Human Exposure to Persistent Perfluorinated Compounds

抄録

Worldwide attention has recently been focused on a group of persistent organic pollutants known as the perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). This class of compounds includes perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and a large number of other structurally related compounds that have been used in a wide range of industrial and consumer applications for the past 5 decades. Concern about these compounds has increased due to a growing number of studies which indicate that some of these compounds are toxic, bioaccumulative, and persistent in the environment. Moreover, the mean half-lives of PFOS and PFOA in humans have been estimated to be 5 and 4 years, respectively. Recent advances in analytical chemistry have made it possible to measure these compounds in environmental and biological matrices, but the sources of human exposure remain poorly described. This presentation will review some of the latest studies conducted by the USEPA and others to describe our current understanding of how humans are exposed to these compounds. A review of the most recent studies of potential human health effects will also be included.
Disclaimer: Although this work was reviewed by EPA and approved for publication, it may not necessarily reflect official Agency policy.