Levels of 12 Perfluorinated Chemicals in Pooled Australian Serum, Collected 2002−2003, in Relation to Age, Gender, and Region

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2006-06, Vol.40 (12), p.3742-3748
• Main Authors: Kärrman, Anna, Mueller, Jochen F, van Bavel, Bert, Harden, Fiona, Toms, Leisa-Maree L, Lindström, Gunilla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Age Distribution; Age groups; Alkanesulfonic Acids - blood; Australia; Biological and medical sciences; Caprylates - blood; Chemistry; Emissions; Environmental chemistry; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Female; Fluorocarbons - blood; Gender; General aspects; Health risk assessment; Human exposure; Humans; Kemi; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miljökemi; NATURAL SCIENCES; NATURVETENSKAP; Pollutants; Quality Control; Rural areas; Rural Population; Sex Distribution; Toxicology; Urban areas; Urban Population
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es060301u

Pooled serum samples from 3802 Australian residents were analyzed for four perfluoroalkylsulfonates, seven perfluoroalkylcarboxylates, and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA). Serum was collected from men and women of five different age groups and from rural and urban regions in Australia. The highest mean concentration was obtained for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, 20.8 ng/mL) followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, 7.6 ng/mL), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS, 6.2 ng/mL), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA, 1.1 ng/mL), and PFOSA (0.71 ng/mL). Additional four PFCs were detected in 5−18% of the samples at concentrations near the detection limits (0.1−0.5 ng/mL). An increase in PFOS concentration with increasing age in both regions and genders was observed. The male pool levels of some of the age groups compared to females were higher for PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS. In contrast, PFNA concentrations were higher in the female pools. No substantial difference was found in levels of PFCs between the urban and rural regions. The levels are equal or higher than previously reported serum levels in Europe and Asia but lower compared to the U.S.A. These results suggest that emissions from production in the Northern Hemisphere are of less importance for human exposure.