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A Simple Pharmacokinetic Model of Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)

Marc-André Verner, Gérard Ngueta, Elizabeth T Jensen1,2

  • 1National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health , Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States.

Environmental Science & Technology
|December 23, 2015
PubMed

Insights

A new pharmacokinetic model estimates infant exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), revealing higher intake in nursing infants than mothers. This tool aids in assessing childhood PFAS exposure and body burden.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacokinetics

Background:

  • Children are exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) via placental transfer, breastfeeding, and environmental routes.
  • Validated tools for estimating infant and childhood PFAS exposure and body burden are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Develop a two-generation pharmacokinetic model for prenatal and postnatal exposure to PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS.
  • Evaluate the model's accuracy against measured children's PFAS levels in existing studies.

Main Methods:

  • A pharmacokinetic model with maternal and child compartments was created to simulate lifetime exposure and transfer across the placenta and via breastfeeding.
  • Model simulations were performed for mother-child dyads from two studies, using maternal PFAS levels at delivery and children's levels.
  • Model predictions were evaluated against measured children's PFAS levels at 6 and 36 months of age.

Main Results:

  • Model predictions explained 52-60% of variability in children's PFAS levels at 6 months and 52-62% at 36 months.
  • Simulations indicated that daily intake and internal PFAS levels through breastfeeding can be substantially higher in nursing infants compared to their mothers.
  • The model accurately predicted children's PFAS levels based on maternal levels, child's sex, body weight, and breastfeeding duration.

Conclusions:

  • The developed pharmacokinetic model demonstrates potential for assessing postnatal PFAS exposure in epidemiological studies and risk assessments.
  • The findings highlight the significant role of breastfeeding in infant PFAS exposure, potentially leading to higher body burdens than in mothers.
  • This model provides a valuable tool for understanding and quantifying PFAS exposure dynamics in early life stages.

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