Ingelido Anna Maria, Abballe Annalisa, Dellatte Elena, Ferri Fabiola, Iacovella Nicola, Marra Valentina, Valentini Silvia, De Felip Elena
Italian National Institute for Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Chemosphere. 2025 May;376:144297. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144297. Epub 2025 Mar 14.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are industrial chemicals widely diffused in the environment and associated with toxic effects on humans. They became a global issue because of their environmental mobility and persistence. Control measures have been adopted to reduce their environmental presence and human exposure. Human biomonitoring studies have been conducted worldwide to estimate human exposure to these chemicals and to identify determinants of exposure, in order to provide indications to refine regulatory policy. In this paper, we studied concentrations of two legacy PFAS, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in human serum. Serum samples were collected in Italy between 2007 and 2017 together with information on characteristics and lifestyle of the study participants. We applied univariate and multivariate statistical analyses to the resulting database to identify major determinants of PFAS exposure over time and in different exposure scenarios. PFOA concentrations ranged over four orders of magnitude, with a median value of 2.4 ng/mL and PFOS concentrations ranged over three orders of magnitude with a median value of 4.6 ng/mL. We identified exposure scenario and sex as the major factors in determining PFAS concentrations. In subjects at background PFAS exposure, we identified as other relevant determinants age, geographical area, degree of urbanization, level of education and skill level in occupation. A declining time-trend was observed for PFOA but not for PFOS. This study provided information about determinants of PFOA and PFOS human exposure in Italy. Results can support defining measures to limit future human exposure to these persistent contaminants.
全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）是广泛散布于环境中的工业化学品，与对人类的毒性作用相关。由于其环境迁移性和持久性，它们已成为一个全球性问题。已采取控制措施以减少其在环境中的存在及人类接触。全球范围内已开展人体生物监测研究，以估计人类对这些化学品的接触情况并确定接触的决定因素，以便为完善监管政策提供依据。在本文中，我们研究了两种传统PFAS，即全氟辛酸（PFOA）和全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）在人血清中的浓度。2007年至2017年期间在意大利采集了血清样本，并收集了研究参与者的特征和生活方式信息。我们对所得数据库应用单变量和多变量统计分析，以确定不同时间和不同接触情况下PFAS接触的主要决定因素。PFOA浓度范围跨越四个数量级，中位数为2.4 ng/mL，PFOS浓度范围跨越三个数量级，中位数为4.6 ng/mL。我们确定接触情况和性别是决定PFAS浓度的主要因素。在PFAS背景接触的受试者中，我们确定年龄、地理区域、城市化程度、教育水平和职业技能水平为其他相关决定因素。观察到PFOA呈下降趋势，但PFOS没有。本研究提供了有关意大利PFOA和PFOS人体接触决定因素的信息。研究结果有助于确定限制未来人类接触这些持久性污染物的措施。
