Perfluorinated compounds in milk in Shanxi Province, China: A three-year consecutive study

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are synthetic chemicals commonly used in various industries for their water-, grease-, and stain-repellent properties. These compounds are highly persistent in the environment and can be absorbed by farm animals, subsequently contaminating animal-derived products. This contamination poses a significant health risk to humans who consume these products. Previous studies have identified cow's milk as one of the primary animal products contaminated with PFCs. However, it remains unclear which specific PFCs increase in concentrations over time. In this study, we analysed data on the concentrations of 24 PFCs in cow's milk sourced from a milk processing plant in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China, over a three-year period, as provided by the National Agriculture Science Data Centre. Our analysis revealed that perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) were the dominant PFCs that tended to accumulate in cow's milk over time. Consequently, consumers and milk producers should monitor the levels of PFPeA and PFBA in cow's milk to mitigate potential health risks associated with these pollutants.