This study investigates the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the drinking water supplies in the Czech Republic using a risk-based monitoring approach. Tap water samples (n = 27) from sources close to areas potentially contaminated with PFAS were analysed. A total of 28 PFAS were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry after solid phase extraction. Total PFAS concentrations (∑PFAS) varied from undetectable to 90.8 ng/L, with perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) being the most abundant, detected in over 70% of samples. Risk-based monitoring in drinking water showed that commercial wells had higher PFAS levels compared to tap water, particularly C4-C9 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), possibly due to proximity to industrial areas. However, the hypothesis that risk-based monitoring is more effective than random monitoring was not confirmed, possibly because specific sources did not produce the target PFAS or because of the wide range and less obvious sources of potential contamination. The study also assessed exposure risks and compliance with regulatory thresholds. Weekly intake estimates for adults and children indicated that regular consumption of most contaminated water sample would exceed the tolerable weekly intake. Compared to EU regulations, none of the tap water samples exceeded the 'Sum of PFAS' parametric value of 100 ng/L, though one sample approached this limit. In addition, surface water samples from the Jizera River (n = 21) showed a wider range of PFAS, with C7-C10 PFCAs, PFBS, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in every sample, with higher PFOS concentrations at a median of 2.56 ng/L. ∑PFAS concentrations increased downstream, rising from 1.08 ng/L near the spring to 26 ng/L downstream. This comprehensive analysis highlights the need for detailed/areal monitoring to also address hidden or non-obvious sources of PFAS contamination.
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza MeSH
- extrakce na pevné fázi MeSH
- fluorokarbony * analýza MeSH
- hodnocení rizik MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí * metody MeSH
- pitná voda * chemie MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Na perfluoralkylové látky (PFAS) je v posledních letech soustředěná pozornost širší veřejnosti, protože to jsou látky znečišťující životní prostředí. Jsou to např. kyselina perfluoroktanová a perfluoroktansulfonová. Tyto látky vznikají průmyslovou aktivitou člověka především při výrobě polymerů nebo nepřilnavých povrchů. Odpadní vodou nebo i jinými cestami se mohou dostat do prostředí, a tak kontaminovat zdroje pitné vody nebo potraviny. Jejich působení na organismy a lidské zdraví je rozsáhle studováno a jejich přítomnosti v organismu je připisován vliv na mnohé zdravotní komplikace, dokonce i některé druhy rakoviny. Z toho důvodu byly stanoveny přípustné limity PFAS v pitné vodě a jejich regulací se zabývají mnohé státní orgány a mezinárodní organizace. Aktuálním standardem v detekci PFAS jsou chromatografické metody. V současnosti jsou zkoumány i nové metody detekce především optickou a elektrochemickou cestou. Jejich příklady jsou v textu detailněji popsány a diskutovány.
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained wider public attention in recent years as environmental pollutants which include perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. These substances are produced by industry, mainly during the manufacture of polymers or non-stick surfaces. They can enter the environment through waste water or other routes and contaminate drinking water sources or food. Their effects on organisms and human health have been extensively studied and their presence in the body has been attributed to many health complications including cancer. For this reason, limits for PFAS in drinking water have been established and their regulation is being addressed by many governments and international organisations. Chromatographic methods are the current standard for PFAS detection, but new detection methods, mainly optical and electrochemical, are currently being investigated. Examples of these are described in more detail in the text.
- MeSH
- elektrochemické techniky klasifikace metody MeSH
- fluorescenční spektrometrie metody MeSH
- fluorokarbony * analýza chemie škodlivé účinky toxicita MeSH
- hodnocení vlivů na zdraví metody MeSH
- impedanční spektroskopie metody MeSH
- kontaminace potravin MeSH
- látky znečišťující životní prostředí analýza klasifikace škodlivé účinky MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
As Europe's second longest river, the Danube is an important water source for drinking water and irrigation for many countries, before discharging into the Black Sea in the East. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been observed over the last two decades in concentrations exceeding the European Union's drinking water guidelines for total sum of 20 select PFAS of 0.1 μg L-1. Their presence is a result of current and historical use and high environmental persistence, necessitating their monitoring for human risk assessments. The aim of this study is to use recently developed passive sampling technology to calculate time-integrated water concentrations and mass loads of 11 select PFAS at 9 sites along the Danube River. Results indicate ∑11 PFAS concentrations in the range of 9.3-29.6 ng L-1 were not in exceedance of EU drinking water guidelines, but perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) was in exceedance of the environmental quality standard (0.65 ng L-1) at all sampling locations. The highest ∑11 PFAS mass loads were observed at Ruse (9.5 kg day-1) and Budapest (6.3 kg day-1), believed to be driven by proximity to industrial facilities and large populations (urban runoff). Finally, we estimate 4.9 kg of total PFAS (∑11 PFAS) were delivered to the Black Sea daily over Summer 2019.
