Ableitung von HBM-I-Werten für Perfluoroktansäure (PFOA) und Perfluoroktansulfonsäure (PFOS) – Stellungnahme der Kommission „Humanbiomonitoring“ des Umweltbundesamts

The Exposure Status of Environmental Chemicals in South Korea: The Korean National Environmental Health Survey 2018-2020

In South Korea, a Human Biomonitoring (HBM) program, known as the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS), was launched in 2009. This study aims to provide an overview of environmental chemical exposures in South Korea based on data from the KoNEHS cycle 4 (2018-2020). To ensure population representativeness, Koreans aged 3 years and older were recruited from 426 sites across the country. A total of 6381 participants joined in the collection of biospecimens, which were subsequently analyzed for 33 environmental chemicals or their metabolites, including nine that were not included in the previous cycle. The five most common PFASs were detected in more than 99.7% of the participants. The GM of serum PFOS was the highest in adults at 15.1 µg/L (13.9, 16.4) and in adolescents at 7.97 µg/L (7.42, 8.56). In adults, there was a gradual decrease in the detection rate and concentration of some heavy metals and phthalate metabolites. In children and adolescents, the detection rate of BPA in urine decreased, while the rate of its substitutes BPF and BPS increased, and the rate of propyl paraben in urine decreased significantly. The results of the KoNEHS cycle 4 indicate that exposure levels to certain environmental chemicals are still high, highlighting further monitoring and on-going surveys to determine their trends, especially for newly investigated substances, such as PFASs.

Monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human blood samples collected in three regions with known PFAS releases in the environment and three control regions in South Germany

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. The present paper describes the analysis of 969 human blood samples collected in South Germany aiming to determine whether there are statistic significant differences in internal PFAS burden between three regions with known PFAS releases in the environment (study regions) and three regions without known PFAS releases in the environment (control regions). Nine environmental relevant PFAS were analyzed, including the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) substitute 3H-perfluoro-3-[(3-methoxy-propoxy)propanoic acid] ammonium salt (ADONA). We found that concentrations of PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were higher than for all other PFAS in all of the six regions, but all medians of PFOA (between 0.8 and 0.9 ng/ml for the study and control regions) and PFOS (between 1.3 and 1.5 ng/ml for the study regions and between 1.4 and 1.5 ng/ml for the control regions) were below the human biomonitoring values (HBM) I for PFOA (2 ng/ml) und for PFOS (5 ng/ml) derived by the German HBM Commission. Concentrations of ADONA were below the limit of quantification in all samples. Minor differences were observed in PFAS blood levels between study and control regions. Especially for PFOS and PFOA the medians for women are slightly lower compared to men. In summary, individuals living in regions with known environmental PFAS contaminations show no higher internal PFAS exposure to controls and in comparison to other studies in the literature.

Adverse Effects of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate on the Liver and Relevant Mechanisms

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent, widely present organic pollutant. PFOS can enter the human body through drinking water, ingestion of food, contact with utensils containing PFOS, and occupational exposure to PFOS, and can have adverse effects on human health. Increasing research shows that the liver is the major target of PFOS, and that PFOS can damage liver tissue and disrupt its function; however, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we reviewed the adverse effects of PFOS on liver tissue and cells, as well as on liver function, to provide a reference for subsequent studies related to the toxicity of PFOS and liver injury caused by PFOS.

Argumentation Analysis of Risk Assessments: The Case of Perfluorooctanoic Acid

Risk assessment of chemicals can be based on toxicology and/or epidemiology. The choice of toxicological or epidemiological data can result in different health-based guidance values (HBGVs). Communicating the underlying argumentation is important to explain these differences to the public and policymakers. In this article, we explore the argumentation used to justify the use of toxicological or epidemiological data in the derivation of HBGVs in four different risk assessments for the chemical Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The pragma-dialectical argumentation theory (PDAT) is hereby applied. The argumentations to select relevant health endpoints or certain studies to infer causality appeared mainly based on "symptomatic relations," that is, study results are used as characteristic of what was claimed to be a causal relation without delving into the actual causal argumentation that preceded it. Starting points that are at the basis of the chain of arguments remained implicit. Argumentation to use epidemiological and/or toxicological data was only briefly mentioned and the underlying argumentative foundation that led to the conclusion was seldom found or not addressed at all. The decision to include/exclude information was made based on the availability of data, or the motives for the choice remained largely unclear. We conclude that more depth in argumentation and a subordinative chain of arguments is needed to better disclose the underlying reasoning leading to a certain health-based guidance value (HBGV). More explicit identification and discussion of starting points could be a valuable addition to general risk assessment frameworks for maximum use of toxicological and epidemiological data and shared conclusions of the assessment.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and female reproductive outcomes: PFAS elimination, endocrine-mediated effects, and disease

