Changes in the levels and predictors of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in maternal plasma, relative to timelines of EPA PFOA Stewardship
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Declines of several common-studied PFAS noted in the U.S. likely reflect policies that successfully reduced long-chained PFAS production and emission such as the EPA PFOA Stewardship Program. Policy impacts on under-studied PFAS and on predictors of PFAS exposure remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in population-levels and exposure predictors of 10 PFAS in the Boston Birth Cohort (BBC) by Stewardship timelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 1,288 BBC mothers who delivered 1999-2016, the current study focused on 10 PFAS in plasma samples collected 24-72 h postpartum. We estimated PFAS percent differences (%Δ), stratified by the Stewardship timelines. We evaluated predictors related to sources, vulnerability, blood-loss, and diet during pregnancy. RESULTS: The majority of participants were Black (65 %); 8 PFAS were commonly detected (>85 %). PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFHpS, and Me-PFOSA-AcOH decreased by up to 88 % during PFOA reduction-period (2006-2009) or elimination-period (2010-2016) compared to pre-policy (1999-2005), regardless of race/ethnicity; PFNA, PFUnA, PFDeA, PFDoA, and GenX increased by up to 104 % among non-White mothers. PFAS were up to 148 % higher in mothers who frequently consumed shellfish or fish or vegetables, worked, owned pet(s), or had wall-to-wall carpet, with stronger associations post-policy for shellfish, fish, and working. PFAS were up to 36 % lower in mothers who had cesarean-section, took vitamin supplements, or lived overseas during pregnancy, with weaker associations post-policy for delivery type and country of residence. CONCLUSION: Chemical policies can be effective at reducing PFAS exposures at the population-level, although the beneficial effects may not be equal across population-subgroups and could increase unregulated chemical exposures. Fish and vegetable consumption and occupational status were consistently associated with higher levels, while patterns of other predictors changed over time.
Source: Environment International
Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Brown University, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New Jersey Department of Health, Boston University, Boston Medical Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Chemistry
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,750
Funders: National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute
Awards: G1118381972, G1219503217, G1639020006, G1722987392, G2003340012, G2420395173, G2920893452, G3313535776, G3603399008, G4221668507, G4645342932, Maternal Exposure to Low Level Mercury, Metabolome, and Child Cardiometabolic Risk in Multi-Ethnic Prospective Birth Cohorts, Inter-generational Link of Cardio-Metabolic Risk: Integrate Multi-OMICs with Birth Cohort, G564670869, G808494387, G8442741452, G9000259169, Preterm Birth and Child Long-term Cardiometabolic Risk: Integrate Proteomics with Birth Cohort, Improving precision in modeling childhood executive function trajectories using psychometrics, The PFAS exposure burden calculator: A novel tool for cross-study harmonization, biomonitoring and report-back, Revealing environmental chemical exposome in a diverse prenatal population and relationships to maternal and perinatal health (REVEAL), G927683410
OpenAlex ID: W4414825275