Breastfeeding as an Exposure Pathway for Perfluorinated Alkylates

TY - JOUR

T1 - Breastfeeding as an Exposure Pathway for Perfluorinated Alkylates

AU - Mogensen, Ulla B

AU - Grandjean, Philippe

AU - Nielsen, Flemming

AU - Weihe, Pal

AU - Budtz-Jørgensen, Esben

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - Perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) are widely used and have resulted in human exposures worldwide. PFASs occur in breast milk, and the duration of breastfeeding is associated with serum-PFAS concentrations in children. To determine the time-dependent impact of this exposure pathway, we examined the serum concentrations of five major PFASs in a Faroese birth cohort at birth, and at ages 11, 18, and 60 months. Information about the children's breastfeeding history was obtained from the mothers. The trajectory of serum-PFAS concentrations during months with and without breastfeeding was examined by linear mixed models that accounted for the correlations of the PFAS measurements for each child. The models were adjusted for confounders such as body size. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with increases of most PFAS concentrations by up to 30% per month, with lower increases during partial breast-feeding. In contrast to this main pattern, perfluorohexanesulfonate was not affected by breast-feeding. After cessation of breastfeeding, all serum concentrations decreased. This finding supports the evidence of breastfeeding being an important exposure pathway to some PFASs in infants. (Graph Presented).

AB - Perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) are widely used and have resulted in human exposures worldwide. PFASs occur in breast milk, and the duration of breastfeeding is associated with serum-PFAS concentrations in children. To determine the time-dependent impact of this exposure pathway, we examined the serum concentrations of five major PFASs in a Faroese birth cohort at birth, and at ages 11, 18, and 60 months. Information about the children's breastfeeding history was obtained from the mothers. The trajectory of serum-PFAS concentrations during months with and without breastfeeding was examined by linear mixed models that accounted for the correlations of the PFAS measurements for each child. The models were adjusted for confounders such as body size. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with increases of most PFAS concentrations by up to 30% per month, with lower increases during partial breast-feeding. In contrast to this main pattern, perfluorohexanesulfonate was not affected by breast-feeding. After cessation of breastfeeding, all serum concentrations decreased. This finding supports the evidence of breastfeeding being an important exposure pathway to some PFASs in infants. (Graph Presented).

KW - Alkylation

KW - Breast Feeding

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Environmental Exposure

KW - Female

KW - Fluorocarbons

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Male

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.5b02237

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.5b02237

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26291735

SN - 0013-936X

VL - 49

SP - 10466

EP - 10473

JO - Environmental Science & Technology (Washington)

JF - Environmental Science & Technology (Washington)

IS - 17

ER -