Recovery of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) from water using foam fractionation with whey soy protein.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are persistent anthropogenic chemicals that are widely distributed in the environment and pose significant risks to human health. Foam fractionation has emerged as a promising method to recover PFOS/PFOA from water. However, PFOS/PFOA concentrations in wastewater are often inadequate to generate stable foams due to their high critical micelle concentrations and the addition of a cosurfactant is necessary. In this study, we developed whey soy protein (WSP) as a green frother and collector derived from soybean meal (SBM), which is an abundant and cost-effective agro-industrial residue. WSP exhibited excellent foaming properties across a wide pH range and demonstrated strong collection capabilities that enhanced the recovery of PFOS/PFOA. The mechanism underlying this collection ability was elucidated through various methods, revealing the involvement of electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bonding. Furthermore, we designed a double plate internal to improve the enrichment of PFOS/PFOA by approximately 2.3 times while reducing water recovery. Under suitable conditions (WSP concentration: 300 mg/L, pH: 6.0, air flowrate: 300 mL/min), we achieved high recovery percentages of 94-98% and enrichment ratios of 7.5-12.8 for PFOS/PFOA concentrations ranging from 5 to 20 mg/L. This foam fractionation process holds great promise for the treatment of PFOS/PFOA and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Effect of liver cancer on the accumulation and hepatobiliary transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

In this study, we examined the distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in liver and bile tissues from the patients with liver cancer (n = 202) and healthy controls (n = 30), and calculated the hepatobiliary transport efficiency (TB-L) of PFASs. Among 21 PFASs, 13 PFASs were frequently detected in the liver (median: 8.80-16.3 ng/g) and bile (median: 11.03-14.26 ng/mL) samples. PFAS concentrations in liver were positively correlated with age, with higher levels of PFASs in the older. Variance analysis showed that gender and BMI (Body Mass Index) have an important impact on the distribution of PFASs. A U-shaped trend in TB-L of PFASs with the increasing of carbon chain length was found for the first time, and the TB-L of most PFASs in the control was higher than that of those in cases (p < 0.05), suggesting that hepatic injury would affect their transport. PFASs were positively associated with liver injury biomarkers, including γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin (TB) levels (p < 0.05). This is the first study on examining the hepatobiliary transport characteristics of PFASs, which may help understand the connection between PFAS accumulation and liver cancer risk.

Occurrence of antibiotics, hormones and PFAs in surface water from a Nile tilapia aquaculture facility in a Brazilian hydroelectric reservoir.

This study assessed the occurrence of five antibiotics, three hormones, caffeine, and long and short-chain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in surface water and feedstuff samples obtained from aquaculture cages in Três Marias reservoir in Brazil. This is the first work to evaluate the presence of PFAS in surface water used for aquaculture in Brazil. Solid-phase extraction and low temperature partitioning extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were performed to process and analyze surface water samples and feedstuff, respectively. The ecotoxicological risk quotient was calculated for target compounds detected in water. Ciprofloxacin and caffeine were detected in all surface water samples. Pharmaceutical drugs ranged from 0.7 ng L-1 (trimethoprim) to 389.2 ng L -1 (ß-estradiol). Estrone (10.24 ng g-1) and ß-estradiol (66.20 ng g-1) were also found in feedstuff. Four PFASs (PFOA, PFDoA, PFTeDA, and PFBS) were detected (9.40-15.2 µg L-1) at levels higher than reported in studies conducted worldwide. Ecotoxicological risk assessment indicated high risks for caffeine and PFOA, PFDoA, and PFTeDA with RQ values from 10 to 103. These findings reveal risks to biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and human health considering possible intake of these contaminants by fish consumption due to potential bioaccumulation of these substances. Hence, it is critical to conduct more studies in this direction in Brazil and other low and middle-low-income countries.