As one of the core elements of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey was conducted in 23 countries to generate EU-wide comparable HBM data. This survey has built on existing HBM capacity in Europe by aligning national or regional HBM studies, referred to as the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. The HBM4EU Aligned Studies included a total of 10,795 participants of three age groups: (i) 3,576 children aged 6-12 years, (ii) 3,117 teenagers aged 12-18 years and (iii) 4,102 young adults aged 20-39 years. The participants were recruited between 2014 and 2021 in 11-12 countries per age group, geographically distributed across Europe. Depending on the age group, internal exposure to phthalates and the substitute DINCH, halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), cadmium, bisphenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic species, acrylamide, mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol (total DON)), benzophenones and selected pesticides was assessed by measuring substance specific biomarkers subjected to stringent quality control programs for chemical analysis. For substance groups analyzed in different age groups higher average exposure levels were observed in the youngest age group, i.e., phthalates/DINCH in children versus teenagers, acrylamide and pesticides in children versus adults, benzophenones in teenagers versus adults. Many biomarkers in teenagers and adults varied significantly according to educational attainment, with higher exposure levels of bisphenols, phthalates, benzophenones, PAHs and acrylamide in participants (from households) with lower educational attainment, while teenagers from households with higher educational attainment have higher exposure levels for PFASs and arsenic. In children, a social gradient was only observed for the non-specific pyrethroid metabolite 3-PBA and di-isodecyl phthalate (DiDP), with higher levels in children from households with higher educational attainment. Geographical variations were seen for all exposure biomarkers. For 15 biomarkers, the available health-based HBM guidance values were exceeded with highest exceedance rates for toxicologically relevant arsenic in teenagers (40%), 3-PBA in children (36%), and between 11 and 14% for total DON, Σ (PFOA + PFNA + PFHxS + PFOS), bisphenol S and cadmium. The infrastructure and harmonized approach succeeded in obtaining comparable European wide internal exposure data for a prioritized set of 11 chemical groups. These data serve as a reference for comparison at the global level, provide a baseline to compare the efficacy of the European Commission's chemical strategy for sustainability and will give leverage to national policy makers for the implementation of targeted measures.
- MeSH
- akrylamidy MeSH
- arsen * analýza MeSH
- biologické markery MeSH
- biologický monitoring MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- fluorokarbony * analýza MeSH
- kadmium analýza MeSH
- látky znečišťující životní prostředí * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- pesticidy * analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Drinking water is one of the main contributors to overall human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a broad group of environmental contaminants with arising concerns on the impact on human health; therefore, it is necessary to monitor its quality. Here, we present a solid-phase extraction-based method to determine 22 PFAS in water, using 100 mL of the sample. The instrumental analysis employing an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry achieved low limits of quantification (0.025-0.25 ng/L). The validated method (recoveries 70-120% and repeatabilities ≤ 20% at tested concentrations (0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 ng/L)) was applied to 67 tap water and 31 bottled water samples collected in the Czech Republic. The most abundant compounds were perfluorononanoic acid (88% positives; 0.034-13.3 ng/L) and perfluoroheptanoic acid (23% positives; 0.035-0.106 ng/L), respectively. ∑PFAS in positive samples ranged from 0.029 to 300 ng/L (99% positives, median 2.34 ng/L) in tap water data and 0.033 to 4.48 ng/L (32% positives, median 0.097 ng/L) in bottled water samples. Current-use fluoroalkyl ethers, dodecafluoro-3H-4,8-dioxanonanoate and 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonate, were occasionally detected in tap. Based on the median data, PFAS intake by an adult from a tap or bottled water represented units of % of the tolerable weekly intake set by the European Food Safety Authority and therefore did not represent a severe risk. The described method and obtained first data on PFAS in the Czech drinking water provided a solid basis for an ongoing national study on the presence of PFAS in tap water.
