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Determinants of maternal and fetal exposure and temporal trends of perfluorinated compounds

  • Nordic Research on Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)
  • Published:
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Abstract

In recent years, some perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been identified as potentially hazardous substances which are harmful to the environment and human health. According to limited data, PFC levels in humans could be influenced by several determinants. However, the findings are inconsistent. In the present study, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were measured in paired maternal and cord serum samples (N = 237) collected between 1978 and 2001 in Southern Sweden to study the relationship between these and to investigate several potential determinants of maternal and fetal exposure to PFCs. Time trends of PFCs in Swedish women were also evaluated. The study is a part of the Fetal Environment and Neurodevelopment Disorders in Epidemiological Research project. PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA levels (median) were higher in maternal serum (15, 2.1, and 0.24 ng/ml, respectively) than in cord serum (6.5, 1.7, and 0.20 ng/ml, respectively). PFC levels were among the highest in women originating from the Nordic countries and the lowest in women from the Middle East, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. Multiparous women had lower serum PFOA levels (1.7 ng/ml) than primiparous women (2.4 ng/ml). Maternal age, body mass index, cotinine levels, and whether women carried male or female fetuses did not affect serum PFC concentrations. Umbilical cord serum PFC concentrations showed roughly similar patterns as the maternal except for the gestational age where PFC levels increased with advancing gestational age. PFOS levels increased during the study period in native Swedish women. In summary, PFOS levels tend to increase while PFOA and PFNA levels were unchanged between 1978 and 2001 in our study population. Our results demonstrate that maternal country of origin, parity, and gestational age might be associated with PFC exposure.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Swedish Research Council and the Medical Faculty at Lund University for funding the project. Special thanks are also given to the laboratory technicians Åsa Amilon and Agneta Kristensen for analyzing the samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden

    Amanda Ode, Lars Rylander, Christian H. Lindh, Karin Källén, Bo A. G. Jönsson & Anna Rignell-Hydbom

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden

    Peik Gustafsson

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institution of Clinical Sciences, Skane University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden

    Per Olofsson

  4. Department of Clinical Sciences, Unit of Pediatric Endocrinology, Lund University/Clinical Research Centre (CRC), 205 02, Malmö, Sweden

    Sten A. Ivarsson

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  1. Amanda Ode
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  2. Lars Rylander
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  3. Christian H. Lindh
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  9. Anna Rignell-Hydbom
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Correspondence to Amanda Ode.

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Responsible editor: Leif Kronberg

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Ode, A., Rylander, L., Lindh, C.H. et al. Determinants of maternal and fetal exposure and temporal trends of perfluorinated compounds. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 7970–7978 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1573-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1573-5

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