title: One-year follow-up of perfluorinated compounds in plasma of German residents from Arnsberg formerly exposed to PFOA-contaminated drinking water.
abstract: In Arnsberg, Sauerland area Germany, 40000 residents were exposed to PFOA-contaminated drinking water (500-640ng PFOA/l; May 2006). In July 2006, the PFOA-concentrations in drinking water were lowered significantly by activated charcoal filtering in the waterworks, mostly below the limit of detection (10ng/l). A first human biomonitoring study performed in autumn 2006 revealed that PFOA-concentrations in blood plasma of residents living in Arnsberg were 4.5-8.3 times higher than in the reference groups. One year after the first survey, all participants (2006: 164 mothers, 90 children, 101 men) were invited to take part in a follow-up study. It was the aim of the study to determine the decline of the PFOA-concentrations in blood plasma. 288 persons (81%) were included in the statistical analysis. The (geometric) mean PFOA-concentrations in blood plasma of Arnsberg's residents decreased from 22.1 to 17.4 microg/l in children, from 23.4 to 18.8 microg/l in mothers and from 25.3 to 23.4 microg/l in men within one year. The average (geometric mean) changes in each individual's PFOA-concentrations were approximately 10 (men), 17 (mothers) and 20 (children) percent/year. The observed decline in PFOA-concentrations indicates a slow elimination in humans. This finding in groups of the general population is in agreement with data on long elimination half-lives observed in occupationally exposed workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany. juergen.hoelzer@rub.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hölzer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Göen
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rauchfuss
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Angerer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kleeschulte
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002208:Caproates / Q000097:blood; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D005858:Germany; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002208:Caproates; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid; C108042:perfluorobutane; C479228:perfluorohexanoic acid