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- fluorokarbony * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- pitná voda * chemie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Highly persistent, toxic and bioaccumulative per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represents a serious problem for the environment and their concentrations and fate remain largely unknown. The present study consists of a PFAS screening in sludges originating from 43 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Czech Republic. To analyze an extended group of PFAS consisting of 32 PFAS, including GenX and other new replacements of older and restricted PFAS in sludge, a new method was optimized and validated using pressurized solvent extraction, followed by the SPE clean-up step to eliminate the observed matrix effects and LC-MS/MS. The results revealed high PFAS contamination of sewage sludge, reaching values from 5.6 to 963.2 ng g-1. The results showed that in the majority of the samples (about 60%), PFOS was the most abundant among the targeted PFAS, reaching 932.9 ng g-1. Approximately 20% of the analyzed samples contained more short-chain PFAS, suggesting the replacement of long-chain PFAS (especially restricted PFOA and PFOS). GenX was detected in 9 samples, confirming the trend in the use of new PFAS. The results revealed that significantly higher contamination was detected in the samples from large WWTPs (population equivalent > 50,000; p-value <0.05). Concerning the application of sludge in agriculture, our prediction using the respective PFAS bioconcentration factors, the observed concentrations, and the legislatively permitted management of biosolids in Czech Republic agriculture revealed that PFAS can cause serious contamination of cereals and vegetables (oat, celery shoots and lettuce leaves), as well as general secondary contamination of the environment.
- MeSH
- bioakumulace MeSH
- biosolidy MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
- čištění vody MeSH
- fluorokarbony analýza metabolismus MeSH
- kontaminace potravin analýza MeSH
- kyseliny alkansulfonové analýza metabolismus MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu analýza metabolismus MeSH
- odpadní voda chemie MeSH
- odpadní vody chemie MeSH
- propionáty analýza metabolismus MeSH
- průmyslová hnojiva analýza MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- zelenina chemie růst a vývoj metabolismus MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
BACKGROUND: Perfluoralkylated substances (PFASs) are persistent and bioaccumulative environmental contaminants. They are included on the list of emergent compounds monitored in the frame of HBM4EU project. OBJECTIVES: To analyze PFASs levels in human milk samples collected in the period 2006 through 2017, to follow their time trends, to assess the PFASs exposure in breastfed infants, to calculate the daily intake of PFASs and to compare it with the tolerable daily/weekly) intakes and to quantify risk from exposure using the hazard quotient and hazard index approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A broad spectrum of PFASs were analyzed by means of UHPLC-MS/MS in primipara human milk samples collected in four consecutive time periods 2006, 2010/11, 2014, and 2017; N = 46, 183, 164 and 232, respectively. Mothers living in urban and suburban residences were recruited after their delivery at maternity hospitals, and milk samples were taken within 2 and 8 weeks after delivery. The questionnaire was focused on possible sources of exposure, dietary habits and lifestyle. RESULTS: Only perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoid acid PFOA (in 2017, also perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)) were quantified in more than 90% of analyzed human milk samples. In all sampling periods, the levels of PFOA were higher than those of PFOS (p < 0.05). A significant downward temporal trend (p < 0.001) was observed for both PFOA and PFOS levels. The median concentrations in sampling years 2006, 2010/11, 2014, and 2017 were 0.075, 0.059, 0.035, and 0.023 ng/mL for PFOA and 0.045, 0.031, 0.029, and 0.020 ng/mL for PFOS, respectively. In 2017, PFNA was also quantified in 99% of samples with the median concentration of 0.007 ng/mL. The levels of PFASs correlated with maternal sea fish consumption. No maternal age-related relationship was observed. Using the tolerably daily intake (TDI) values for PFOS and PFOA set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2008, the calculated daily intakes from breastfeeding were clearly below these limits. Using the new, more conservative EFSA Provisional Tolerably Weekly Intake (PTWI) values set in 2018, we demonstrated a considerable exceedance of PTWI, with a hazard index above 1. CONCLUSION: Significant time-related decreasing trends in the PFOS and PFOA levels in human milk were observed. Nevertheless, the body burden of infants from breastfeeding might pose an enhanced health risk to infants when the current PTWI values are applied. These findings strongly support the present EU efforts to phase out PFOA, its salts and PFOA related compounds. Since PFOS exposure there has still been widely detected despite PFOS usage reduction measures, the major exposure routes should be further monitored and, if possible, eliminated.
