Is there a human health risk associated with indirect exposure to perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs)?

Strategies for grouping per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to protect human and environmental health

“…For example, cellular assays suggest that reactive intermediate degradation products of uorotelomer alcohols, such as short-chain saturated and unsaturated uorotelomer aldehydes, are more toxic than either the parent compound or the terminal PFCA transformation products. 103,104 The specic RPF approach suggested by RIVM is sound if it can be argued that liver hypertrophy is a sensitive and reliable endpoint for all PFAAs; a problem here is that many regulatory jurisdictions disagree with that assessment. However, a similar additive toxicity approach could potentially be applied for those other endpoints.…”

Children's exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids – a modelling approach

“…An accurate assessment of the indirect exposure to PFCAs and PFSAs is currently unfeasible due to largely unknown values for the absorption efficiencies and PK parameters of most PFCA and PFSA precursors. 8,46 Estimations for biotransformation factors of PFAA precursors and absorption efficiencies are usually determined in rodent experiments, [47][48][49] which can hamper extrapolation to human metabolism. 7,48,50 Trudel et al (2008) proposed absorption efficiencies for PFOA and PFOS in humans being 0.66, 0.8 and 0.91, which were estimated from a study in rodents.…”

“…1,2 In general, adults are directly exposed to PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS (termed PFAAs hereaer) through the ingestion of dust 3,4 and food, 5 the inhalation of air 4 and the intake of drinking water. 6 Besides the direct exposure to PFAAs, indirect exposure to PFAAs can also occur in the body following uptake and biotransformation of PFAA-precursors, such as per-uorooctane sulfonamide derivates 7 and uorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs, 8 ). In background exposed adult populations, dietary uptake has been concluded to be the main exposure pathway of PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS (e.g.…”

Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in Serum from 2–4-Month-Old Infants: Influence of Maternal Serum Concentration, Gestational Age, Breast-Feeding, and Contaminated Drinking Water

“…6 PFAAs may be formed from degradation of other PFASs (commonly referred to as PFAA precursors). 7,8 PFAAs could cross the placenta and are excreted in mother´s milk. [9][10][11] Modeling of infant exposure to some PFAAs suggests that in utero exposure and breastfeeding are important determinants of blood concentrations.…”