Estimating consumer exposure to PFOS and PFOA.
David Trudel1, Lea Horowitz, Matthias Wormuth
1Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
Summary
Consumers face long-term exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) primarily through contaminated food and water. While consumer products contribute less, children show higher exposure levels due to specific behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Toxicology
- Consumer Health
Background:
- Perfluorinated compounds like PFOS and PFOA have been widely used for decades in industrial and consumer applications.
- Concerns exist regarding the long-term health implications of persistent chemical exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively assess consumer exposure to PFOS and PFOA from various environmental and product sources.
- To identify and quantify exposure pathways relevant to everyday consumer life.
Main Methods:
- A scenario-based approach was employed to model age- and gender-specific exposure situations.
- Exposure estimates were calculated for North American and European consumers.
- Pharmacokinetic modeling using blood serum data was used for validation.
Main Results:
- Consumers in North America and Europe likely experience continuous uptake of PFOS and PFOA, with doses ranging from 3-220 ng/kg(bw)/day and 1-130 ng/kg(bw)/day, respectively.
- Contaminated food and drinking water represent the primary sources of chronic exposure.
- Consumer products, such as impregnation sprays, carpets, and food packaging, contribute to a lesser extent.
Conclusions:
- Dietary intake is the dominant route for consumer exposure to PFOS and PFOA.
- Children exhibit higher relative exposure doses compared to older age groups.
- Scenario-based exposure estimates align with pharmacokinetic modeling of blood serum data.
