Quantification of 40 PFAS in Human Milk from Imprint Cohort
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Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have previously been reported in human milk. However, prior U.S. studies have not included novel PFAS alternatives of emerging concern. Further, predictors of human milk PFAS concentrations have not been investigated.
Methods: Human milk was collected between 2019 and 2020 at 6 weeks after delivery from 100 nursing women recruited in Cincinnati, Ohio into the IMPRINT cohort study. Twenty-nine PFAS were measured using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-MS/MS). Linear regression was used to identify sociodemographic determinants of human milk PFAS.
Results: All human milk samples contained PFAS and at least 5 PFAS were concurrently found in ≥50% of the participants. Nineteen different PFAS were detected in human milk across the study population and highest detection frequencies were 97.7% for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), 89.8% for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), 71.6% for perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), 70.0% for perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 68.0% for dodecafluoro-3H-4,8-dioxanonanoate (ADONA). The most abundant PFAS were PFOA (median: 17.40 pg/ml [interquartile range (IQR): 11.45, 24.90]), PFOS (median: 14.55 pg/mL [IQR: 8.24, 21.07]), PFHxA (median: 10.44 pg/ml [IQR: < LOD, 20.84]), PFHxS (median: 3.71 pg/ml [IQR: < LOD, 7.00]) and ADONA (median: 3.54 pg/ml [IQR: < LOD, 5.54]). Predictors of high human milk PFAS included high socioeconomic status for PFHxS and ADONA, whereas determinant of lower PFAS were older maternal age for PFHxS, higher parity for PFOA and Spring or Winter versus Fall season of sampling for PFOA, PFHxA and ADONA.
Conclusions: Human milk from Cincinnati, Ohio, women contain both legacy and emerging PFAS. Newer replacement chemistry PFAS as well as legacy PFAS were measured and detected in these samples.
Disclaimer: The opinions presented here are those of the authors alone and do not represent Agency policy.