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OS03-11 Exposure to PFAS and associated toxicity in workers exposed to hexavalent chromium – a cross-sectional study within the SafeChrom project : Abstracts of the 58th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX 2024)

Broberg, K. LU orcid ; Jiang, Z. LU orcid ; Pineda, D. LU orcid ; Engfeldt, M. LU ; Albin, M. LU and Lindh, C. LU orcid (2024) 58th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology In Toxicology Letters 399(Supplement 2). p.67-67
Abstract
Background

This study aimed to investigate the exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and cancer-related toxicity in workers in different Swedish industry sectors with exposures to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)).
Methods

The study consisted of 111 exposed workers and 72 controls. The exposed workers were performing manufacture/processing of metal products (n=55), working in steel production (n=31), bath plating (n=17), a nd o thers (n=8). T he P FAS e xposure w as a ssessed b y t he determination of ten PFAS in serum samples by LC-MS/MS. Cr was measured in red blood cells (RBC) by ICP-MS, as a long-term marker for Cr(VI) exposure. Telomere length and DNA methylation of lung cancer-related genes in DNA from... (More)
Background

This study aimed to investigate the exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and cancer-related toxicity in workers in different Swedish industry sectors with exposures to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)).
Methods

The study consisted of 111 exposed workers and 72 controls. The exposed workers were performing manufacture/processing of metal products (n=55), working in steel production (n=31), bath plating (n=17), a nd o thers (n=8). T he P FAS e xposure w as a ssessed b y t he determination of ten PFAS in serum samples by LC-MS/MS. Cr was measured in red blood cells (RBC) by ICP-MS, as a long-term marker for Cr(VI) exposure. Telomere length and DNA methylation of lung cancer-related genes in DNA from peripheral blood were measured by qPCR and pyrosequencing, respectively.
Results

Significant differences between workers with Cr(VI) exposure and controls were found for the PFHpA and PFOA (P<0.001, linear regression analysis adjusted for age). There were significant differences between occupational groups where the bath platers showed significantly higher levels of PFHpA, PFHPS, PFPeS, PFOS, PFDS, and PFHxS compared with the other occupational groups. The highest serum concentration was found for PFOS: 700 ng/ml in a bath plater, to be compared with the median concentration of 3.82 ng/ml among the controls. PFOA and PFHPS correlated positively with RBC-Cr (rS=0.27 and 0.35 respectively) in exposed workers. PFOA was associated with shorter telomere length after adjustment for age. No clear associations was found for DNA methylation in cancer-related genes. Ongoing analysis will assess mixture effects on toxicity biomarkers.
Conclusion

The considerably high PFAS exposure in Cr(VI) bath platers can be explained by the former application of PFAS as mist suppressants in electroplating baths but further sources of exposure should be examined. The association between PFAS and some cancer-related biomarkers warrants further examination, including potential mixture effects.
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Toxicology Letters
volume
399
issue
Supplement 2
pages
1 pages
publisher
Elsevier
conference name
58th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology
conference location
Copenhagen, Denmark
conference dates
2024-09-08 - 2024-09-11
ISSN
0378-4274
DOI
10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.07.184
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9414ff56-30b3-4c5c-8fa9-63b6075e3156
date added to LUP
2024-09-11 09:41:39
date last changed
2024-09-11 10:52:57
@misc{9414ff56-30b3-4c5c-8fa9-63b6075e3156,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/><br/>This study aimed to investigate the exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and cancer-related toxicity in workers in different Swedish industry sectors with exposures to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)).<br/>Methods<br/><br/>The study consisted of 111 exposed workers and 72 controls. The exposed workers were performing manufacture/processing of metal products (n=55), working in steel production (n=31), bath plating (n=17), a nd o thers (n=8). T he P FAS e xposure w as a ssessed b y t he determination of ten PFAS in serum samples by LC-MS/MS. Cr was measured in red blood cells (RBC) by ICP-MS, as a long-term marker for Cr(VI) exposure. Telomere length and DNA methylation of lung cancer-related genes in DNA from peripheral blood were measured by qPCR and pyrosequencing, respectively.<br/>Results<br/><br/>Significant differences between workers with Cr(VI) exposure and controls were found for the PFHpA and PFOA (P&lt;0.001, linear regression analysis adjusted for age). There were significant differences between occupational groups where the bath platers showed significantly higher levels of PFHpA, PFHPS, PFPeS, PFOS, PFDS, and PFHxS compared with the other occupational groups. The highest serum concentration was found for PFOS: 700 ng/ml in a bath plater, to be compared with the median concentration of 3.82 ng/ml among the controls. PFOA and PFHPS correlated positively with RBC-Cr (rS=0.27 and 0.35 respectively) in exposed workers. PFOA was associated with shorter telomere length after adjustment for age. No clear associations was found for DNA methylation in cancer-related genes. Ongoing analysis will assess mixture effects on toxicity biomarkers.<br/>Conclusion<br/><br/>The considerably high PFAS exposure in Cr(VI) bath platers can be explained by the former application of PFAS as mist suppressants in electroplating baths but further sources of exposure should be examined. The association between PFAS and some cancer-related biomarkers warrants further examination, including potential mixture effects.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Broberg, K. and Jiang, Z. and Pineda, D. and Engfeldt, M. and Albin, M. and Lindh, C.}},
  issn         = {{0378-4274}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Conference Abstract}},
  number       = {{Supplement 2}},
  pages        = {{67--67}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Toxicology Letters}},
  title        = {{OS03-11 Exposure to PFAS and associated toxicity in workers exposed to hexavalent chromium – a cross-sectional study within the SafeChrom project : Abstracts of the 58th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX 2024)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.07.184}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.07.184}},
  volume       = {{399}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}