Binding of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to Serum Proteins: Implications for Toxicokinetics in Humans.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of highly persistent anthropogenic chemicals that are detectable in the serum of most humans. PFAS exposure has been associated with many adverse effects on human health including immunotoxicity, increased risk of certain cancers, and metabolic disruption. PFAS binding to the most abundant blood serum proteins (human serum albumin [HSA] and globulins) is thought to affect transport to active sites, toxicity, and elimination half-lives. However, few studies have investigated the competitive binding of PFAS to these proteins in human serum. Here, we use C18 solid-phase microextraction fibers to measure HSA-water and globulin-water distribution coefficients (DHSA/w, Dglob/w) for PFAS with carbon chains containing 4 to 13 perfluorinated carbons (ηpfc = 4-13) and several functional head-groups. PFAS with ηpfc < 7 were highly bound to HSA relative to globulins, whereas PFAS with ηpfc ≥ 7 showed a greater propensity for binding to globulins. Experimentally measured DHSA/w and Dglob/w and concentrations of serum proteins successfully predicted the variability in PFAS binding in human serum. We estimated that the unbound fraction of serum PFAS varied by up to a factor of 2.5 among individuals participating in the 2017-2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. These results suggest that serum HSA and globulins are important covariates for epidemiological studies aimed at understanding the effects of PFAS exposure.

Occurrence and toxicity mechanisms of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) in fish.

Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) are short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) ubiquitous in the environment. Here we review data on the presence and toxicity mechanisms of PFBA and PFBS in fish. We aimed to (1) synthesize data on physiological systems perturbed by PFBA or PFBS; (2) determine whether toxicity studies use concentrations reported in aquatic ecosystems and fish tissues; (3) conduct a computational toxicity assessment to elucidate putative mechanisms of PFBA and PFBS-induced toxicity. PFBA and PFBS are reported in the low ng/L in aquatic systems, and both substances are present in tissues of several fish including carp, bass, tilapia, and drum species. Evidence supports toxicity effects on several organ systems, including the cardiac, immune, hepatic, and reproductive system. Multigenerational effects in fish have also been documented for these smaller chain PFAS. To further elucidate mechanisms of reproductive impairment, we conducted in silico molecular docking to evaluate chemical interactions with several fish estrogen receptors, specifically zebrafish, fathead minnow, and Atlantic salmon. PFBS showed higher binding affinity for fish estrogen receptors relative to PFBA. Computational analysis also pointed to effects on lipids "Adipocyte Hypertrophy and Hyperplasia", "Lipogenesis Regulation in Adipocyte", and estrogen-related processes. Based on our review, most data for PFBA and PFBS are gathered for concentrations outside environmental relevance, limiting our understanding of their environment impacts. At the time of this review, there is relatively more toxicity data available for PFBS relative to PFBA in fish. This review synthesizes data on environmental levels and toxicology endpoints for PFBA and PFBS in fish to guide future investigations and endpoint assessments.

Investigation of Sources of Fluorinated Compounds in Private Water Supplies in an Oil and Gas-Producing Region of Northern West Virginia.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of toxic organic compounds that have been widely used in consumer applications and industrial activities, including oil and gas production. We measured PFAS concentrations in 45 private wells and 8 surface water sources in the oil and gas-producing Doddridge, Marshall, Ritchie, Tyler, and Wetzel Counties of northern West Virginia and investigated relationships between potential PFAS sources and drinking water receptors. All surface water samples and 60% of the water wells sampled contained quantifiable levels of at least one targeted PFAS compound, and four wells (8%) had concentrations above the proposed maximum contaminant level (MCL) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Individual concentrations of PFOA and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid exceeded those measured in finished public water supplies. Total targeted PFAS concentrations ranged from nondetect to 36.8 ng/L, with surface water concentrations averaging 4-fold greater than groundwater. Semiquantitative, nontargeted analysis showed concentrations of emergent PFAS that were potentially higher than targeted PFAS. Results from a multivariate latent variable hierarchical Bayesian model were combined with insights from analyses of groundwater chemistry, topographic characteristics, and proximity to potential PFAS point sources to elucidate predictors of PFAS concentrations in private wells. Model results reveal (i) an increased vulnerability to contamination in upland recharge zones, (ii) geochemical controls on PFAS transport likely driven by adsorption, and (iii) possible influence from nearby point sources.

