Epidemiologic Assessment of Worker Serum Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) Concentrations and Medical Surveillance Examinations

Abstract

Perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride (POSF, C8F17SO2F) is used to create applications for surfactants and paper, packaging, and surface (e.g., carpets, textiles) protectants. Such POSF-based products or their residuals may degrade or metabolize to PFOS (C8F17SO3-). PFOS concentrates in liver and serum and results in hypolipidemia as an early effect of cumulative dosages. Male and female employees of two perfluorooctanyl-manufacturing locations (Antwerp, Belgium and Decatur, Alabama) participated in a periodic medical surveillance program that included hematology, clinical chemistry, thyroid hormone, and urinalysis testing. Serum concentrations of PFOS and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, C7F15CO2-, used as a fluoropolymer emulsifier) were measured via mass spectrometry methods. The mean serum PFOS and PFOA concentrations for 263 Decatur employees were 1.32 parts per million (ppm; geometric mean 0.91, range 0.06-10.06 ppm) and 1.78 ppm (geometric mean 1.13, range 0.04-12.70 ppm), respectively. Mean concentrations were approximately 50% lower among 255 Antwerp workers. Adjusting for potential confounding factors, there were no substantial changes in hematological, lipid, hepatic, thyroid, or urinary parameters consistent with the known toxicological effects of PFOS or PFOA in cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses of the workers' measured serum fluorochemical concentrations.

Binding interactions of perfluoroalkyl substances with thyroid hormone transport proteins and potential toxicological implications

“…The serum TH level in these workers would be very low, and there would be a negative association between PFOS/PFOA with serum TH in this population. However, such association was not observed in the reported occupational bio-monitoring studies (Olsen et al, 2003;. Since the thyroid homeostasis is complex, there might be other complications which we have not considered yet.…”

Associations between serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids and serum lipid levels in a Chinese population

“…Another study from the C8 Health Project showed that there were a 0.22 and 0.15 mmol/L increases in the adjusted mean levels of TC and LDLC between the first and fifth quintiles of PFOS in children and adolescents (Frisbee et al, 2010b). Olsen et al (2003) examined PFOS concentrations among flurochemical production workers and reported positive associations of PFOS with TC and TG . Another study done by Olsen et al (1999) reported a negative association of PFOS with HDLC in samples of 1995, but this was not observed in 1997.…”

Biochemical effect evaluation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid-contaminated wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus).

“…Environmental Health Perspectives • VOLUME 112 | NUMBER 6 | May 2004 than do serum PFOS concentration ranges that have been reported for fluorochemical production employees in Decatur, Alabama (USA), and Antwerp, which were 0.06-10.06 µg/mL and 0.04-6.24 µg/mL, respectively (Olsen et al 2003). A similar liver concentration range (2.00-72.9 µg PFOS/g wet weight) has also been reported in fish after an accidental release of 22,000 L fire retardant foam into a nearby creek (Moody et al 2002).…”