title: Blood plasma concentrations of endocrine disrupting chemicals in Hong Kong populations.
abstract: In this study we report the human plasma concentrations of some common endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the Hong Kong population. We have analyzed 153 plasma samples for the contaminants by methods involving labeled standards spiked into the samples. Quantification was performed using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for bisphenol-A (BPA) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and gas chromatography mass spectrometry methods for phthalates. We found BPA, several types of PFCs and phthalates in over 90% of the plasma samples. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the dominant PFC, followed by perfluroroctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). Eight out of ten phthalates were detected, with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) as the most abundant, followed by bis(2-methoxyethyl) phthalate (DMEP) and dioctyl phthalate (DnOP). The levels of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were significantly higher in the male plasma samples (p<0.05), while the mean plasma levels of DEHP and n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) were significantly higher in the young age group (p<0.02). The presence of the selected EDCs in human blood plasma indicates common exposure routes among different population cohorts. Although the plasma levels of the EDCs were comparable to other countries, regular monitoring of human blood EDC contamination levels is necessary to provide a time-trend database for the estimation of exposure risk and to formulate appropriate public health policy.
authors: Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, PR China. Electronic address: wanhinting@gmail.com.
authors: H T
authors: HT
authors: Wan
authors: P Y
authors: PY
authors: Leung
authors: Y G
authors: YG
authors: Zhao
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Wei
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Wong
authors: Chris K C
authors: CK
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010636:Phenols / Q000097:blood*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; Human plasma; Internal exposure; Perfluorinated compounds; Phthalates; Plasticizers