Environmental chemical exposures among Greenlandic children in relation to diet and residence

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify geographic, dietary, and other predictors for childhood exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury in Greenlandic children. The study includes cross-sectional data from 367 Greenlandic children aged 7 to 12 years examined during 2012-2015. A parent or guardian participated in a structured interview, and a blood sample from the child was analysed for PFASs, PCBs and total mercury. Predictors for the environmental exposures were identified using linear regression. Area of residence was found to have the strongest explanatory power, accounting for 24% to 68% of the variance in the serum concentrations. Information about diet was available for two-thirds of the children, and among these, consumption of traditional Greenlandic food accounted for 2% to 10% of the variance in the biomarker concentrations. Models including all predictors associated with at least one of the environmental chemicals explained 19% to 54% of the total variance. In conclusion, area is a likely proxy for a traditional marine diet, and together area and diet constitute the most important predictors of exposure to methylmercury, PCBs and PFASs among Greenlandic children.

Global Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Associated Burden of Low Birthweight

“…32 Although the authors did not imply the reasons for such high exposure, we speculated that it might be associated with a traditional diet based mainly on marine mammals and arctic fish species. 33,34 Similarly, PFOA exposure was highest in some developed countries or regions with rapidly growing economies. For example, the serum PFOA concentrations in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania were in the range of 1.3−4.8 ng/mL, which were significantly higher than those reported in Africa (0.4 ng/mL), Latin America, and the Caribbean (LAC; 0.6 ng/mL).…”

Monitoring Analysis of Perfluoroalkyl Substances and F-53B in Bottled Water, Tea and Juice Samples by LC-MS/MS

“…5) Thus, it is very important to monitor the daily intake of PFAS in the general public by using total diet studies (TDS). [6][7][8] In the first stage of exposure assessment, investigation of drinking water (Group 14, G14 in TDS) is the current approach to assess health effects. [9][10][11][12] Indeed, in 2020, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare established a provisional target value (50 ng/L) of combined PFOS and PFOA in tap water.…”