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants frequently detected in drinking water supplies worldwide that have been linked to a variety of adverse reproductive health outcomes in women. Compared to men, reproductive health effects in women are generally understudied while global trends in female reproduction rates are declining. Many factors may contribute to the observed decline in female reproduction, one of which is environmental contaminant exposure. PFAS have been used in home, food storage, personal care and industrial products for decades. Despite the phase-out of some legacy PFAS due to their environmental persistence and adverse health effects, alternative, short-chain and legacy PFAS mixtures will continue to pollute water and air and adversely influence women's health. Studies have shown that both long- and short-chain PFAS disrupt normal reproductive function in women through altering hormone secretion, menstrual cyclicity, and fertility. Here, we summarize the role of a variety of PFAS and PFAS mixtures in female reproductive tract dysfunction and disease. Since these chemicals may affect reproductive tissues directly or indirectly through endocrine disruption, the role of PFAS in breast, thyroid, and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function are also discussed as the interplay between these tissues may be critical in understanding the long-term reproductive health effects of PFAS in women. A major research gap is the need for mechanism of action data - the targets for PFAS in the female reproductive and endocrine systems are not evident, but the effects are many. Given the global decline in female fecundity and the ability of PFAS to negatively impact female reproductive health, further studies are needed to examine effects on endocrine target tissues involved in the onset of reproductive disorders of women.

Human biomonitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in German blood plasma samples from 1982 to 2019

The findings of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in humans and the environment all over the world have raised concerns and public awareness for this group of man-made chemicals. In the last three decades, this led to different regulatory restrictions for specific PFAS as well as shifts in the production and usage of these substances. In this study, we analyzed the PFAS levels of 100 human blood plasma samples collected from 2009 to 2019 for the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) to further elucidate the time course of exposure towards this substance group as shown by Schröter-Kermani et al., (2013) with samples from 1982 to 2010. A spectrum of 37 PFAS, including perfluorocarboxylic (PFCA) and -sulfonic acids (PFSA) as well as potential precursors and substitutes like ADONA, GenX or F-53B was analyzed by UHPLC coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Validation was successful for 33 of the substances. The two legacy substances perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were detected in every sample of the 2009-2019 dataset and showed the highest concentrations with ranges of 0.27-14.0 ng/mL and 1.21-14.1 ng/mL, respectively. A significant portion of total PFOS analytes was present as branched isomers (mean: 34 ± 7%). High detection frequencies of 95% and 82% were also found for perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), respectively, but in lower concentrations (PFHxS: <LOQ - 4.62 ng/mL; PFNA: <LOQ - 3.66 ng/mL) than PFOA and PFOS. Besides other PFCA and PFSA only 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FtS) and N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid were detected in very few samples. In combination with the previous results from 1982 to 2010, declining temporal trends were observed for all PFAS (PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFOS) frequently detected in the ESB samples. The results of this study indicate a decrease in human exposure to known PFAS in Germany over the last three decades and emphasize the importance of long-term human biomonitoring studies for investigating the effects of chemical regulation.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in blood plasma - Results of the German Environmental Survey for children and adolescents 2014-2017 (GerES V)

The 5th cycle of the German Environmental Survey (GerES V) investigated the internal human exposure of children and adolescents aged 3-17 years in Germany to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The fieldwork of the population-representative GerES V was performed from 2014 to 2017. In total, 1109 blood plasma samples were analysed for 12 PFAS including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS). PFOS was quantified in all and PFOA in almost all samples, demonstrating ubiquitous exposure. The highest geometric mean concentrations measured were 2.49 ng/mL for PFOS, followed by PFOA (1.12 ng/mL) and PFHxS (0.36 ng/mL), while concentrations of other PFAS were found in much lower concentrations. The 95th percentile levels of PFOS and PFOA were 6.00 and 3.24 ng/mL, respectively. The results document a still considerable exposure of the young generation to the phased out chemicals PFOS and PFOA. The observed exposure levels vary substantially between individuals and might be due to different multiple sources. The relative contribution of various exposure parameters such as diet or the specific use of consumer products need to be further explored. Although additional investigations on the time trend of human exposure are warranted, GerES V underlines the need for an effective and sustainable regulation of PFAS as a whole.

