Current exposure of Italian women of reproductive age to PFOS and PFOA: A human biomonitoring study

Abstract

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations were determined in serum samples collected in 2011-2012 from 549 nulliparous Italian women of reproductive age who resided in six different Italian Regions. Assessment of exposure to perfluorinated compounds was part of a large human biomonitoring study (Project Life Plus "Womenbiopop") that aimed at examining the exposure of women of reproductive age to priority organic pollutants. The median concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were 2.43, and 1.55 ng g(-1), respectively. Significant differences in the concentrations of both compounds were observed among the six Regions. Women from central Italy had the highest levels of both compounds, followed by women from northern Italy, and southern Italy. No differences in the PFOS concentrations were found between women from urban/industrial areas and women from rural areas, whereas the levels of PFOA were significantly higher in women residing in urban/industrial areas than in women residing in rural areas. Taken together, the observed concentrations confirm that the overall exposure of the Italian population is among the lowest observed in industrialized countries. A downward temporal trend in exposure was observed for both compounds when comparing the results from the present study with those assessed in a study conducted in 2008.

A Simple and Rapid Method for Quantitative HPLC MS/MS Determination of Selected Perfluorocarboxylic Acids and Perfluorosulfonates in Human Serum

“…The reports of the AMAP and HBM4EU (with a good z-score) intercalibration exercises (https://www.hbm4eu.eu; AMAP Ring Exercise Test for Persistent Organic Pollutants in Human Serum https://www.inspq.qc.ca/en/ctq/eqas/amap/description [ 10 , 15 – 18 ]) support the findings of this study.…”

“…We ordinarily use the method hereafter described for the analysis of serum samples within the framework of various national and international projects and in interlaboratory comparison exercises [ 10 , 14 – 18 ], Ring Exercise Test for Persistent Organic Pollutants in Human Serum https://www.inspq.qc.ca/en/ctq/eqas/amap/description [ 19 ]. Results obtained by our laboratory in the interlaboratory comparison exercises are reported in detail in supplementary data 2.…”

Investigation of the Effects of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) on Apoptosis and Cell Cycle in a Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Liver Cell Line

“…Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are two of the most widely used PFCs. PFOA and PFOS have already been considered as emerging persistent organic pollutants [ 8 ]. The distribution of PFOA and PFOS in the environment has increased universally in recent years [ 9 ] and their accumulation and toxic effects have become serious issues to be addressed [ 10 ].…”

Environmental health surveillance in a future European health information system

“…Italy run a population study (PROBE) with adults aged 18–65 years to determine the exposure to 20 metals and a number of POPs on the healthy general population in 2008–2010 and 2011–2012 [ 23 , 24 ].…”