Airborne Precursors Predict Maternal Serum Perfluoroalkyl Acid Concentrations

Human exposure to persistent perfluoro 1 acids (PFAAs), including perfluorooctanoic add (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), can occur directly from contaminated food, water, air, and dust. However, precursors to PFAAs (PreFAAs), such as,clipolyfluoroalkyl phosphates (diPAPs), fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), perfluorooctyl -sulfonamides (FQSAs), and sulfrinanridoetbanols (FOSEs), which can be biotransformed to- PFAAs, may also be a source of expture. PFAAs were analyzed in 50 maternal sera, samples collected in 2007-2008 froth participants in Vancouver, Canada, while PFAAs and PreFAAs were measured in matching samples of residential bedroom air collected by passive sampler and in sieved vacuum dust (<150 mu m), Concentrations of PreFAAs were higher than for PFAAs in air and dust. Positive associations were discovered between airborne 10:2.FTOH and serum PFOA and PFNA and between airborne MeFOSE and serum PFOS., On average, serum PFOS concentrations were 2.3 ng/mL (95%CI: 0.40, 4.3) higher in participants with airborne MeFOSE concentrations in the highest tertile relative to the lowest tertile. Among all PFAAs, only PFNA in air and vacuum- dust predicted serum PFNA. Results suggest that airborne PFAA precursors were a Source, of PFOA; PFNA, and PFOS exposure in this population. (GRAPHICS)