Decline in Perfluorooctanesulfonate and Other Polyfluoroalkyl Chemicals in American Red Cross Adult Blood Donors, 2000−2006

Abstract

In 2000, 3M Company, the primary global manufacturer, announced a phase-out of perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride (POSF, C 8 F 17 SO 2 F)-based materials after perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS, C 8 F 17 SO 3 -) was reported in human populations and wildlife. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PFOS and other polyfluoroalkyl concentrations in plasma samples, collected in 2006 from six American Red Cross adult blood donor centers, have declined compared to nonpaired serum samples from the same locations in 2000-2001. For each location, 100 samples were obtained evenly distributed by age (20-69 years) and sex. Analytes measured, using tandem mass spectrometry, were PFOS, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetate (Me-PFOSA-AcOH), and N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetate (Et-PFOSA-AcOH). The geometric mean plasma concentrations were for PFOS 14.5 ng/mL (95% CI 13.9-15.2), PFOA 3.4 ng/ mL (95% CI 3.3-3.6), and PFHxS 1.5 ng/mL (95% CI 1.4-1.6). The majority of PFBS, Me-PFOSA-AcOH, and Et-PFOSA-AcOH concentrations were less than the lower limit of quantitation. Age-and sex-adjusted geometric means were lower in 2006 (approximately 60% for PFOS, 25% for PFOA, and 30% for PFHxS) than those in 2000-2001. The declines for PFOS and PFHxS are consistent with their serum elimination half-lives and the time since the phase-out of POSF-based materials. The shorter serum elimination half-life for PFOA and its smaller percentage decline than PFOS suggests PFOA concentrations measured in the general population are unlikely to be solely attributed to POSF-based materials. Direct and indirect exposure sources of PFOA could include historic and ongoing electrochemical cell fluorination (ECF) of PFOA, telomer production of PFOA, fluorotelomer-based precursors, and other fluoropolymer production.

Trends of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in marine biota and in humans

“…This declining trend in Norwegian blood (60% for PFOS, 40% for PFOA, 55% for PFHxS) was similar to that in American blood from six metropolitan areas in the USA (see above [32] ) in the same time period (2000-06). Compared to estimated total global POSF production volumes, [1] the PFC decline in human blood started at nearly the same time as the phase-out in 2000.…”

“…[47] But in contrast to this assumption, in general in the US studies with a high sample number (i.e. NHANES [33,34] and American Red Cross study [32] ) a correlation between the PFC concentration in human blood and the age of the blood donors could not be observed except for PFHxS. PFHxS concentrations were higher for adolescents than for adults.…”

“…For example, both, the American Red Cross and the NHANES databases, have consistently observed higher PFOS and PFOA concentrations in males than in females, by ,10-20%. [32] Similarly, in a German pilot study the PFOS concentrations in male plasma were 430% higher than in female plasma, whereas the difference in PFOA concentrations was o10%. [50] Investigations on Chinese blood samples also confirmed these observations.…”

“…The temporal trend since 2000 was investigated in more than 600 blood samples, obtained from six American Red Cross blood banks representing six metropolitan areas across the USA in 2000-01 [30] and in 2006. [32] In addition the data of the two CDC NHANES studies were included to the trend considerations (see Fig. 1).…”

“…[38] A comprehensive study was carried out in Norway, covering a time period of , 30 years (1976-2007). [39] [30,32] and Calafat et al [33,34] and estimated total global POSF production volumes, adapted from Paul et al [1] Temporal trends of PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS in blood of New York State infants representing 2640 one to two-day-old infants (arithmetic means; data modified from Spliethoff et al [36] ; whole blood data multiplied by a factor of 2).…”