- MeSH
- biologický monitoring MeSH
- fluorokarbony * analýza MeSH
- kapryláty analýza MeSH
- kojenec MeSH
- kyseliny alkansulfonové * analýza MeSH
- látky znečišťující životní prostředí * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mateřské mléko chemie MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
A total of 74 high volume air samples were collected at a background site in Czech Republic from 2012 to 2014 in which the concentrations of 20 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were investigated. The total concentrations (gas + particle phase) ranged from 0.03 to 2.08 pg m-3 (average 0.52 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (∑PFCAs), from 0.02 to 0.85 pg m-3 (average 0.28 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (ΣPFSAs) and from below detection to 0.18 pg m-3 (average 0.05 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluorooctane sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (ΣFOSA/Es). The gas phase concentrations of most PFASs were not controlled by temperature dependent sources but rather by long-range atmospheric transport. Air mass backward trajectory analysis showed that the highest concentrations of PFASs were mainly originating from continental areas. The average particle fractions (θ) of ΣPFCAs (θ = 0.74 ± 0.26) and ΣPFSAs (θ = 0.78 ± 0.22) were higher compared to ΣFOSA/Es (θ = 0.31 ± 0.35). However, they may be subject to sampling artefacts. This is the first study ever reporting PFASs concentrations in air samples collected over consecutive years. Significant decreases in 2012-2014 for PFOA, MeFOSE, EtFOSE and ∑PFCAs were observed with apparent half-lives of 1.01, 0.86, 0.92 and 1.94 years, respectively.
- MeSH
- fluorokarbony analýza MeSH
- kyseliny karboxylové MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Evropa MeSH
BACKGROUND: Numerous ubiquitous environmental chemicals are established or suspected neurotoxicants, and infants are exposed to a mixture of these during the critical period of brain maturation. However, evidence for associations with the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is sparse. We investigated early-life chemical exposures in relation to ADHD. METHODS: We used a birth cohort of 2606 Norwegian mother-child pairs enrolled 2002-2009 (HUMIS), and studied a subset of 1199 pairs oversampled for child neurodevelopmental outcomes. Concentrations of 27 persistent organic pollutants (14 polychlorinated biphenyls, 5 organochlorine pesticides, 6 brominated flame retardants, and 2 perfluoroalkyl substances) were measured in breast milk, reflecting the child's early-life exposures. We estimated postnatal exposures in the first 2 years of life using a pharmacokinetic model. Fifty-five children had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD (hyperkinetic disorder) by 2016, at a median age of 13 years. We used elastic net penalized logistic regression models to identify associations while adjusting for co-exposure confounding, and subsequently used multivariable logistic regression models to obtain effect estimates for the selected exposures. RESULTS: Breast milk concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and β‑hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) were associated with increased odds of ADHD: odds ratio (OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 2.72 and OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.53, per interquartile range increase in ln-transformed concentrations, respectively. Stronger associations were observed among girls than boys for PFOS (pinteraction = 0.025). p,p'‑Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) levels were associated with lower odds of ADHD (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.97). Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) had a non-linear association with ADHD, with increasing risk in the low-level exposure range that switched to a decreasing risk at concentrations above 8 ng/g lipid. Postnatal exposures showed similar results, whereas effect estimates for other chemicals were weaker and imprecise. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-pollutant analysis of four classes of chemicals, early-life exposure to β-HCH and PFOS was associated with increased risk of ADHD, with suggestion of sex-specific effects for PFOS. The unexpected inverse associations between p,p'-DDT and higher HCB levels and ADHD could be due to live birth bias; alternatively, results may be due to chance findings.
- MeSH
- chlorované uhlovodíky analýza MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- fluorokarbony analýza MeSH
- halogenované difenylethery analýza MeSH
- hyperkinetická porucha epidemiologie MeSH
- kojenec MeSH
- kyseliny alkansulfonové analýza MeSH
- látky znečišťující životní prostředí analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mateřské mléko chemie MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- retardanty hoření analýza MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Norsko MeSH
Current and historical concentrations of 22 poly- and perfluorinated compounds (PFASs) in sediment collected from Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan in 2011 and Lake Huron in 2012 are reported. The sampling was performed in two ways, Ponar grabs of surface sediments for current spatial distribution across the lake and dated cores for multi-decadal temporal trends. Mean concentrations of the sum of PFASs (∑PFASs) were 1.5, 4.6 and 3.1 ng g-1 dry mas (dm) in surface sediments for Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron, respectively. Of the five Laurentian Lakes, the watersheds of Superior and Huron are the less densely populated by humans, and concentrations observed were typically less and from more diffuse sources, due to lesser urbanization and industrialization. However, some regions of greater concentrations were observed and might indicate more local, point sources. In core samples concentrations ranged from
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza MeSH
- fluorokarbony analýza MeSH
- geologické sedimenty chemie MeSH
- jezera chemie MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- oblast Velkých jezer MeSH