Associations between PFAS concentrations and the oxidative status in a free-living songbird (Parus major) near a fluorochemical facility.

For the past 7 decades, PFAS have been used in many different products and applications, which has led to a widespread contamination of these compounds. Nevertheless at present, little is known about the effects of these compounds on avian wildlife. Therefore, this study investigated associations between PFAS concentrations in the plasma and the oxidative status (i.e. non-enzymatic antioxidants and biomarkers of oxidative stress) in great tits at two sites near a fluorochemical manufacturing facility. Different PFAS were detected in the blood plasma with a mean ΣPFAS of 16062 pg/µL at the site closest to the facility. The PFAS profile in the plasma consisted mainly of PFOS, PFOA, PFDA and PFDoDA, where concentrations were higher for these compounds at the site closest to the plant. Our results show a clear link between PFAS and the antioxidant status of the birds; total antioxidant capacity and peroxidase activity were higher near the plant site, while the glutaredoxin activity was higher further away. Additionally, positive associations were found between PFDoDA and glutathione-S-transferase activity, between PFOS and glutathione-S-transferase activity, between PFDA and peroxidase activity, and between PFOS and peroxidase activity. Lastly, a negative association was found between plasma PFDA concentrations and the total polyphenol content. Interestingly, malondialdehyde levels did not differ between sites, suggesting lipid peroxidation was not affected. Although our results suggest that great tits with elevated PFAS concentrations did not suffer oxidative damage, the antioxidant defence responses were significantly triggered by PFAS exposure. This implies that the great tits have managed to defend themselves against the possible oxidative damage coming from PFAS contamination, although the upregulated antioxidant defences may have fitness costs. Further, experiments are needed to investigate the specific mechanisms by which PFAS induce oxidative stress in avian species.

6:2 Chlorinated Polyfluoroalkyl Ether Sulfonates Exert Stronger Thyroid Homeostasis Disruptive Effects in Newborns than Perfluorooctanesulfonate: Evidence Based on Bayesian Benchmark Dose Values from a Population Study.

Growing toxicologic evidence suggests that emerging perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), like chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonate (Cl-PFESA), may be as toxic or more toxic than perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). However, further investigations are needed in terms of the human health risk assessment. This study examined the effects of emerging and legacy PFAS exposure on newborn thyroid homeostasis and compared the thyroid disruption caused by 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFOS using a benchmark dose approach. The health effects of mixture and individual exposure were estimated using the partial least-squares (PLS) model and linear regression, respectively. A Bayesian benchmark dose (BMD) analysis determined the BMD value for adverse effect comparison between 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFOS. The median (interquartile range) concentrations of 6:2 Cl-PFESA (0.573 [0.351-0.872] ng/mL), PFOS (0.674 [0.462-1.007] ng/mL), and PFOA (1.457 [1.034, 2.405] ng/mL) were found to be similar. The PLS model ranked the PFAS variables' importance in projection (VIP) scores as follows: 6:2 Cl-PFESA > PFOS > PFOA. Linear regression showed that 6:2 Cl-PFESA had a positive association with free triiodothyronine (FT3, P = 0.006) and triiodothyronine (T3, P = 0.014), while PFOS had a marginally significant positive association with FT3 alone (P = 0.042). The BMD analysis indicated that the estimated BMD10 for 6:2 Cl-PFESA (1.01 ng/mL) was lower than that for PFOS (1.66 ng/mL) in relation to a 10% increase in FT3. These findings suggest that 6:2 Cl-PFESA, an alternative to PFOS, has a more pronounced impact on newborns' thyroid homeostasis compared to PFOS and other legacy PFASs.

Occurrence of metals, phthalate esters, and perfluoroalkyl substances in cellar water and their relationship with bacterial community in rural areas of China.

