Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Chemosphere. 2024 Apr;353:141527. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141527. Epub 2024 Feb 22.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants with documented harmful health effects. Despite increasing research, little attention has been given to studying PFAS contamination in low- and middle-income countries, including Samoa. Using data and biosamples collected through the Foafoaga o le Ola ("Beginning of Life") Study, which recruited a sample of mothers and infants from Samoa, we conducted an exploratory study to describe concentrations of 40 PFAS analytes in infant cord blood collected at birth (n = 66) and infant dried blood spots (DBS) collected at 4 months post-birth (n = 50). Of the 40 PFAS analytes tested, 19 were detected in cord blood, with 10 detected in >50% of samples (PFBA, PFPeA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFTrDA, PFHxS, PFOS, and 9Cl-PF3ONS); and 12 analytes were detected in DBS, with 3 detected in >50% of samples (PFBA, PFHxS, and PFOS). PFAS concentrations were generally lower than those reported in existing literature, with the exception of PFHxS, which was detected at higher concentrations. In cord blood, we noted suggestive (p < 0.05) or significant (p < 0.006) associations between higher PFHxS and male sex; higher PFPeA and residence in Northwest 'Upolu (NWU) compared to the Apia Urban Area (AUA); lower PFUnA and 9Cl-PF3ONS and greater socioeconomic resources; lower PFOA and higher parity; higher PFDA and higher maternal age; and lower PFUnA, PFTrDA, and 9Cl-PF3ONS and higher maternal BMI. In DBS, we found suggestive (p < 0.05) or significant (p < 0.025) associations between lower PFBA and residence in NWU versus AUA; lower PFBA and PFHxS and higher maternal age; and higher PFBA and higher maternal BMI. Finally, we observed associations between nutrition source at 4 months and DBS PFBA and PFHxS, with formula- or mixed-fed infants having higher concentrations compared to exclusively breastfed infants. This study represents the first characterization of PFAS contamination in Samoa. Additional work in larger samples is needed to identify potentially modifiable determinants of PFAS concentrations, information that is critical for informing environmental and health policy measures.
全氟和多氟烷基物质 (PFAS) 是具有已证实的有害健康影响的持久性污染物。尽管研究不断增加，但很少关注包括萨摩亚在内的低收入和中等收入国家的 PFAS 污染问题。本研究利用 Foafoaga o le Ola（“生命的开始”）研究收集的数据和生物样本，该研究从萨摩亚招募了一批母亲和婴儿作为样本，进行了一项探索性研究，以描述在出生时采集的婴儿脐带血（n=66）和出生后 4 个月采集的婴儿干血斑（DBS）（n=50）中 40 种 PFAS 分析物的浓度。在所测试的 40 种 PFAS 分析物中，有 19 种在脐带血中被检出，其中 10 种在超过 50%的样本中被检出（PFBA、PFPeA、PFOA、PFNA、PFDA、PFUnA、PFTrDA、PFHxS、PFOS 和 9Cl-PF3ONS）；在 DBS 中检出 12 种分析物，其中 3 种在超过 50%的样本中被检出（PFBA、PFHxS 和 PFOS）。PFAS 浓度通常低于现有文献中的报道，除了 PFHxS 浓度较高外。在脐带血中，我们注意到 PFHxS 浓度与男性性别之间存在提示性（p<0.05）或显著（p<0.006）关联；PFPeA 浓度与居住在西北乌波卢（NWU）而不是阿皮亚市区（AUA）之间存在显著关联；PFUnA 和 9Cl-PF3ONS 浓度与社会经济资源之间存在显著关联；PFOA 浓度与产次之间存在显著关联；PFDA 浓度与母亲年龄之间存在显著关联；PFUnA、PFTrDA 和 9Cl-PF3ONS 浓度与母亲 BMI 之间存在显著关联。在 DBS 中，我们发现 PFBA 浓度与 NWU 与 AUA 之间存在提示性（p<0.05）或显著（p<0.025）关联；PFBA 和 PFHxS 浓度与母亲年龄之间存在显著关联；PFBA 浓度与母亲 BMI 之间存在显著关联。最后，我们观察到 4 个月时的营养来源与 DBS 中 PFBA 和 PFHxS 浓度之间存在关联，与纯母乳喂养婴儿相比，配方奶或混合喂养婴儿的浓度更高。本研究代表了对萨摩亚 PFAS 污染的首次特征描述。需要在更大的样本中开展更多工作，以确定 PFAS 浓度的潜在可改变决定因素，这些信息对于制定环境和健康政策措施至关重要。
