Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through the consumption of fish from lakes affected by aqueous film-forming foam emissions - A combined epidemiological and exposure modeling approach. The SAMINOR 2 Clinical Study.
Releases of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) from airport firefighting activities have been identified as important local point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in nearby waterways. PFASs can be taken up by fish, and in turn by the humans that consume them. Despite the global extent of AFFF emissions, few studies exist on related impacts on humans. We aimed to investigate the associations between the consumption of fish from AFFF-affected waters and serum PFAS concentrations in humans using a combination of statistical tools, empirical data, and toxicokinetic modeling. Participants of the SAMINOR 2 Clinical Study were the basis for this study sample, which comprised 74 persons. Fifty-nine participants who reported consuming fish from AFFF-affected waters and 15 nonconsumers completed a questionnaire and gave serum samples. Participants were classified based on their consumption of trout and char: high (n=16), moderate (n=16), low (n=27), and nonconsumers (n=15); and serum samples were tested for the presence of 15 PFASs. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was found in all participants, with the highest concentrations detected in the high consumption group (geometric means, 28ng/mL) compared to the low consumption group and nonconsumers (10 and 11ng/mL, respectively). In an analysis of variance contrast model, a significant, positive increasing trend was seen for fish consumption and PFOS, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). Toxicokinetic modeling allowed us to predict the median increases in serum concentrations of PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA among high consumers within a factor of 2.2. The combination of statistical evaluation and toxicokinetic modeling clearly demonstrated a positive relationship between consumption of fish from AFFF-affected waters and serum PFAS concentrations. Further studies on dietary exposure to other PFASs present in AFFF and its consequences on human health are warranted.
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050, Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: solrunn.hansen@uit.no.
Solrunn
S
Hansen
Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden; NILU-Norwegian Institute of Air Research, Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: robin.vestergren@aces.su.se.
Robin
R
Vestergren
NILU-Norwegian Institute of Air Research, Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: dorte.herzke@nilu.no.
Dorte
D
Herzke
Centre for Sami Health Research, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050, Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: marita.melhus@uit.no.
Marita
M
Melhus
Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway; Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050, Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: anita.evenset@akvaplan.niva.no.
Anita
A
Evenset
NILU-Norwegian Institute of Air Research, Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: linda.hanssen@nilu.no.
Linda
L
Hanssen
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050, Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: magritt.brustad@uit.no.
Magritt
M
Brustad
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050, Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway; NILU-Norwegian Institute of Air Research, Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: torkjel.sandanger@uit.no.
Torkjel M
TM
Sandanger
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059028:Airports; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009664:Norway; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF); Exposure modeling; Freshwater fish; Human serum; Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances