Polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure in the Mid-Ohio River Valley, 1991–2012

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Environ Pollut
• Personal Author:
  Herrick, Robert L. ; Buckholz, Jeanette ; Biro, Frank M. ; Calafat, Antonia M. ; Ye, Xiaoyun ; Xie, Changchun ; Pinney, Susan M.
• Description:
  Background
  
  Industrial discharges of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to the Ohio River, contaminating water systems near Parkersburg, WV, were previously associated with nearby residents’ serum PFOA concentrations above US general population medians. Ohio River PFOA concentrations downstream are elevated, suggesting Mid-Ohio River Valley residents are exposed through drinking water.
  
  Objectives
  
  Quantify PFOA and 10 other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Mid-Ohio River Valley resident sera collected between 1991 and 2013 and determine whether the Ohio River and Ohio River Aquifer are exposure sources.
  
  Methods
  
  We measured eleven PFAS in 1608 sera from 931 participants. Serum PFOA concentration and water source associations were assessed using linear mixed-effects models. We estimated between-sample serum PFOA using one-compartment pharmacokinetics for participants with multiple samples.
  
  Results
  
  In serum samples collected as early as 1991, PFOA (median=7.6ng/mL) was detected in 99.9% of sera; 47% had concentrations greater than US population 95th percentiles. Five other PFAS were detected in greater than 82% of samples; median other PFAS concentrations were similar to the US general population. Serum PFOA was significantly associated with water source, sampling year, age at sampling, tap water consumption, pregnancy, gravidity and breastfeeding. Serum PFOA was 40–60% lower with granular activated carbon (GAC) use. Repeated measurements and pharmacokinetics suggest serum PFOA peaked 2000–2006 for participants using water without GAC treatment; where GAC was used, serum PFOA concentrations decreased from 1991 to 2012.
  
  Conclusions
  
  Mid-Ohio River Valley residents appear to have PFOA, but not other PFAS, serum concentrations above US population levels. Drinking water from the Ohio River and Ohio River Aquifer, primarily contaminated by industrial discharges 209–666 kilometers upstream, is likely the primary exposure source. GAC treatment of drinking water mitigates, but does not eliminate, PFOA exposure.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Caprylates Charcoal Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollutants Environmental Pollution Female Fluorocarbons Groundwater Humans Industry Male Ohio Rivers Water Water Pollutants, Chemical

  More +
• Keywords:
  Biomonitoring Drinking Water Contaminants Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pharmacokinetic Modeling
• Source:
  Environ Pollut. 228:50-60
• Pubmed ID:
  28505513
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC5540235
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  U01 ES012770/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R21 ES017176/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; P30 ES006096/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; CC999999/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/ ; U01 ES019453/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U01 ES019457/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; T32 ES010957/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; UL1 RR026314/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  228
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:94da816036830c3077dca54d3f11636395236240482efc01c6fbc57e6f47d0042892913e5146aeb92055734a914922ed61fb24915333ba7b86261af2f5470cba
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/47595/cdc_47595_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.67 MB ]