title: Perfluoroalkyl acids including perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorohexane sulfonate in firefighters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Firefighters were likely exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate since it was a component of extinguishing foams and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), a surfactant coating carpet and other building materials, during firefighting. The objective of the study is to evaluate serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in firefighters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 8826 male adults, including 37 firefighters, were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was conducted by using a general linear model. The least square mean of serum PFAAs was obtained after adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum concentration of PFHxS was statistically higher in firefighters both before and after adjustment. Perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorononanoic acid were also found higher in firefighters, though not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggests that fighting fire can be a risk of exposure to PFAAs, specifically PFHxS.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health and West Virginia University School of Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. cjin@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: ChuanFang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: YingHua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ducatman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005388:Fire Extinguishing Systems; D005390:Fires; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C018959:hexadecafluoro-nonanoic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid