https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271008/
- While the PFAS suspect only accounted for 2–4% of the EOF, fluorinated pharmaceuticals accounted for 0–63% of the EOF, and their contribution increased in recent years.
- To date, over 750 different PFAS have been identified in consumer products and environmental and biological samples.
- Pharmacokinetic estimates suggest that the nine most prescribed fluorinated pharmaceuticals in the United States could contribute to up to 55.6 ng F/mL of the EOF in human serum.
A growing number of studies have reported that routinely monitored per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are not sufficient to explain the extractable organic fluorine (EOF) measured in human blood. In this study, we address this gap by screening pooled human serum collected over 3 decades (1986-2015) in Tromsø (Norway) for >5000 PFAS and >300 fluorinated pharmaceuticals. We combined multiple analytical techniques (direct infusion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-Orbitrap-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and total oxidizable precursors assay) in a three-step suspect screening process which aimed at unequivocal suspect identification. This approach uncovered the presence of one PFAS and eight fluorinated pharmaceuticals (including some metabolites) in human serum. While the PFAS suspect only accounted for 2-4% of the EOF, fluorinated pharmaceuticals accounted for 0-63% of the EOF, and their contribution increased in recent years. Although fluorinated pharmaceuticals often contain only 1-3 fluorine atoms, our results indicate that they can contribute significantly to the EOF. Indeed, the contribution from fluorinated pharmaceuticals allowed us to close the organofluorine mass balance in pooled serum from 2015, indicating a good understanding of organofluorine compounds in humans. However, a portion of the EOF in human serum from 1986 and 2007 still remained unexplained.
SEE:
Pennoyer EH, Heiger-Bernays W, Aro R, Yeung LWY, Schlezinger JJ, Webster TF - "Unknown Organofluorine Mixtures in U.S. Adult Serum: Contribution from Pharmaceuticals? "Toxics 11(5):416 (2023). doi: 10.3390/toxics11050416
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221009/