BACKGROUND In spring 2013, groundwater of a vast area of the Veneto Region (northeastern Italy) was found to be contaminated by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a PFAS manufacturing plant active since the late 1960s. Residents were exposed to high concentrations of PFAS, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), through drinking water until autumn 2013. A publicly funded health surveillance program is under way to aid in the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of chronic disorders possibly associated with PFAS exposure. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this paper are: a) to describe the organization of the health surveillance program, b) to report serum PFAS concentrations in adolescents and young adults, and c) to identify predictors of serum PFAS concentrations in the studied population. METHODS The health surveillance program offered to residents of municipalities supplied by contaminated waterworks includes a structured interview, routine blood and urine tests, and measurement of 12 PFAS in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We studied 18,345 participants born between 1978 and 2002, 14-39 years of age at recruitment. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary, and reproductive predictors of serum PFAS concentrations. RESULTS The PFAS with the highest serum concentrations were PFOA [median 44.4 ng/mL, interquartile range (IQR) 19.3-84.9], perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) (median 3.9 ng/mL, IQR 1.9-7.4), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (median 3.9 ng/mL, IQR 2.6-5.8). The major predictors of serum levels were gender, municipality, duration of residence in the affected area, and number of deliveries. Overall, the regression models explained 37%, 23%, and 43% of the variance of PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Serum PFOA concentrations were high relative to concentrations in populations with background residential exposures only. Interindividual variation of serum PFAS levels was partially explained by the considered predictors. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5337.

中文翻译：

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意大利威尼托地区暴露于受污染饮用水的青少年和年轻人的全氟烷基物质 (PFAS) 血清水平：基于健康监测计划的横断面研究。


背景技术2013年春季，威尼托大区（意大利东北部）大片地区的地下水被发现受到全氟烷基物质（PFAS）的污染，该工厂自20世纪60年代末以来一直在运营PFAS制造厂。直到 2013 年秋季，居民一直通过饮用水接触高浓度的 PFAS，特别是全氟辛酸 (PFOA)。一项公共资助的健康监测计划正在进行中，以帮助预防、早期诊断和治疗可能与 PFAS 相关的慢性疾病接触。目的 本文的目的是：a) 描述健康监测计划的组织，b) 报告青少年和年轻人的血清 PFAS 浓度，以及 c) 确定研究人群血清 PFAS 浓度的预测因子。方法 向受污染自来水厂供水的城市居民提供的健康监测计划包括结构化访谈、常规血液和尿液检测以及通过高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定血清中的 12 种 PFAS。我们研究了 18,345 名 1978 年至 2002 年出生的参与者，招募时年龄为 14-39 岁。使用多变量线性回归来确定血清 PFAS 浓度的社会人口统计学、生活方式、饮食和生殖预测因素。结果 血清浓度最高的 PFAS 为 PFOA [中位数 44.4 ng/mL，四分位距 (IQR) 19.3-84.9]、全氟己磺酸 (PFHxS)（中位数 3.9 ng/mL，IQR 1.9-7.4）和全氟辛烷磺酸 (PFOS) )（中位数 3.9 ng/mL，IQR 2.6-5.8）。血清水平的主要预测因素是性别、城市、在受影响地区的居住时间和分娩次数。 总体而言，回归模型分别解释了 PFOA、PFOS 和 PFHxS 37%、23% 和 43% 的方差。结论 血清 PFOA 浓度相对于仅具有居住背景暴露人群的浓度较高。所考虑的预测因素可以部分解释血清 PFAS 水平的个体差异。 https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5337。