Levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Norwegian children stratified by age and sex - Data from the Bergen Growth Study 2

Ingvild Halsør Forthun; Mathieu Roelants; Line Småstuen Haug; Helle Katrine Knutsen; Lawrence M Schell; Astanand Jugessur; Robert Bjerknes; Azemira Sabaredzovic; Ingvild Særvold Bruserud; Petur Benedikt Juliusson

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114199

Levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Norwegian children stratified by age and sex - Data from the Bergen Growth Study 2

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2023 Jul:252:114199. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114199. Epub 2023 Jun 7.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
³ Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Center for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA.
⁵ Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
⁶ Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
⁷ Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
⁸ Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Faculty of Health, VID Specialized University, Bergen, Norway.
⁹ Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Children and Youth Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Health Registry Research and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway.

PMID: 37295275
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114199

Abstract

Background and aim: Due to the persistence, bioaccumulation and potential adverse health effects, there have been restrictions and phase out in the production of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) since the early 2000s. Published serum levels of PFAS during childhood are variable and may reflect the impact of age, sex, sampling year and exposure history. Surveying the concentrations of PFAS in children is vital to provide information regarding exposure during this critical time of development. The aim of the current study was therefore to evaluate serum concentrations of PFAS in Norwegian schoolchildren according to age and sex.

Material and methods: Serum samples from 1094 children (645 girls and 449 boys) aged 6-16 years, attending schools in Bergen, Norway, were analyzed for 19 PFAS. The samples were collected in 2016 as part of the Bergen Growth Study 2. Statistical analyses included Student t-test, one-way ANOVA and Spearman's correlation analysis of log-transformed data.

Results: Of the 19 PFAS examined, 11 were detected in the serum samples. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononaoic acid (PFNA) were present in all samples with geometric means of 2.67, 1.35, 0.47 and 0.68 ng/mL, respectively. In total, 203 children (19%) had PFAS levels above the safety limits set by the German Human Biomonitoring Commission. Significantly higher serum concentrations were found in boys compared to girls for PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS and perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS). Furthermore, serum concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFHpS were significantly higher in children under the age of 12 years than in older children.

Conclusions: PFAS exposure was widespread in the sample population of Norwegian children analyzed in this study. Approximately one out of five children had PFAS levels above safety limits, indicating a potential risk of negative health effects. The majority of the analyzed PFAS showed higher levels in boys than in girls and decreased serum concentrations with age, which may be explained by changes related to growth and maturation.

Keywords: Adolescent; Biomonitoring; Child; PFAS; per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alkanesulfonic Acids*
Child
Environmental Pollutants*
Female
Fluorocarbons*
Humans
Male
Norway

Substances

perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid
perfluorooctanoic acid
Fluorocarbons
perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
perfluorohexanesulfonic acid
Alkanesulfonic Acids
Environmental Pollutants