Species-specific concentrations of perfluoroalkyl contaminants in farm and pet animals in Japan.
Abstract: The persistent metabolites of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) which have been detected in the tissues of both humans and wildlife, and human contamination by PFCs suggest differences in the exposure patterns to these compounds. However, studies focused on identifying human exposure pathways to PFCs are scarce. To provide a preliminary assessment of PFCs in farm animals such as chicken, cattle, pigs, goats and horses, blood and liver samples were collected from various regions in Japan. Additionally, dog sera samples representing pet animals were also employed for analysis. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most prominent contaminant found in farm and pet animals, with mean sera PFOS concentrations (in decreasing order) of: chicken (5.8 ng/ml)>cattle (3.0 ng/ml)>goat (2.4 ng/ml)>horse (0.71 ng/ml)>pig (0.37 ng/ml). Chicken livers (67 ng/g) contained the highest mean PFOS concentration among the farm animals, followed by those of pigs (54 ng/g) and cattle (34 ng/g). In comparison to PFOS levels in farm animals, the detected levels of other PFCs were not significant. The high levels of PFOS found in cattle fetal livers suggest that PFOS crosses the placental barrier to enter fetal circulation. The consumption of chicken by humans might produce higher PFOS exposure in humans compared to that in farm animals; however, the current levels of PFOS in farm animals in Japan were lower than those reported in fish and wild animals. Elevated concentrations of both PFOS (25 ng/ml) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS; 10 ng/ml) were found in dog sera, indicating that further studies are needed to identify PFC sources in the human environment.
Publication Date: 2008-04-24 PubMed ID: 18439642DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.12.105Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study investigates the presence and concentration of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), specifically perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in different farm and pet animals in Japan. It was found that the PFOS concentration levels vary across different kinds of animals and that these rates may provide insights about human exposure pathways to PFCs.
Background and Objectives of the Study
- The study aimed to do a preliminary evaluation of the concentration of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), primarily perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in different kinds of farm animals and pet animals in Japan.
- The research was triggered because there is little information on the pathways of human exposure to PFCs, despite the detection of these persistent metabolites in both humans and wildlife.
- The animals under study included farm animals such as chicken, cattle, pigs, goats, and horses, as well as pet animals represented by dog samples.
Methodology and Findings
- Blood and liver samples were collected from farm animals across different regions in Japan, while dog blood samples representing pet animals were also analyzed.
- PFOS was identified as the most common contaminant across all the animals, with the highest concentration in chickens, followed by cattle, goats, horses, and pigs in a decreasing order.
- The study found that the livers of chickens contained the highest mean PFOS concentration among the farm animals, followed by those of pigs and cattle.
- In comparison to PFOS, the levels of other PFCs in farm animals were not significant.
- The researchers also found high levels of PFOS in cattle fetal livers, suggesting that PFOS can cross the placental barrier, leading to exposure in fetal circulation.
- Notably, dog samples showed higher concentrations of both PFOS and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) compared to farm animals.
Implications and Recommendations
- The study suggests that human consumption of chicken may lead to higher PFOS exposure compared to other farm animals.
- However, the current PFOS levels in farm animals in Japan were lower than those previously reported in fish and wild animals.
- The elevated levels of PFOS and PFHxS found in dog sera indicate that further investigations are necessary to identify the sources of PFCs in the human environment.
Cite This Article
APA
Guruge KS, Manage PM, Yamanaka N, Miyazaki S, Taniyasu S, Yamashita N.
(2008).
Species-specific concentrations of perfluoroalkyl contaminants in farm and pet animals in Japan.
Chemosphere, 73(1 Suppl), S210-S215.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.12.105 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Safety Research Team, National Institute of Animal Health, Kannondai 3-1-5, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan. guruge@affrc.go.jp
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic / blood
- Animals, Domestic / metabolism
- Environmental Monitoring / methods
- Environmental Pollutants / blood
- Environmental Pollutants / metabolism
- Female
- Fluorocarbons / blood
- Fluorocarbons / metabolism
- Food Contamination
- Humans
- Japan
- Liver / metabolism
- Pregnancy
- Species Specificity
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Peritore AF, Gugliandolo E, Cuzzocrea S, Crupi R, Britti D. Current Review of Increasing Animal Health Threat of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Harms, Limitations, and Alternatives to Manage Their Toxicity.. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Jul 20;24(14).
- Jha G, Kankarla V, McLennon E, Pal S, Sihi D, Dari B, Diaz D, Nocco M. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems: Environmental Exposure and Human Health Risks.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Nov 28;18(23).
- Oseguera-López I, Pérez-Cerezales S, Ortiz-Sánchez PB, Mondragon-Payne O, Sánchez-Sánchez R, Jiménez-Morales I, Fierro R, González-Márquez H. Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorohexane Sulfonate (PFHxS) Alters Protein Phosphorylation, Increase ROS Levels and DNA Fragmentation during In Vitro Capacitation of Boar Spermatozoa.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 21;10(10).
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- Sakuma A, Wasada Ochi H, Yoshioka M, Yamanaka N, Ikezawa M, Guruge KS. Changes in hepato-renal gene expression in microminipigs following a single exposure to a mixture of perfluoroalkyl acids.. PLoS One 2019;14(1):e0210110.
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