PerfluoroalkyI acids among Korean children and adolescents: serum levels in 4 to 18 years of age and related exposure sources

摘要

Humans are ubiquitously exposed to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in daily life. Although exposure levels of these compounds in general population have been widely reported, PFAAs exposure among children and adolescents is not well understood. This study was conducted to evaluate levels of PFAAs among Korean children and adolescents. In 2012 and 2014, we collected serum samples from 150 children and adolescents with 4-18-year-old living in Seoul and Gyeonggi, Korea. In the samples, 16 PFAAs were analyzed. To identify potential sources of exposure, dietary and behavioral factors were investigated from the 150 participants. PFOS was detected in all the samples, and the concentration was highest among the analyzed PFAAs with the median concentration of 5.68 ng/mL. PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS were also detected in all the samples with the median concentrations of 1.88, 0.938, and 0.652 ng/mL, respectively. Detection rates of PFUnDA, PFDA, and PFDS were 98.7, 79.3, and 63.3%, respectively, while detection rates were less than 50% for the other PFAAs. Among 16-18-year-old adolescents, sum of total PFAAs concentration was significantly higher among boys than in girls. Similar trends of increase in boys were observed for other PFAAs in the age groups after 10 years old. However, this sex difference was not significant in the age groups before 10 years old (Figure). Concentrations of several PFAAs, i.e. PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS, decreased as age increased. Using questionnaire, several potential exposure sources of PFAAs, i.e. intake of breastmilk, fish/shellfish consumption, use of frying pan, and use of waterproof coating cloths, were identified. The results of this study will help understand current exposure status of and manage exposure of major PFAAs among children and adolescents. In addition, high detection of long chain PFAAs, i.e. PFUnDA, PFDA, and PFDS, warrants further efforts to investigate exposure source of these emerging compounds.