Journal Article

Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in foods and the dietary exposure among Taiwan general population and pregnant women

Chen, Wen-Ling, Chen, Chia-Yang, Bai, Fang-Yu, Chang, Ying-Chia, Chen, Pau-Chung

2018

Overview

This study quantified five perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and two perfluorosulfonic acids in cereals, meats, seafood, eggs, pork liver, and milk in Taiwan using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and evaluated the dietary exposure of the general population and pregnant women using per capita consumption and a questionnaire, respectively. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and PFCAs of 10–12 carbons were found in almost all of the samples in considerable concentrations in rice and pork liver, reaching as high as 283 ng/g (PFOA in pork liver); the levels are two to three orders of magnitude higher than previous reports. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), the most frequently mentioned perfluoroalkyl substance, was rarely detected in many food items (detection frequencies <20% in rice, flour, pork, chicken, salmon, squid, eggs, and milk) at <0.4 ng/g, except for beef, pork liver and some seafood (detection frequencies: 100%, GMs: 0.05–3.52 ng/g). Compared to populations in Western countries, people in Taiwan are exposed to much more perfluorohexanoic acid, PFOA, perfluorodecanoic acid, and perfluoroundecanoic acid (11.2, 85.1, 44.2, and 4.45 ng/kg b.w./day, respectively), mainly due to the higher contaminations in food. The exposure of 8.0 μg PFOA/person/day in the 95 percentile of pregnant women was due to their frequent consumption of pork liver. [Display omitted] •PFASs are ubiquitous in common raw foods in Taiwan.•High concentrations of long-chain PFASs were found in rice and pork liver.•PFOA is more abundant than PFOS.•Taiwan people are exposed to more PFCAs than Westerners.•Consumption of pork liver increases PFAS exposure in pregnant women.

• Publisher: Elsevier B.V,Food and Drug Administration,Taiwan Food and Drug Administration
• Subject: Beef / carboxylic acids / Cereals / chemical residues / chickens / Dairy products / Diet / dietary exposure / Eggs / Exposure / Fish / flour / Food / Food contamination / Liquid chromatography / Liver / Mass spectrometry / Mass spectroscopy / Meat / Milk / Original / Perfluoro compounds / Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances / perfluorocarbons / Perfluorodecanoic acid / Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid / Perfluorooctanoic acid / Pork / Potash / Potassium / Pregnancy / pregnant women / questionnaires / Rice / Salmon / Seafood / seafoods / Shellfish / squid / Taiwan / Tandem mass spectrometry / ultra-performance liquid chromatography