Jul 2026· Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology· 0 citations· 30 references
Medicine
Abstract
Background: The Milwaukee Angler Study was initiated in 2017 as part of the Biomonitoring of Great Lakes Populations Program (BGLP-III) to examine two adult populations at high risk of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure from consumption of PFAS-contaminated sportfish: licensed anglers near the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) and Burmese refugees for whom fish is a dietary staple. Objective: This study seeks to provide a comprehensive examination of serum PFAS concentrations in these groups and investigate associations with locally caught fish consumption. Methods: Licensed urban anglers and Burmese refugees were independently recruited using population-specific sampling strategies. Participants completed questionnaires on demographics and fish consumption and provided biological specimens. Median and 95th percentile concentrations of seven PFAS were compared to 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Multivariable regression assessed associations between serum PFAS concentrations and self-reported local fish consumption from the Milwaukee AOC. Results: Among the 396 licensed angler participants, serum concentrations of three of the seven PFAS (PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA) were elevated compared to the U.S. population; PFOS, PFDA, PFHxS, PFNA, and total PFAS were significantly associated with increased local fish consumption when controlling for other demographic factors. Among the 103 Burmese refugee participants, four of the seven measured PFAS (PFOS, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFNA) were elevated compared to the U.S. population; PFOA, PFOS, PFDA, and total PFAS were associated with increased local fish consumption when controlling for other demographic factors. Significance: The results from this study support an association of local fish consumption with PFAS exposure among high-risk populations with varied demographic and local fish consumption practices in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC. Given that adherence to and awareness of state fish advisories can vary widely, our biomonitoring results underscore the importance of ongoing, tailored efforts to deliver culturally relevant public health interventions to the diverse populations surrounding the Great Lakes basin. Impact Statement: Building on the Biomonitoring of Great Lakes Populations program, this study adds PFAS-focused data from Milwaukee’s urban anglers and Burmese refugees, two understudied, high-exposure groups in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. By integrating detailed fish-consumption histories with serum PFAS and NHANES comparisons, the work directly informs Great Lakes Restoration Initiative goals and targeted fish-advisory interventions. These findings offer actionable evidence for exposure scientists, environmental epidemiologists, and public health practitioners.
The analysis revealed mostly long-chain legacy PFAS with possibly different exposure risks for secluded interior communities compared to urban-coastal populations, indicating a need for contaminant source assessments.
Jenna K. Honan, F. A. Wahid, Anisma R. Gokoel et al.· Journal of Exposure Science...· 0 citations
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) received widespread concern due to their persistent, bioaccumulative potential and health impacts. In the present study, 33 legacy and emerging PFASs were analyzed in nine marine species from western coast of the Yellow Sea. The concentrations of PFASs ranged from 109.14 to 483.13 ng/g dry weight (dw), and 29.24 to 101.71 ng/g wet weight (ww). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the predominant congener, accounting for 24.7-61.1% of total PFASs. Positive correlation was observed between field-calculated log BAFs and model prediction values. Based on stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N), a marine food web was constructed to evaluate trophic transfer. Trophic magnification factor (TMF) of total PFASs was 2.25, confirming the biomagnification ability of PFASs. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA, TMF = 4.72) and N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (N-EtFOSAA, TMF = 6.64) exhibited the highest amplification, whereas short-chain PFASs and 8:2 chlorinated polyfluoroether sulfonate displayed trophic dilution. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of four priority PFASs (22.2 ng/kg bw/day) exceeded the EFSA tolerable weekly intake of 0.63 ng/kg bw/week, indicating potential health concerns associated with local seafood consumption. These findings reveal pervasive contamination in marine organisms from western coast of the Yellow Sea.
