Dan Cai1, Qing-Qing Li2, Chu Chu2, Shi-Zhong Wang3, Ye-Tao Tang3, Allison A Appleton4, Rong-Liang Qiu3, Bo-Yi Yang2, Li-Wen Hu2, Guang-Hui Dong2, Xiao-Wen Zeng5. 1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China. 2. Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. 3. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. 4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA. 5. Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. Electronic address: zxw63@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS alternatives can cross the placental barrier. However, little is known on the differential patterns of trans-placental transfer (TPT) among conventional PFAS and PFAS alternatives in epidemiological study. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to characterize comprehensive TPT patterns in conventional PFAS and PFAS alternatives using matched maternal-cord blood serum from a birth cohort. METHODS: A total of 424 mother-fetus pairs were recruited from the Maoming Birth Cohort during 2015-2018. We detected 20 PFAS in cord and maternal serum using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). TPT of PFAS was calculated via cord to maternal serum concentration ratios. RESULTS: Both of PFOS alternatives (chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates, Cl-PFESAs) and PFOA short-chain alternative (perfluorobutanoic acid, PFBA) were widely detected in the cord and maternal serum. In cord serum, the predominant PFAS was PFOS (1.93 ng/mL), followed by PFBA (1.45 ng/mL), PFOA (0.75 ng/mL) and 6:2 Cl-PFESA (0.32 ng/mL). We found that the PFAS alternatives had higher TPT than PFOS and PFOA, such as PFBA vs. PFOA (median: 1.41 vs. 0.73, P < 0.001) and 8:2 Cl-PFESA vs. PFOS (median: 0.98 vs. 0.42, P < 0.001). Moreover, the TPT of 8:2 Cl-PFESA was higher than the precursor, linear and isomeric PFOS, respectively (P < 0.01). Furthermore, we found a U-shaped pattern for TPT in perfluorocarboxylic acid compounds (PFCAs) across different length of carbon chain. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that PFAS alternatives may be more easily across the placenta than conventional PFAS. Given the widespread usage of PFAS alternatives, our results indicate that more research is needed to assess the potential health risks of prenatal exposure to PFAS alternatives in children.
BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS alternatives can cross the placental barrier. However, little is known on the differential patterns of trans-placental transfer (TPT) among conventional PFAS and PFAS alternatives in epidemiological study. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to characterize comprehensive TPT patterns in conventional PFAS and PFAS alternatives using matched maternal-cord blood serum from a birth cohort. METHODS: A total of 424 mother-fetus pairs were recruited from the Maoming Birth Cohort during 2015-2018. We detected 20 PFAS in cord and maternal serum using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). TPT of PFAS was calculated via cord to maternal serum concentration ratios. RESULTS: Both of PFOS alternatives (chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates, Cl-PFESAs) and PFOA short-chain alternative (perfluorobutanoic acid, PFBA) were widely detected in the cord and maternal serum. In cord serum, the predominant PFAS was PFOS (1.93 ng/mL), followed by PFBA (1.45 ng/mL), PFOA (0.75 ng/mL) and 6:2 Cl-PFESA (0.32 ng/mL). We found that the PFAS alternatives had higher TPT than PFOS and PFOA, such as PFBA vs. PFOA (median: 1.41 vs. 0.73, P < 0.001) and 8:2 Cl-PFESA vs. PFOS (median: 0.98 vs. 0.42, P < 0.001). Moreover, the TPT of 8:2 Cl-PFESA was higher than the precursor, linear and isomeric PFOS, respectively (P < 0.01). Furthermore, we found a U-shaped pattern for TPT in perfluorocarboxylic acid compounds (PFCAs) across different length of carbon chain. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that PFAS alternatives may be more easily across the placenta than conventional PFAS. Given the widespread usage of PFAS alternatives, our results indicate that more research is needed to assess the potential health risks of prenatal exposure to PFAS alternatives in children.
Authors: Christine E Crute; Samantha M Hall; Chelsea D Landon; Angela Garner; Jeffrey I Everitt; Sharon Zhang; Bevin Blake; Didrik Olofsson; Henry Chen; Susan K Murphy; Heather M Stapleton; Liping Feng Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2022-06-06 Impact factor: 10.753
Authors: Stephanie M Eick; Elizabeth A Enright; Sarah D Geiger; Kelsey L C Dzwilewski; Erin DeMicco; Sabrina Smith; June-Soo Park; Andrea Aguiar; Tracey J Woodruff; Rachel Morello-Frosch; Susan L Schantz Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-01-16 Impact factor: 3.390