Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2023 Sep;33(5):710-724. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00520-6. Epub 2023 Jan 25.
While major pathways of human PFAS exposure are thought to be drinking water and diet, other pathways and sources have also been shown to contribute to a person's cumulative exposure. However, the degree of contribution of these other sources to PFAS body burdens is still not well understood and occurrence data for PFAS in conssumer products and household materials are sparse. Questionnaire data concordant with biomonitoring may improve understanding of associations between other PFAS exposure pathways and exposure in human populations.
This study aims to better understand maternal and early-life exposures to PFAS from various potential sources and pathways in the context of household and community level characteristics.
PFAS data from the National Children's Study (NCS) Vanguard Data and Sample Archive Access System were analyzed from serum of 427 pregnant women residing in 7 counties throughout the United States. Location and self-reported questionnaire responses were used to analyze variability in serum concentrations based on demographics, housing characteristics, behaviors, and geography. Spatial mapping analyses incorporated publicly available data to further hypothesize potential sources of exposure in two NCS counties.
Location was associated with serum concentrations for all PFAS chemicals measured. Questionnaire responses for race/ethnicity, income, education level, number of household members, drinking water source, home age, and fast-food consumption were associated with PFAS levels. Statistical differences were observed between participants with the same questionnaire responses but in different locations. Spatial mapping analyses suggested that participants' proximity to local point sources can overshadow expected trends with demographic information.
By increasing understanding of maternal and early-life PFAS exposures from various potential sources and pathways, as well as highlighting the importance of proximity to potential sources in identifying vulnerable populations and locations, this work reveals environmental justice considerations and contributes to risk management strategies that maximize public health protection.
This work increases understanding of maternal and early-life PFAS exposures, reveals environmental justice considerations, and contributes to study design and risk management strategies.
虽然人们认为饮用水和饮食是人类 PFAS 暴露的主要途径，但其他途径和来源也已被证明会导致人体的累积暴露。然而，这些其他来源对 PFAS 体内负荷的贡献程度仍不清楚，而且消费品和家用材料中 PFAS 的发生数据也很稀疏。与生物监测相一致的问卷调查数据可能会提高对人类人群中其他 PFAS 暴露途径和暴露之间关联的理解。
本研究旨在更好地了解在家庭和社区层面特征的背景下，来自各种潜在来源和途径的母体和婴儿早期 PFAS 暴露。
对美国 7 个县的 427 名孕妇的血清中的 National Children's Study（NCS）Vanguard 数据和样本档案访问系统中的 PFAS 数据进行了分析。根据人口统计学、住房特征、行为和地理位置，利用位置和自我报告的问卷调查回答来分析血清浓度的变化。空间映射分析纳入了公开数据，以进一步假设两个 NCS 县的潜在暴露源。
位置与所有测量的 PFAS 化学物质的血清浓度有关。种族/民族、收入、教育水平、家庭人数、饮用水来源、住房年龄和快餐消费的问卷回答与 PFAS 水平有关。在相同的问卷调查回答但处于不同位置的参与者之间观察到了统计学差异。空间映射分析表明，参与者与当地点源的接近程度可能会掩盖与人口统计信息相关的预期趋势。
通过增加对来自各种潜在来源和途径的母体和婴儿早期 PFAS 暴露的理解，以及强调接近潜在来源在识别脆弱人群和地点方面的重要性，这项工作揭示了环境正义的考虑因素，并为风险管理策略做出了贡献，这些策略最大限度地保护了公共健康。
这项工作增加了对母体和婴儿早期 PFAS 暴露的理解，揭示了环境正义的考虑因素，并为研究设计和风险管理策略做出了贡献。
