Chemical-specific determinants for pre-conceptional exposure to emerging and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

The exposure of preconception women toper- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) could negatively affect her reproductive health. However, chemical-specific determinants for pre-conceptional exposure to PFASs, particularly the emerging ones, remain poorly understood. In the present study, it was found that the total PFAS concentration ranged from 8.9 to 440.3 ng/mL (median: 49.6 ng/mL) in 1060 preconception women. The PFAS exposure profile was dominated by PFOA (16.8 ng/mL), followed by PFOS (13.3 ng/mL), 6:2 Cl-PFESA (8.9 ng/mL), PFDA (2.4 ng/mL), PFNA (2.1 ng/mL), and others. The pre-conceptional exposure to the selected PFASs was significantly associated, in a chemical-specific pattern, with multiple demographic characteristics and the consumption frequency of different types of food. In particular, the exposure to 6:2 Cl-PFESA was associated with age, parity, alcohol drinking, educational level, household income, and the consumption frequency of red meat, marine and freshwater fish, shellfish, and shrimp. However, our analysis revealed that the investigated sociodemographic and diet variables only explained a relatively small proportion (1.3%-18.7%) of PFAS concentration variations, raising the need of exploring additional factors critical to pre-conceptional PFAS exposure. Overall, the identification of chemical-specific determinants would greatly facilitate the understanding of the link between pre-conceptional exposure and health outcomes, and the mitigation of human exposure to PFAS, particularly the emerging ones.

Automated summary

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in preconception women varies widely, with PFOA and PFOS being dominant. The exposure is significantly associated with demographic characteristics and dietary habits, but these factors can only explain a relatively small proportion of PFAS concentration variations. Further exploration of critical factors beyond diet and demographics is necessary for understanding and mitigating preconceptional PFAS exposure.