Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People

Zheng, Guomao1; Eick, Stephanie M.2,3; Salamova, Amina2

2023-10-01

10.1021/acs.est.2c06715

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY   Impact Factor & Quartile

0013-936X

1520-5851

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) make up a large group of fluorinated organic compounds extensively used in consumer products and industrial applications. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the two perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with 8 carbons in their structure, have been phased out on a global scale because of their high environmental persistence and toxicity. As a result, shorter-chain PFAAs with less than 8 carbons in their structure are being used as their replacements and are now widely detected in the environment, raising concerns about their effects on human health. In this study, 47 PFAAs and their precursors were measured in paired samples of dust and drinking water collected from residential homes in Indiana, United States, and in blood and urine samples collected from the residents of these homes. Ultrashort- (with 2 or 3 carbons [C2-C3]) and short-chain (with 4-7 carbons [C4-C7]) PFAAs were the most abundant in all four matrices and constituted on average 69-100% of the total PFAA concentrations. Specifically, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, C2) and perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA, C3) were the predominant PFAAs in most of the samples. Significant positive correlations (n = 81; r = 0.23-0.42; p < 0.05) were found between TFA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA, C7) concentrations in dust or water and those in serum, suggesting dust ingestion and/or drinking water consumption as important exposure pathways for these compounds. This study demonstrates that ultrashort- and short-chain PFAAs are now abundant in the indoor environment and in humans and warrants further research on potential adverse health effects of these exposures.

PFAS PFAAs trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA) ultrashort-chain PFAS short-chain PFAS PFAA precursors indoor exposure biomonitoring

SCI

English

NI Journal Papers

First ; Corresponding

Engineering ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Engineering, Environmental ; Environmental Sciences

WOS:001092696200001

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Emory Univ, Rollins Sch Publ Hlth, Gangarosa Dept Environm Hlth, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
3.Emory Univ, Rollins Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Epidemiol, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA

Zheng, Guomao,Eick, Stephanie M.,Salamova, Amina. Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY,2023.

Zheng, Guomao,Eick, Stephanie M.,&Salamova, Amina.(2023).Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People.ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY.

Zheng, Guomao,et al."Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People".ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (2023).