony (2022) In Environment International 163. p.107198-107198
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent substances with surfactant and repellent properties. Municipal drinking water contaminated with PFAS had been distributed for decades to one third of households in Ronneby, Sweden. The source was firefighting foam used in a nearby airfield since the mid-1980s. Clean water was provided from December 16, 2013.

AIMS: The purpose was to estimate serum half-lives and their determinants in the study population for different PFAS.

METHODS: Up to ten blood samples were collected between 2014 and 2018 from 114 participants (age 4-84 years at entry, 53% female). 19 PFAS were analysed. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the half-lives.

RESULTS: Eight... (More)

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent substances with surfactant and repellent properties. Municipal drinking water contaminated with PFAS had been distributed for decades to one third of households in Ronneby, Sweden. The source was firefighting foam used in a nearby airfield since the mid-1980s. Clean water was provided from December 16, 2013.

AIMS: The purpose was to estimate serum half-lives and their determinants in the study population for different PFAS.

METHODS: Up to ten blood samples were collected between 2014 and 2018 from 114 participants (age 4-84 years at entry, 53% female). 19 PFAS were analysed. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the half-lives.

RESULTS: Eight PFAS were increased in Ronneby: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoropentane sulfonate (PFPeS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS), linear perfluorooctane sulfonate (L-PFOS) and three branched perfluorooctane sulfonates (1 m-PFOS, 3/4/5m-PFOS and 2/6m-PFOS). The mean estimated half-lives (in years) were 0.94 (95 %CI 0.86-1.02) for PFPeS, 2.47 (2.27-2.7) for PFOA, 2.67 (2.51-2.85) for 2/6m-PFOS, 2.73 (2.55-2.92) for L-PFOS, 3.43 (3.19-3.71) for 3/4/5m-PFOS, 4.52 (4.14-4.99) for PFHxS, 4.55 (4.14-5.06) for PFHpS, and 5.01 (4.56-5.55) for 1 m-PFOS. The most important determinants of a shorter half-life were young age, and better kidney function measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate and ratio of paired urine and serum PFAS levels, followed by female sex during their fertile period aged 15-50. Markers of gut inflammation and reduced permeability i.e. zonulin and calprotectin were also possibly associated with shorter half-life. The results also suggested a time-dependent PFAS elimination process, with more rapid elimination in the first year after the end of exposure.

CONCLUSION: The half-life estimates are in line with past estimates for some PFAS such as PFOA, and the novel results for different PFOS isomers. These results provide observational support for elimination routes - renal, fecal and maternal.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environment International
volume
163
article number
107198
pages
107198 - 107198
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:35447437
  • scopus:85128262150
ISSN
1873-6750
DOI
10.1016/j.envint.2022.107198
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
id
78c4d708-7d8d-4571-b0f9-8c74763455b4
date added to LUP
2022-04-27 08:58:48
date last changed
2024-06-17 08:08:56
@article{78c4d708-7d8d-4571-b0f9-8c74763455b4,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent substances with surfactant and repellent properties. Municipal drinking water contaminated with PFAS had been distributed for decades to one third of households in Ronneby, Sweden. The source was firefighting foam used in a nearby airfield since the mid-1980s. Clean water was provided from December 16, 2013.</p><p>AIMS: The purpose was to estimate serum half-lives and their determinants in the study population for different PFAS.</p><p>METHODS: Up to ten blood samples were collected between 2014 and 2018 from 114 participants (age 4-84 years at entry, 53% female). 19 PFAS were analysed. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the half-lives.</p><p>RESULTS: Eight PFAS were increased in Ronneby: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoropentane sulfonate (PFPeS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS), linear perfluorooctane sulfonate (L-PFOS) and three branched perfluorooctane sulfonates (1 m-PFOS, 3/4/5m-PFOS and 2/6m-PFOS). The mean estimated half-lives (in years) were 0.94 (95 %CI 0.86-1.02) for PFPeS, 2.47 (2.27-2.7) for PFOA, 2.67 (2.51-2.85) for 2/6m-PFOS, 2.73 (2.55-2.92) for L-PFOS, 3.43 (3.19-3.71) for 3/4/5m-PFOS, 4.52 (4.14-4.99) for PFHxS, 4.55 (4.14-5.06) for PFHpS, and 5.01 (4.56-5.55) for 1 m-PFOS. The most important determinants of a shorter half-life were young age, and better kidney function measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate and ratio of paired urine and serum PFAS levels, followed by female sex during their fertile period aged 15-50. Markers of gut inflammation and reduced permeability i.e. zonulin and calprotectin were also possibly associated with shorter half-life. The results also suggested a time-dependent PFAS elimination process, with more rapid elimination in the first year after the end of exposure.</p><p>CONCLUSION: The half-life estimates are in line with past estimates for some PFAS such as PFOA, and the novel results for different PFOS isomers. These results provide observational support for elimination routes - renal, fecal and maternal.</p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Ying and Andersson, Axel and Xu, Yiyi and Pineda, Daniela and Nilsson, Carina A and Lindh, Christian H and Jakobsson, Kristina and Fletcher, Tony}},
  issn         = {{1873-6750}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{107198--107198}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environment International}},
  title        = {{Determinants of serum half-lives for linear and branched perfluoroalkyl substances after long-term high exposure-A study in Ronneby, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107198}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envint.2022.107198}},
  volume       = {{163}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}