title: The effect of ongoing blood loss on human serum concentrations of perfluorinated acids.
abstract: Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) have been detected in serum at low concentrations in background populations. Higher concentrations haven been observed in adult males compared to females, with a possible explanation that menstruation offers females an additional elimination route. In this study, we examined the significance of blood loss as an elimination route of PFAAs. Pooled serum samples were collected from individuals undergoing a medical procedure involving ongoing blood withdrawal called venesection. Concentrations from male venesection patients were approximately 40% lower than males in the general population for perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). A simple pharmacokinetic model was used to test the hypothesis that blood loss could explain why adult males have higher concentrations of PFAAs than females, and why males undergoing venesections had lower concentrations compared to males in the general population. The model application generally supported these hypotheses showing that venesection might reduce blood serum concentrations by 37% (PFOA) and 53% (PFOS) compared to the observed difference of 44% and 37%. Menstruation was modeled to show a 22% reduction in PFOA serum concentrations compared to a 24% difference in concentrations between males and females in the background population. Uncertainties in the modeling and the data are identified and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20460, United States. Electronic address: lorber.matthew@epa.gov.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorber
authors.affiliation: Queensland Health and Forensic Scientific Services, Special Services Organics Group, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Eaglesham
authors.affiliation: Sullivan Niccolaides Pathology, PO Box 344, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: L-M L
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, National Research Center for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, National Research Center for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001692:Biological Transport; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008598:Menstruation; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
keywords: Blood loss; Elimination; Menstruation; PFOA; PFOS; PK model