Efficiency of Maternal-fetal Transfer of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Overview

Journal Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

Publisher Springer

Specialties Environmental Health
Toxicology

Date 2018 Nov 29

PMID 30484044

Citations 21

Authors

Yiwen Wang

Wenchao Han

Caifeng Wang

Yijun Zhou

Rong Shi

Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jorgensen

Qian Yao

Tao Yuan

Yu Gao

Jun Zhang

Ying Tian

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) can be transferred from a mother to her fetus during pregnancy and adversely affect fetal development. However, the efficiency and influencing factors of PFASs maternal-fetal transfer remain unclear. We measured the levels of six perfluoroalkylcarboxylates, three perfluoroalkylsulfonates, and one sulfonamide in 369 pairs of maternal and umbilical cord serum and examined the transplacental transfer efficiency (TTE) of PFASs by the functional group and carbon chain length in a prospective birth cohort in Shandong, China. All ten PFASs were detected in both maternal and umbilical cord serum in nearly all samples. Maternal and cord levels were closely correlated (the correlation coefficient [r] ranging from 0.485 to 0.908) in most PFASs except perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) (r = 0.159). TTE was significantly affected by the functional group and carbon chain length. Compared to perfluoroalkylcarboxylates, perfluoroalkylsulfonates had a lower ratio of maternal to fetal transfer. A U-shaped relationship between carbon chain length and TTE was observed for perfluoroalkylcarboxylates while a monotonic descending trend was identified between TTE and the increasing carbon chain length for perfluoroalkylsulfonates. PFASs can readily pass through the placenta. The functional group and carbon chain length are important determinants for the TTE of PFASs.

Citing Articles

Transplacental transfer efficiency of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) after long-term exposure to highly contaminated drinking water: a study in the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort.

Noren E, Blomberg A, Lindh C, Pineda D, Jakobsson K, Nielsen C J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025; .

PMID: 40050414 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00758-2.

[Research advances in the transplacental transfer efficiencies of environmental pollutants].

Yuan K, Xiong J, Yuan B Se Pu. 2024; 43(1):13-21.

PMID: 39722617 PMC: 11686480. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2024.07002.

Associations of early life per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with body mass index and risk of overweight or obesity at age 2-18 years: Mixture analysis in the prospective Boston Birth Cohort.

Li Z, Wang G, Braun J, Hong X, Choi G, OLeary S Environ Int. 2024; 195:109206.

PMID: 39705976 PMC: 11786237. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109206.

Engineering human midbrain organoid microphysiological systems to model prenatal PFOS exposure.

Tian C, Cai H, Ao Z, Gu L, Li X, Niu V Sci Total Environ. 2024; 947:174478.

PMID: 38964381 PMC: 11404128. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174478.

Rapid biomonitoring of perfluoroalkyl substance exposures in serum by multisegment injection-nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry.

Azab S, Hum R, Britz-McKibbin P Anal Sci Adv. 2024; 1(3):173-182.

PMID: 38716130 PMC: 10989087. DOI: 10.1002/ansa.202000053.

References

Luebker D, Hansen K, Bass N, Butenhoff J, Seacat A . Interactions of fluorochemicals with rat liver fatty acid-binding protein. Toxicology. 2002; 176(3):175-85. DOI: 10.1016/s0300-483x(02)00081-1. View

Inoue K, Okada F, Ito R, Kato S, Sasaki S, Nakajima S . Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and related perfluorinated compounds in human maternal and cord blood samples: assessment of PFOS exposure in a susceptible population during pregnancy. Environ Health Perspect. 2004; 112(11):1204-7. PMC: 1247483. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.6864. View

Lehmler H . Synthesis of environmentally relevant fluorinated surfactants--a review. Chemosphere. 2005; 58(11):1471-96. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.11.078. View

Houde M, Martin J, Letcher R, Solomon K, Muir D . Biological monitoring of polyfluoroalkyl substances: A review. Environ Sci Technol. 2006; 40(11):3463-73. DOI: 10.1021/es052580b. View

