Scholars@Duke publication: Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer.

Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer.

Publication , Journal Article

Zhang, T; Sun, H; Lin, Y; Qin, X; Zhang, Y; Geng, X; Kannan, K

Published in: Environmental science & technology

July 2013

Although levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human maternal and neonatal blood have been widely reported in the literature, relationship of maternal-fetal transmission of PFASs with carbon chain length is presently not well understood. In this study, 11 PFASs were analyzed in matched samples, including not only maternal blood (MB, n = 31) and cord blood (CB, n = 30), but also placenta (n = 29) and amniotic fluid (AF, n = 29). Except for perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), the detection frequencies of PFASs were similar among placenta, MB, and CB (>80% for 8 PFASs, nondetectable for 2 PFASs). Though only perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was frequently detected (>90%) in AF, with a median concentration of 0.043 ng/mL, other 5 PFASs were also detectable in AF samples with low concentrations (mean: 0.013-0.191 ng/mL). This suggests that in addition to blood-borne in utero exposure, the fetus is also exposed to low levels of PFASs through AF. Concentrations of PFOA in AF were positively correlated with those in MB (r = 0.738, p < 0.01) and CB (r = 0.683, p < 0.001), suggesting that AF concentration could reflect fetal PFOA exposure during pregnancy and can be used as a biomarker. To clarify the effects of carbon chain length on maternal transfer of PFASs, we calculated maternal transfer efficiencies of PFASs from MB to CB (TMB-CB). A U-shaped trend in TMB-CB of C7-C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) with increasing carbon chain length was found in this study for the first time. The U-shaped TMB-CB of PFCAs with carbon chain length is an integrated result of opposite trend of the ratios between MB/placenta and placenta/CB based on carbon chain length. This is the first study to report the occurrence of PFASs in human placenta. The results reported here enable better understanding of the maternal-fetal transmission of PFASs.

Duke Scholars

Author Yan Lin Environmental Natural Science

Published In

Environmental science & technology

DOI

10.1021/es400937y

EISSN

1520-5851

ISSN

0013-936X

Publication Date

July 2013

Volume

Issue

Start / End Page

7974 / 7981

Related Subject Headings

Pregnancy
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Humans
Fluorocarbons
Female
Environmental Sciences
Amniotic Fluid

Citation

APA

Chicago

ICMJE

MLA

NLM

Zhang, T., Sun, H., Lin, Y., Qin, X., Zhang, Y., Geng, X., & Kannan, K. (2013). Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(14), 7974–7981. https://doi.org/10.1021/es400937y

Zhang, Tao, Hongwen Sun, Yan Lin, Xiaolei Qin, Yanfeng Zhang, Xia Geng, and Kurunthachalam Kannan. “Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer.” Environmental Science & Technology 47, no. 14 (July 2013): 7974–81. https://doi.org/10.1021/es400937y.

Zhang T, Sun H, Lin Y, Qin X, Zhang Y, Geng X, et al. Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer. Environmental science & technology. 2013 Jul;47(14):7974–81.

Zhang, Tao, et al. “Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer.” Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 47, no. 14, July 2013, pp. 7974–81. Epmc, doi:10.1021/es400937y.

Zhang T, Sun H, Lin Y, Qin X, Zhang Y, Geng X, Kannan K. Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer. Environmental science & technology. 2013 Jul;47(14):7974–7981.