title: Background levels of persistent organic pollutants in humans from Taiwan: perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid.
abstract: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have recently received attention due to their widespread contamination of the environment. PFOS and PFOA are stable in the environment and resistant to metabolism, hydrolysis, photolysis and biodegradation. PFOS and PFOA have been found in human blood and tissue samples from both occupationally exposed workers and the general worldwide population. This study aimed to determine the background levels of PFOS and PFOA in the Taiwanese population, investigate related factors, and compare exposure in Taiwan to that in other countries. The concentration of PFOS in the 59 serum samples collected from the general population in Taiwan ranged from 3.45 to 25.65ngmL(-1) (median: 8.52), and the concentration of PFOA ranged from 1.55 to 7.69ngmL(-1) (median: 3.22). There was a significant positive correlation (r=0.51; p<0.0001) between PFOS and PFOA concentrations. Males had higher concentrations of PFOA and PFOS than females. PFOS levels in serum increased with age. This study is the first investigation to reveal the PFOS and PFOA levels of serum samples in the general population of Taiwan. The levels of PFOS and PFOA in Taiwanese serum samples were comparable with those from other countries (PFOS: 5.0-35ngmL(-1), PFOA: 1.5-10ngmL(-1)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jing-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsin-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Chow-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Pao-Chi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013624:Taiwan; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
keywords: Background; Human serum; Perfluorinated compounds; Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); Taiwan