Perfluorinated substances in the Flemish population (Belgium): Levels and determinants of variability in exposure

Because of their dirt-, water- and oil-repelling properties, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are frequently used in a broad variety of consumer products. They have been detected in human samples worldwide. In Flanders, Belgium, the Flemish Environment and Health Studies (FLEHS) measured the levels of five PFAS biomarkers in four different age groups of the Flemish population and identified determinants of variability in exposure. Cord plasma or peripheric serum samples and questionnaire data were available for 220 mother-newborn pairs (2008-2009), 269 mother-newborn pairs (2013-2014), 199 adolescents (14-15 years old, 2010), 201 adults (20-40 years old, 2008-2009) and 205 adults (50-65 years old, 2014). Measured levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in Flanders are in the middle or low range compared to concentrations reported in other Western countries. Levels of perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) were below the quantification limit in 98%-100% of the samples. Despite decreasing levels in time for PFOS and PFOA, 77% of the adults (2014) had serum levels exceeding HBM-I values of 5 μg/L for PFOS and 2 μg/L for PFOA. Beside age, sex, fish consumption, parity and breastfeeding, the multiple regression models identified additionally consumption of offal and locally grown food, and use of cosmetics as possible exposures and menstruation as a possible route of elimination. Better knowledge on determinants of exposure is essential to lower PFASs exposure.

Development of Policy Relevant Human Biomonitoring Indicators for Chemical Exposure in the European Population

The European Union's 7th Environmental Action Programme (EAP) aims to assess and minimize environmental health risks from the use of hazardous chemicals by 2020. From this angle, policy questions like whether an implemented policy to reduce chemical exposure has had an effect over time, whether the health of people in specific regions or subpopulations is at risk, or whether the body burden of chemical substances (the internal exposure) varies with, for example, time, country, sex, age, or socio-economic status, need to be answered. Indicators can help to synthesize complex scientific information into a few key descriptors with the purpose of providing an answer to a non-expert audience. Human biomonitoring (HBM) indicators at the European Union (EU) level are unfortunately lacking. Within the Horizon2020 European Human Biomonitoring project HBM4EU, an approach to develop European HBM indicators was worked out. To learn from and ensure interoperability with other European indicators, 15 experts from the HBM4EU project (German Umweltbundesamt (UBA), Flemish research institute VITO, University of Antwerp, European Environment Agency (EEA)), and the World Health Organization (WHO), European Core Health Indicator initiative (ECHI), Eurostat, Swiss ETH Zurich and the Czech environmental institute CENIA, and contributed to a workshop, held in June 2017 at the EEA in Copenhagen. First, selection criteria were defined to evaluate when and if results of internal chemical exposure measured by HBM, need to be translated into a European HBM-based indicator. Two main aspects are the HBM indicator's relevance for policy, society, health, and the quality of the biomarker data (availability, comparability, ease of interpretation). Secondly, an approach for the calculation of the indicators was designed. Two types of indicators were proposed: 'sum indicators of internal exposure' derived directly from HBM biomarker concentrations and 'indicators for health risk', comparing HBM concentrations to HBM health-based guidance values (HBM HBGVs). In the latter case, both the percentage of the studied population exceeding the HBM HBGVs (PE) and the extent of exceedance (EE), calculated as the population's exposure level divided by the HBM HBGV, can be calculated. These indicators were applied to two examples of hazardous chemicals: bisphenol A (BPA) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which both have high policy and societal relevance and for which high quality published data were available (DEMOCOPHES, Swedish monitoring campaign). European HBM indicators help to summarize internal exposure to chemical substances among the European population and communicate to what degree environmental policies are successful in keeping internal exposures sufficiently low. The main aim of HBM indicators is to allow follow-up of chemical safety in Europe.