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Background Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposure may affect male reproductive health. There are regional differences in PFASs exposure levels among men of childbearing age in China, and current research results on associated influencing factors are inconsistent. Objective To investigate the levels of PFASs in serum and their determinants among men of childbearing age. Methods The participants (n=113, 22-45 years old) were from a cross-sectional study of exposure to environmental pollutants and male reproductive health damage in Hubei Province conducted from April to June 2013 at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei Province. Eleven kinds of PFASs were measured in serum by isotopic dilution-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The included PFASs were prefluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Information about participants' demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and habits was collected by a set of self-designed questionnaires. The associations of demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and habits with exposure to PFASs were analyzed by linear regression. Results The major components of PFASs were PFOS and PFOA, and the concentrations expressed as M (P25, P75) were 8.31 (4.90, 17.79) ng·mL−1 and 2.77 (2.18, 3.46) ng·mL−1, respectively. The positive rates of six PFASs (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA, PFHxS, and PFOS) were 100%, followed by PFDoA and PFTrDA (87.61% and 88.59%, respectively). The linear regression results showed that age was positively associated with the levels of Σ8PFASs (sum of the concentrations of the eight PFASs with a positive rate greater than 80%) (P < 0.05). The concentration of serum PFOA in men with monthly family income of 2000-4000 yuan was 53.73% (P < 0.01) higher than those in men with monthly family income of <2000 yuan. The serum concentrations of PFNA and PFTrDA were both 32.31% (P < 0.05) higher in men with monthly family income ≥4000 yuan than those in men with monthly family income <2000 yuan. The serum concentration of PFHxS in men who used plastic cups was 33.64% (P < 0.01) higher than that in men who did not report oral contact with plastic products (plastic tableware, plastic cups, and plastic bags for packing food). The serum concentrations of PFHxS, PFOS, and Σ8PFASs were 33.64% (P < 0.01), 43.33% (P < 0.01), and 36.34% (P < 0.05) higher in men who bathed with laundry soap than those in men who did not use detergents. Men who bathed with toilet soap had a 34.99% (P < 0.05) higher serum concentration of PFHxS than those who bathed without detergents. Conclusion Men of childbearing age are exposed to PFASs extensively. Age, monthly household income, usage of laundry soap or toilet soap in bathing, and usage of plastic cups may influence the level of PFASs in serum. However, further investigation is needed to confirm these results.
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Objective To investigate the pollution levels of six indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in animal-derived foods in Hebei Province. Methods A total of 96 food samples (including beltfish, snakehead, egg, pork liver, pork and beef meat) were collected from Hebei Province in 2019. The contents of six indicator PCBs (PCB 28, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB180) in different food samples were determined using isotope dilution-high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS). Results The contents of indicative PCBs in fish samples ranged from 0.12 to 0.32 ngg-1 fresh weight, while the content of PCBs in other samples ranged from 0.11 to 1.10 ng g-1 fat. PCB 138 and PCB 153 were the main compounds detected in fish samples, while PCB 28 and PCB 52 were the main compounds detected in other samples. The average estimated daily dietary intake of PCBs for residents in Hebei Province was 0.14 ng kg-1·bw-1·d-1, and the highest contribution rate was beltfish (61.52%). Conclusion The pollution levels of indicator PCBs in animal-derived foods in Hebei Province are relatively low, and the residents has lower health risks through dietary intake of indicator PCBs.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To explore the associations between exposure to chlorination disinfection by-products (CDBPs) during gestation and newborns' small for gestational age (SGA).@*Methods@#During April 2010 to July 2012, a total of 3 903 pregnant women who lived in a district with the same water treatment plant in Wuhan, China were recruited to this perspective study. Information about demographic characteristics of pregnant women and their newborns was collected. The tap water samples were monthly collected for 28 months in 3 different sites, with 84 samples, and 4 kinds of trihalomethanes (THMs)(chloroform (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and bromoform (TBM)) and 2 kinds of chlorohaloacetic acids (HAAs) (trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA)) were determined. The pregnant women were divided into 4 groups(Q1 to Q4) by quartile method according to their exposure level of CDBPs. Binary Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between exposure to CDBPs during gestation and newborns' small for gestational age.@*Results@#The average weight of all the newborns was (3 310.19±389.91) g, of which 169 (4.33%) were SGA. The median concentrations of TCM, BDCM, bromo-THMs, total THMs, TCAA, and DCAA during the whole pregnancy were 18.07, 4.93, 8.51, 26.74, 10.65, and 13.77 μg/L, respectively. Binary Logistic regression analysis showed dose-response relationships between elevated TCM and total THMs during the whole gestation and compared with Q1 group, while there was a increased risk of SGA in Q4 group, and OR(95%CI) was 1.87 (1.01-3.49) , 2.30 (1.22-4.35) , respectively (P for trend equaled to 0.044, 0.015). Compare with Q1 group, there also be positive associations between exposure to TCAA (Q4 group) during first-trimester and the whole gestation and SGA, while OR(95%CI) was 2.16 (1.19-3.91) (P for trend equaled to 0.015).@*Conclusion@#Exposure to CDBPs during gestation might increase the risk of newborns' SGA.