Water cellars are traditional rainwater harvesting facilities that have been widely used in rural areas of northwest China. However, there are few reports about the water quality and health risk caused by the cellar water, especially phthalate esters (PAEs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). This study investigated and assessed the health risks caused by the metals, PAEs, PFASs and bacterial communities in cellar water. The results showed that the turbidity and total number of bacterial colonies ranged from 4.7 to 58.5 NTU and 5-557 CFU/mL, respectively. The turbidity and total number of bacterial colonies were the main water quality problems. Due to high concentration of Tl (0.005-0.171 µg/L), the samples reached a high level of metal pollution. PAEs showed no non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk. The perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the main components of PFASs. PFOA and PFOS reached a moderate risk level in many cellar water samples. Moreover, Tl, Pb, As, PFBA and PFBS could change the bacterial community composition and induce the enrichment of bacterial functions related to human diseases. Besides these parameters, dissolved oxygen (DO) also affected the bacterial functions related to human diseases. Therefore, more attention should be paid to turbidity, DO, Tl, Pb, As, PFOA, PFOS, PFBA and PFBS in the cellar water. These results are meaningful for the water quality guarantee and health protection in rural areas of China.

Environmental explanation of prostate cancer progression based on the comprehensive analysis of perfluorinated compounds.

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made chemicals used in the manufacture of many products with water and dirt repellent properties. Many diseases have been proved to be related to the exposure of PFCs, including breast fibroadenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and leydig cell adenoma. However, whether the PFCs promote the progression of prostate cancer remains unclear. In this work, through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, we discovered the correlation between the prostate cancer and five PFCs using Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. In addition, further analysis showed that several PFCs-related genes demonstrated strong prognostic value for prostate cancer patients. The survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves revealed that PFCs-related genes based prognostic model held great predictive value for the prognosis of prostate cancer, which could potentially serve as an independent risk factor in the future. In vitro experiments verified the promotive role of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in the growth of prostate cancer cells. This study provided novel insights into understanding the role of PFCs in prostate cancer and brought attention to the environmental association with cancer risks and progression.

Environmental Exposure to Emerging Alternatives of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Women Diagnosed with Infertility: A Mixture Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been previously linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), but only a few legacy PFAS were examined. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore this association with a variety of PFAS, including legacy, branched-chain isomers, and emerging alternatives, as well as a PFAS mixture. METHODS: From 2014 to 2016, we conducted a multicenter, hospital-based case-control study on environmental endocrine disruptors and infertility in China. Three hundred sixty-six women with PCOS-related infertility and 577 control participants without PCOS were included in the current analysis. Twenty-three PFAS, including 3 emerging PFAS alternatives, 6 linear and branched PFAS isomers, 6 short-chain PFAS, and 8 legacy PFAS, were quantified in the plasma. Logistic regression and two multipollutant models [quantile-based g-computation (QGC) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) methods] were used to assess the association of individual PFAS and PFAS mixture with PCOS, as well as the potential interactions among the congeners. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, Each 1-standard deviation higher difference in ln-transformed 6:2 chlorinated perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) level was significantly associated with a 29% (95% CI: 1.11, 1.52) and 39% (95% CI:1.16, 1.68) higher odds of PCOS, respectively. Meanwhile, branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (i.e., br-PFHxS, n-PFOS, 1m-PFOS, Σ3,4,5m-PFOS), short-chain PFAS (i.e., PFPeS and PFHxA) and other legacy PFAS [i.e., total concentrations of PFOS (T-PFOS), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)] were significantly associated with increased odds of PCOS. The PFAS mixture was positively related to PCOS in the BKMR model. A similar trend was observed in QGC model, a ln-unit increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with a 20% increased risk of PCOS [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.20 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.37)]. After controlling for other PFAS homologs, 6:2 Cl-PFESA, HFPO-DA, Σ3,4,5m-PFOS, and PFDoA were the major contributors based on the QGC and BKMR models. The associations were more pronounced in overweight/obese women. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of women, environmental exposure to a PFAS mixture was associated with an elevated odds of PCOS, with 6:2 Cl-PFESA, HFPO-DA, Σ3,4,5m-PFOS, and PFDoA being the major contributors, especially in overweight/obese women. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11814.

Ecological characteristics impact PFAS concentrations in a U.S. North Atlantic food web.

This is the first comprehensive study of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a coastal food web of the U.S. North Atlantic, in which we characterize the presence and concentrations of 24 targeted PFAS across 18 marine species from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, and surrounding waters. These species reflect the diversity of a typical North Atlantic Ocean food web with organisms from a variety of taxa, habitat types, and feeding guilds. Many of these organisms have no previously reported information on PFAS tissue concentrations. We found significant relationships of PFAS concentrations with respect to various ecological characteristics including species, body size, habitat, feeding guild, and location of collection. Based upon the 19 PFAS detected in the study (5 were not detected in samples), benthic omnivores (American lobsters = 10.5 ng/g ww, winter skates = 5.77 ng/g ww, Cancer crabs = 4.59 ng/g ww) and pelagic piscivores (striped bass = 8.50 ng/g ww, bluefish = 4.30 ng/g ww) demonstrated the greatest average ∑PFAS concentrations across all species sampled. Further, American lobsters had the highest concentrations detected in individuals (∑PFAS up to 21.1 ng/g ww, which consisted primarily of long-chain PFCAs). The calculation of field-based trophic magnification factors (TMFs) for the top 8 detected PFAS determined that perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) associated with the pelagic habitat biomagnified, whereas perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) associated with the benthic habitat demonstrated trophic dilution in this food web (calculated trophic levels ranged from 1.65 to 4.97). While PFAS exposure to these organisms may have adverse implications for ecological impacts via toxicological effects, many of these species are also key recreational and commercial fisheries resulting in potential for human exposure via dietary consumption.

Trophic behaviors of PFOA and its alternatives perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs) in a coastal food web.

With the increasing restrictions and concerns about legacy poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the production and usage of alternatives, i.e., perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), have risen recently. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the bioaccumulation and trophic behaviors of emerging PFECAs in coastal ecosystems. The bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its substitutes (PFECAs) were investigated in Laizhou Bay, which is located downstream of a fluorochemical industrial park in China. Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TrA), perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA) and PFOA constituted the dominant compounds in the ecosystem of Laizhou Bay. PFMOAA was dominant in invertebrates, whereas the long-chain PFECAs preferred to accumulate in fishes. The PFAS concentrations in carnivorous invertebrates were higher than those in filter-feeding species. Considering migration behaviors, the ∑PFAS concentrations followed the order oceanodromous fish < diadromous fish < non-migratory fish. The trophic magnification factors (TMFs) of long-chain PFECAs (HFPO-TrA, HFPO-TeA and PFO5DoA) were >1, suggesting trophic magnification potential, while biodilution for short-chain PFECAs (PFMOAA) was observed. The intake of PFOA in seafood may constitute a great threat to human health. More attention should be given to the impact of emerging hazardous PFAS on organisms for the health of ecosystems and human beings.

EU need to protect its environment from toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

The Environmental Protection Agencies (EPAs) of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands submitted a proposal to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) in February 2023 calling for a ban in the use of toxic industrial chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are highly toxic causing elevated cholesterol, immune suppression, reproductive failure, cancer and neuro-endocrine disruption in humans and wildlife being a significant threat to biodiversity and human health. The main reason for the submitted proposal is recent findings of significant flaws in the transition to PFAS replacements that is leading to a widespread pollution. Denmark was the first country banning PFAS, and now other EU countries support the restrictions of these carcinogenic, endocrine disruptive and immunotoxic chemicals. The proposed plan is among the most extensive received by the ECHA for 50 years. Denmark is now the first EU country to initiate the establishment of groundwater parks to try and protect its drinking water. These parks are areas free of agricultural activities and nutritious sewage sludge to secure drinking water free of xenobiotic including PFAS. The PFAS pollution also reflects the lack of comprehensive spatial and temporal environmental monitoring programs in the EU. Such monitoring programs should include key indicator species across ecosystems of livestock, fish and wildlife, to facilitate detection of early ecological warning signals and sustain public health. Simultaneously with inferring a total PFAS ban, the EU should also push for more persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) PFAS substances to be listed on the Stockholm Convention (SC) Annex A such as PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) that is currently listed on the SCs Annex B. The combination of these regulative restrictions combined with groundwater parks and pan-European biomonitoring programs, would pave the way forward for a cleaner environment to sustain health across the EU.

Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in Human Milk: First Survey from Lebanon.

Human milk is the primary source of nutrition for infants in their first year of life. Its potential contamination with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a group of toxic man-made chemicals, is a health concern that may threatens infants' health. Our study aims to assess the levels of PFOA and PFOS in the breast milk of Lebanese lactating mothers and the maternal factors associated with their presence. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a Micromass Quattro micro API triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to detect the level of contamination in 57 collected human milk samples. PFOA and PFOS were present in 82.5% and 85.7% of the samples, respectively, while PFOA levels ranged between 120 and 247 pg/mL with a median of 147 pg/mL, and those of PFOS ranged between 12 and 86 pg/mL with a median of 27.5 pg/mL. The median contamination for PFOA exceeded the threshold set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (60 pg/mL); however, that of PFOS was below the threshold (73 pg/mL). The consumption of bread, pasta, meat, and chicken more than twice per week and that of white tubers and roots at least once per week was significantly associated with higher levels of PFOA (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between maternal age, BMI, parity, level of education, place of residence, source of water used, and smoking with the levels of PFOA and PFOS in the human milk. Additionally, the consumption of cereals at least twice per week was significantly associated with higher levels of PFOS. These findings call for actions to improve the local environmental and agricultural practices, and the regulations and standards for inspecting imported food. It is important to highlight that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the reported contamination with PFOS and PFOA in our study.

Perfluoroalkyl substances exposure in firefighters: Sources and implications.

Firefighters are at risk of occupational exposure to long-chain per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), most notably from PFASs present in Class B aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Firefighters have been found to have elevated serum levels of long-chain PFASs. Due to the persistence of PFAS chemicals in the human body and their ability to bioaccumulate, firefighters experience the latent and cumulative effects of PFAS-containing AFFF exposure that occurs throughout their careers. This article summarizes the history of AFFF use by firefighters and current AFFF use practices. In addition, this paper describes PFAS levels in firefighter serum, PFAS serum removal pathways, PFAS exposure pathways, and occupational factors affecting PFAS levels in firefighters. International, national, and state agencies have concluded that PFOA, a long-chain PFAS, is potentially carcinogenic and that carcinogens have an additive effect. From the cancer types that may be associated with PFAS exposure, studies on cancer risk among firefighters have shown an elevated risk for thyroid, kidney, bladder, testicular, prostate, and colon cancer. Thus, exposure to PFAS-containing AFFF may contribute to firefighter cancer risk and warrants further research.

Occurrence, partitioning and transport of perfluoroalkyl acids in gas and particles from the southeast coastal and mountainous areas of China.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) in gas and particles were analyzed in southeast coastal and mountainous cities, including Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Nanping, to study the pollution characteristics, particle size distribution, phase partitioning and atmospheric transport. PFAA ranged from 7.8 to 290 pg m-3 in gaseous phase, 27 - 1200 pg m-3 in particulate phase, and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were main compounds. PFAA had the highest concentration in Nanping with perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) dominant, which could be related to the emission of PFAS from local industrial plants. Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) exhibited different particle size distribution characteristics, with PFSAs preferring to distribute on coarse particles, which could be affected by the salt, minerals and organic matter in different particle sizes. The gas - particle partitioning coefficient (KPA) had a line relationship with the fluorinated carbon chain length of PFAA, suggesting that long-chain PFAA tended to exist in particulate phase. The Winter Monsoon could transport to the study area and drive atmospheric PFAS to southern cities. HIGHLIGHTS: • Industrial plants contributed high concentrations of PFAA. • PFSAs tended to present in coarse particles. • Log KPA increased linearly with increasing carbon chain length of PFAA. • Winter Monsoon drove atmospheric PFAA to southern cities.

