Human Donor Liver and Serum Concentrations of Perfluorooctanesulfonate and Other Perfluorochemicals

Abstract

Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS, CaF17SO3-) has been identified in the serum of nonoccupationally exposed humans and in serum and liver tissue in wildlife. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether PFOS liver concentrations in humans are comparable to the approximate 30 ng/mL average serum concentrations reported in nonoccupationally exposed subjects. Thirty-one donors (16 male and 15 female, age range 5-74) provided serum and/or liver samples for analysis of PFOS and three other fluorochemicals: perfluorosulfonamide (PFOSA, C8F17SO2NH2), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, C7F15CO2-), and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS, C6F13SO3-). Both sera and liver samples were extracted by ion-pair extraction and quantitatively assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Liver PFOS concentrations ranged from <4.5 ng/g (limit of quantitation, LOQ)to 57.0 ng/g. Serum PFOS concentrations ranged from <6.1 ng/mL (LOQ) to 58.3 ng/mL. Among the 23 paired samples, the mean liver to serum ratio was 1.3:1 (95% confidence interval 0.9:1-1.7:1). This liver to serum ratio is comparable to that reported in a toxicological study of cynomolgus monkeys, which had liver and serum concentrations 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than observed in these human donors. This information may be useful in human risk characterization for PFOS. Liver to serum ratios were not estimated for PFOA, PFHxS, and PFOSA as 90% of the human donor liver samples were determined to be less than the LOQ.

Perfluorooctanesulfonate and other fluorochemicals in the serum of American Red Cross adult blood donors.

“…The findings from this analysis of serum PFOS concentrations in 645 adult blood donors are consistent with previous, albeit sparse, human data (3M Company 2003; Hansen et al 2001;Olsen et al 2003b Hansen et al 2001). These findings were also comparable to a limited number of serum samples from Europe that were determined to have mean serum PFOS concentrations at 17 ppb in five pooled samples from a blood bank in Belgium, 53 ppb in six pooled samples from the Netherlands, and 37 ppb from six pooled blood samples from Germany (3M Company, 2003).…”

“…PFOS has been detected at low parts per billion (nanogram per milliliter) concentrations in the general population (3M Company 2003;Hansen et al 2001;Olsen et al 2003b), although the scope and sample size of these investigations have been limited. Serum PFOS concentrations among production employees working in POSF-related processes have averaged between 0.5 and 2 ppm depending on work activity (range < 0.1-12 ppm) (Olsen et al 1999(Olsen et al , 2003a(Olsen et al , 2003c.…”

Trends of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in marine biota and in humans

“…They reported that PFOS concentrations in blood were lower than those in liver. [18][19][20] Already in 1979 studies in rats showed that PFOS is well absorbed orally and accumulates primarily in the liver and, to a lesser extent, in the serum or plasma. [21] In contrast, some studies resulted in highest values in blood and lower values in liver.…”

“…[60] As expected, the PFOS burden in human liver was higher than in human blood. For PFOS the mean liver to serum ratio was 1.3 : 1 calculated from PFC analyses of liver and serum samples of 23 male and female US donors, [20] whereas the liver to serum ratio was 3.5 : 1 for 12 Spanish human tissue samples. [61] PFC pattern in human tissues PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFOSA were detected most frequently in serum samples of the US population.…”

Ferric ion mediated photochemical decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by 254nm UV light

“…In recent years, PFCs especially perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanyl sulfonate (PFOS) have received much attention because they were ubiquitously detected in various environmental media [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] and in the body of wildlife [12,13] and human beings [14][15][16][17]. Though their sources, fate and transport in the environment are not well understood, it has been known that they are directly released into the environment or indirectly formed [18].…”