| The Applicability of Biomonitoring Data for Perfluorooctanesulfonate to the Environmental Public Health Continuum John L. Butenhoff,1 Geary W. Olsen,1 and Andrea Pfahles-Hutchens2 13M Company, Medical Department, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; 2U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, Washington, DC, USA Abstract
Perfluorooctanesulfonate and its salts (PFOS) are derived from perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride, the basic chemical building block for many sulfonyl-based fluorochemicals used as surfactants and for their repellent properties. PFOS is highly persistent in the environment and has a long serum elimination half-life in both animals and humans. PFOS has been detected globally in the environment and in blood serum in various populations throughout the world, with the majority of human sampling done in the United States and Japan. The mechanisms and pathways leading to the presence of PFOS in human blood are not well characterized but likely involve both direct exposures to PFOS or chemicals and materials that can degrade to PFOS, either in the environment or from industrial and commercial uses. In 2000 the 3M Company, a major manufacturer, announced a phaseout of PFOS-related materials. Animal studies indicate that PFOS is well absorbed orally and distributes mainly in blood serum and the liver. Several repeat-dose toxicology studies in animals consistently demonstrated that the liver is the primary target organ. In addition there is a steep dose response for mortality in sexually mature rats and primates as well as in neonatal rats and mice exposed in utero. Several biomonitoring research needs that have been identified on PFOS include additional data from general populations pertaining to other matrices besides blood ; matched serum and urine samples from humans and research animals ; and comparison of whole blood, serum, and plasma concentrations from the same individuals. Key words: biomonitoring, exposure assessment, perfluorooctanesulfonate, PFOS, public health paradigm. Environ Health Perspect 114:1776–1782 (2006) . doi:10.1289/ehp.9060 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 12 June 2006]
This article is part of the mini-monograph "Use of Biomonitoring Data in Exposure and Human Health Risk Assessments." Address correspondence to G.W. Olsen, 3M Medical Department, 3M Center, Building 220-06-W-08, St. Paul, MN 55144 USA. Telephone: (651) 737-8569. Fax: (651) 733-9066. E-mail: gwolsen@mmm.com The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. J.B. and G.O. are employed by the 3M Company, which produced and perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride–based chemicals. A. P-H. declares she has no competing financial interest. Received 1 February 2006 ; accepted 19 April 2006.
Correction This article has been modified from the original manuscript published online. In the section "Exposure Assessment," the number of pooled samples has been changed from 50 to 54, and the number of participants ≥ 12 years of age has been changed from 1,836 to 1,832. In Table 1, column 5, line 23, "13 (pooled) " has been changed to "14 (pooled) ."
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