Glioma is associated with exposure to legacy and alternative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Data on the occurrences of legacy and alternative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in glioma are scarce. It remains unclear if PFASs exposure is related to the prevalence of glioma. A total of 137 glioma and 40 non-glioma brain tissue samples from patients recruited from the Nanfang Hospital, South China were analyzed for 17 PFAS compounds. Perfluorohexanoic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate were frequently detected (> 60 %) in glioma. The total concentrations (range; median) of 17 PFASs in glioma (0.20-140; 3.1 ng g-1) were slightly higher than those in non-glioma (0.35-32; 2.2 ng g-1), but without statistical significance. The PFAS concentrations in males were statistically higher (p < 0.05) than those in females. Elevated glioma grades were associated with higher concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and FOSA. Positive correlations were observed between PFAS concentrations (especially for PFOA) and Ki-67 or P53 expression, pathological molecular markers of glioma. Our findings suggested that exposure to PFASs might increase the probability to develop glioma. This is the first case study demonstrating associations between PFASs exposure and brain cancer. More evidences and potential pathogenic mechanisms warranted further investigations.

Cell cycle alterations due to perfluoroalkyl substances PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFBA and the new PFAS C6O4 on bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skin cell.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Marine mammals, as top predators, are constantly exposed to several PFAS compounds that accumulate in different tissues. As a proxy to assess cytotoxicity of PFAS in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), we generated a new immortalized cell line derived from skin samples of bottlenose dolphin. Using high content imaging, we assessed the effects of increasing concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFBA and C6O4 on cell viability and cell cycle phases. In particular, we classified all cells based on multiple morphometric differences of the nucleus in three populations, named respectively "Normal" (nuclei in G0, S and M phase); "Large" (nuclei showing characteristics of senescence) and "Small" (nuclei with fragmentation and condensed chromatin). Combining this approach with cell cycle analysis we determined which phases of the cell cycle were influenced by PFAS. The results revealed that the presence of PFOS, PFBS and PFBA could increase the number of cells in G0+G1 phase and decrease the number of those in the S phase. Moreover, PFOS and PFBS lowered the fraction of cells in the M phase. Interestingly PFOS, PFBS and PFBA reduced the prevalence of the senescence phenotype ("large" nuclei), suggesting a potential tumorigenic effect. Besides, the presence of PFOS and PFBS correlated also with a significant decrease in the number of "small" nuclei. The C6O4 exposure did not highlighted morphometric alteration or cell cycle modification bottlenose dolphin skin cell nuclei. While the effects of PFAS on cell cycle was clear, no significant change was detected either in term of cell proliferation or of viability. This study fosters the overall knowledge on the cellular effects of perfluoroalkyl substances in marine mammals.

Emerging contaminants migration from pipes used in drinking water distribution systems: a review of the scientific literature.

Migration of emerging contaminants (ECs) from pipes into water is a global concern due to potential human health effects. Nevertheless, a review of migration ECs from pipes into water distribution systems is presently lacking. This paper reviews, the reported occurrence migration of ECs from pipes into water distribution systems in the world. Furthermore, the results related to ECs migration from pipes into water distribution systems, their probable sources, and their hazards are discussed. The present manuscript considered the existing reports on migration of five main categories of ECs including microplastics (MPs), bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, nonylphenol (NP), perfluoroalkyl, and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from distribution network into tap water. A focus on tap water in published literature suggests that pipes type used had an important role on levels of ECs migration in water during transport and storage of water. For comparison, tap drinking water in contact with polymer pipes had the highest mean concentrations of reviewed contaminants. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the most frequently detected types of microplastics (MPs) in tap water. Based on the risk assessment analysis of ECs, levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were above 1, indicating a potential non-carcinogenic health risk to consumers. Finally, there are still scientific gaps on occurrence and migration of ECs from pipes used in distribution systems, and this needs more in-depth studies to evaluate their exposure hazards on human health.