Kleszczynski K, Gardzielewski P, Mulkiewicz E, Stepnowski P, Skladanowski A . Analysis of structure-cytotoxicity in vitro relationship (SAR) for perfluorinated carboxylic acids. Toxicol In Vitro. 2007; 21(6):1206-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2007.04.020. View

Apelberg B, Goldman L, Calafat A, Herbstman J, Kuklenyik Z, Heidler J . Determinants of fetal exposure to polyfluoroalkyl compounds in Baltimore, Maryland. Environ Sci Technol. 2007; 41(11):3891-7. DOI: 10.1021/es0700911. View

Apelberg B, Witter F, Herbstman J, Calafat A, Halden R, Needham L . Cord serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in relation to weight and size at birth. Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115(11):1670-6. PMC: 2072847. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10334. View

Fei C, McLaughlin J, Tarone R, Olsen J . Perfluorinated chemicals and fetal growth: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort. Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115(11):1677-82. PMC: 2072850. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10506. View

Monroy R, Morrison K, Teo K, Atkinson S, Kubwabo C, Stewart B . Serum levels of perfluoroalkyl compounds in human maternal and umbilical cord blood samples. Environ Res. 2008; 108(1):56-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2008.06.001. View

10.

Wolf C, Takacs M, Schmid J, Lau C, Abbott B . Activation of mouse and human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha by perfluoroalkyl acids of different functional groups and chain lengths. Toxicol Sci. 2008; 106(1):162-71. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfn166. View

11.

Qin P, Liu R, Pan X, Fang X, Mou Y . Impact of carbon chain length on binding of perfluoroalkyl acids to bovine serum albumin determined by spectroscopic methods. J Agric Food Chem. 2010; 58(9):5561-7. DOI: 10.1021/jf100412q. View

12.

Fromme H, Mosch C, Morovitz M, Alba-Alejandre I, Boehmer S, Kiranoglu M . Pre- and postnatal exposure to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Environ Sci Technol. 2010; 44(18):7123-9. DOI: 10.1021/es101184f. View

13.

Kim S, Lee K, Kang C, Tao L, Kannan K, Kim K . Distribution of perfluorochemicals between sera and milk from the same mothers and implications for prenatal and postnatal exposures. Environ Pollut. 2010; 159(1):169-174. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.09.008. View

14.

Houde M, De Silva A, Muir D, Letcher R . Monitoring of perfluorinated compounds in aquatic biota: an updated review. Environ Sci Technol. 2011; 45(19):7962-73. DOI: 10.1021/es104326w. View

15.

Beesoon S, Webster G, Shoeib M, Harner T, Benskin J, Martin J . Isomer profiles of perfluorochemicals in matched maternal, cord, and house dust samples: manufacturing sources and transplacental transfer. Environ Health Perspect. 2011; 119(11):1659-64. PMC: 3226492. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1003265. View

16.

Kim S, Choi K, Ji K, Seo J, Kho Y, Park J . Trans-placental transfer of thirteen perfluorinated compounds and relations with fetal thyroid hormones. Environ Sci Technol. 2011; 45(17):7465-72. DOI: 10.1021/es202408a. View

17.

Bischel H, MacManus-Spencer L, Zhang C, Luthy R . Strong associations of short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids with serum albumin and investigation of binding mechanisms. Environ Toxicol Chem. 2011; 30(11):2423-30. DOI: 10.1002/etc.647. View

18.

Gutzkow K, Haug L, Thomsen C, Sabaredzovic A, Becher G, Brunborg G . Placental transfer of perfluorinated compounds is selective--a Norwegian Mother and Child sub-cohort study. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2011; 215(2):216-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2011.08.011. View

19.

Lee Y, Kim M, Bae J, Yang J . Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl compounds in maternal and umbilical cord sera and birth outcomes in Korea. Chemosphere. 2012; 90(5):1603-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.08.035. View

20.

Zhang T, Sun H, Lin Y, Qin X, Zhang Y, Geng X . Distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in matched samples from pregnant women and carbon chain length related maternal transfer. Environ Sci Technol. 2013; 47(14):7974-81. DOI: 10.1021/es400937y. View