Predicting Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) among US Infants
Andrea B Kirk1, Kelsey Marie Plasse2, Karli C Kirk3
1Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
Insights
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread in US infants. Infant serum concentrations remain stable, except for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which increases after birth.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants detected globally.
- Widespread exposure in US adults is documented, but infant exposure data remains limited.
- Infant serum sample collection is challenging, making exposure assessment difficult.
Purpose of the Study:
- To statistically analyze infant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposures in the US.
- To assess infant serum concentrations using rare data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
- To address challenges in estimating exposures for vulnerable young populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007-2008.
- Performed statistical and probabilistic analysis on a subset of infant data.
- Examined serum concentrations in relation to infant age, growth, and intake.
Main Results:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposures are extremely common in US infants.
- Serum concentrations remained relatively constant across infants, with notable exceptions.
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations were higher in infants aged 1-3 months compared to newborns, despite weight gain.
Conclusions:
- US infants exhibit widespread per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure.
- Postnatal exposure or differing excretion kinetics may explain elevated perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) levels in early infancy.
- Findings highlight the need for further research on early-life chemical exposures and their implications.
Abstract:
PFASs have been detected in nearly every serum sample collected over the last two decades from US adults as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and are commonly found in other data sets from around the world. However, less is known about infant PFAS exposures, primarily because the collection of infant serum samples is less common and frequently avoided. Cord blood samples are often preferred for chemical exposure assessments because this is thought to provide a good representation of infant serum concentrations, at least at the time of birth. In this paper, we will provide a statistical and probabilistic analysis of what can be expected for infants living in the US using NHANES from 2007 to 2008, which contains a rare subset of infant data. Regulatory efforts that require estimation of exposures among the very youth can be challenging, both because of a lack of data in general and because variability among this most vulnerable population can be uncertain. We report that US infant exposures are extremely common and that serum concentrations remain fairly constant, despite infant growth rates and relatively high caloric and fluid intake, with the possible exception of PFOS. Infant serum PFOS concentrations between months 1 and 3 are consistently higher than at less than one month, even though healthy infants at 1 and 2 months weigh more than they did at birth. This suggests that the babies are exposed to greater concentrations of PFOS after birth or that excretion kinetics differ for this PFAS.
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