Hao Zang, Yingming Feng, Fan Yang et al.· Marine Pollution Bulletin· 0 citations
With perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) widely distributed across environmental media and prone to bioaccumulation, terrestrial mammals face ecological health risks, yet related research remains limited. This study addresses the gap by investigating the occurrence and biomagnification of PFAS in terrestrial mammals in a typical agricultural region in China. Using non-target analysis, fifteen PFAS from twelve classes were identified with confidence level 2. Total PFAS concentrations ranged from 0.121 to 0.386 ng/g wet weight (ww) in hares, 0.086 to 0.434 ng/g ww in hedgehogs, and 0.306 to 0.973 ng/g ww in weasels. For 15 PFAS examined except PFHxDA and PFODA, biomagnification factors were found to be greater than 1 in both the hare-weasel and hedgehog-weasel food chains, indicating significant biomagnification of PFAS in hare-weasel and hedgehog-weasel food chains. A risk-based prioritization approach was developed to rank the identified PFAS, flagging four as high priority (risk index > 0.1). These findings enhance understanding of PFAS behavior in terrestrial ecosystems and provide valuable insights to mitigate their environmental and ecological impacts.
Zeng-Hua Qi, Chun-You Zhu, Bei-Bei Hu et al.· Global Environmental Science· 0 citations
We investigated the presence of metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Hg) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from the White Oak River Basin (WORB), a sparsely populated coastal watershed in North Carolina, USA. We compared wild and farmed oysters to evaluate whether their positions within the water column influenced contaminant accumulation. Consumption risk was also assessed based on meal size, toxicological guidance values, and individual physiological parameters. Metals and PFAS were consistently detected in oysters across the WORB but generally occurred at low concentrations. Spatial patterns suggest that metal concentrations may be largely influenced by geogenic or background sources, whereas PFAS contamination may originate primarily from nonpoint sources. Despite low contaminant concentrations, estimated consumption risk varied among analytes, with substantial uncertainty associated with current toxicological and regulatory guidance. These findings improve understanding of contaminant fate and bioaccumulation in a coastal system with limited anthropogenic land use and provide a framework for evaluating bivalve consumption risk that incorporates contaminant-specific toxicity and individual physiological characteristics.
Caroline Z. Rudd, Marzieh Shojaei, Nelson A. Rivera et al.· ACS ES&T water· 0 citations
The findings suggest that exposure to low levels of some alternative and precursor PFAS may be widespread in Canada and reinforce the role of pregnancy and breastfeeding as excretion pathways for legacy PFAS and support previous investigations demonstrating that exposure to some PFAS may be lower amongst financially disadvantaged populations.
M. Borghese, Rebecca Lelievre, Sara Packull-McCormick et al.· Environmental Health· 0 citations
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft sewage sludge risk assessment indicates that land application of biosolids containing as little as 1 ng/g of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) may exceed human health risk thresholds. This study provides updated measurements of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in US biosolids. Twenty-seven biosolid samples from 15 states were analyzed using EPA Method 1633 and the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. Dominant PFAS included 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (FTCA) (70.2 ± 84.7 ng/g), 7:3 FTCA (23.7 ± 43.7 ng/g), and PFOS (22.1 ± 45.2 ng/g), with total PFAS ranging from 2 to 807 ng/g, showing no correlation with sewer-shed population or industrial inputs. At one facility, PFAS increased from 17.3 ng/g in primary sludge to 150 ng/g in centrifuge cake, consistent with precursor transformation. TOP assay did not increase total PFAS levels but shifted the profile, with perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids increasing and FTCAs and other precursors decreasing, likely reflecting incomplete transformation of precursors during wastewater and sludge treatment. These findings suggest that regulated PFAS will increase following land application due to transformation of precursors over time. Compared to the 2001 national sewage sludge survey samples, PFOA and PFOS declined by > 80%, yet remain at least one order of magnitude above 1 ng/g. Current study supports EPA’s conclusion that land application of biosolids continues to pose potential human health risks.
Xia-Yan Ye, A. Maroli, Santhoshi Chitthaluri et al.· Environmental science and po...· 1 citation
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