Elimination kinetics of perfluorohexanoic acid in humans and comparison with mouse,rat and monkey

Major fluorinated chemical manufacturers have developed new short-chain per- and polyfluorinated substances with more favorable environmental, health and safety profiles. This study provides the first evaluation of the elimination half-life of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) from the blood of humans. PFHxA biomonitoring data were obtained from a recently published study of professional ski wax technicians. These data were analyzed to provide estimates of the apparent half-life of PFHxA from humans, and comparisons were made with kinetic studies of PFHxA elimination from mice, rats and monkeys. The apparent elimination half-life of PFHxA in highly exposed humans ranged between 14 and 49 d with a geomean of 32 d. The half-lives of PFHxA in mice, rats, monkeys and humans were proportional to body weight with no differences observed between genders, indicating similar volumes of distribution and similar elimination mechanisms among mammalian species. Compared to long-chain perfluoroalkyl acid analogs, PFHxA is rapidly cleared from biota. The consistent weight-normalized elimination half-lives for PFHxA in mammalian species indicates that results obtained from animal models are suitable for establishment of PFHxA benchmark dose and reference dose hazard endpoints for use in human risk assessments.     

The short-chain perfluorinated compounds PFBS, PFHxS, PFBA and PFHxA, disrupt human mesenchymal stem cell self-renewal and adipogenic differentiation

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are commonly used in industrial processes and daily life products. Because they are persistent, they accumulate in the environment, wildlife and humans. Although many studies have focused on two of the most representative PFASs, PFOS and PFOA, the potential toxicity of short-chain PFASs has not yet been given sufficient attention. We used a battery of assays to evaluate the toxicity of several four-carbon and six-carbon perfluorinated sulfonates and carboxyl acids (PFBS, PFHxS, PFBA and PFHxA), with a human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) system. Our results demonstrate significant cyto- and potential developmental toxicity for all the compounds analyzed, with shared but also distinct mechanisms of toxicity. Moreover, the effects of PFBS and PFHxS were stronger than those of PFBA and PFHxA, but occurred at higher doses compared to PFOS or PFOA.     

Determination of C(5)-C(12) perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids in river water samples in the Czech Republic by GC-MS after SPE preconcentration

A method employing solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization has been developed for determination of ultratrace concentrations of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids in river water. The effects of the experimental parameters, such as the pH, additions of NaCl and an ion-pairing agent (tetraethylammonium bromide) and the kind of the elution agent, on the efficiency of the test acid extraction have been studied. The analyte extraction recoveries and the limits of detection and determination have been found. The method developed has been tested on determinations of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids in the waters of the two largest Czech rivers, Vltava and Labe (Elbe). The best extraction results have been attained without any alteration of the sample pH, with an addition of tetrabutylammonium bromide (a concentration of 50 μg mL⁻¹ in the sample) and using methanol as the elution agent. Under these conditions, the recoveries of the test acids in the spiked real samples are within ranges from 60% to 104% and 53% to 111% for analyte concentration levels of 1.40 ng mL⁻¹ and 0.14 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, depending on the lengths of the perfluorinated chains of the acids. In general, the recovery decreases with increasing length of this chain. The method developed exhibits very low limits of detection and determination and the results are fully comparable with those obtained when using more expensive HPLC-MS/MS instrumentation. Typical values amount to tenths to tens of pg mL⁻¹ and units to one hundred pg mL⁻¹ for the limits of detection and determination, respectively; the measuring sensitivity increases with increasing length of the analyte chain. The analyzes of real samples from the Vltava and Elbe rivers have demonstrated that the results obtained are similar to the values published for contamination of the Elbe and other rivers in western and central Europe. The concentrations determined are of the order of units to tens of pg mL⁻¹ and the C₈-C₁₀ acids occur most often.