The few Belgian studies on the human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have until now concerned the Northern part of Belgium (Flanders), while data related to Wallonia (South region) are missing. To fill this gap, 8 perfluorinated carboxylic acids and 3 perfluorinated alkyl sulfonates were measured in the serum of 242 adults (>18 years old) recruited in 2015 and living in the Province of Liege. Some multivariate regression models were also built with the PFAS levels and the participant's answers to a questionnaire about their diet and lifestyle habits in order to identify some predictors of exposure. The results obtained showed that although PFAS levels observed in our population seemed to be similar or lower than those reported in other countries, and especially lower than in the Northern part of Belgium, half of the population showed PFOS and PFOA serum levels above the health guidance values set by the German HBM Commission. As expected, age and gender were the main covariates explaining the different PFAS serum levels between participants, while breastfeeding (for women), consumption of fish and seafood, consumption of rice, and use of nail polish seemed also to impact the PFAS body burden of our population. Nevertheless, the statistical models were poorly predictive suggesting that the main sources of exposure were not taken into account.

中文翻译：

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比利时一般人群中全氟烷基物质的背景污染

迄今为止，关于人类接触全氟烷基物质 (PFAS) 的少数比利时研究涉及比利时北部（佛兰德斯），而与瓦隆尼亚（南部地区）相关的数据缺失。为了填补这一空白，在 2015 年招募并居住在列日省的 242 名成年人（> 18 岁）的血清中测量了 8 种全氟羧酸和 3 种全氟烷基磺酸盐。还使用 PFAS 水平和参与者对有关其饮食和生活习惯的问卷的回答建立了一些多元回归模型，以确定一些暴露的预测因素。获得的结果表明，虽然在我们人群中观察到的 PFAS 水平似乎与其他国家报告的相似或更低，尤其是低于比利时北部，一半人口的 PFOS 和 PFOA 血清水平高于德国 HBM 委员会设定的健康指导值。正如预期的那样，年龄和性别是解释参与者之间不同 PFAS 血清水平的主要协变量，而母乳喂养（女性）、鱼类和海鲜的消费、大米的消费和指甲油的使用似乎也会影响 PFAS 的身体负担我们的人口。然而，统计模型的预测性很差，表明没有考虑到主要的暴露来源。使用指甲油似乎也会影响我们人群的 PFAS 身体负担。然而，统计模型的预测性很差，表明没有考虑到主要的暴露来源。使用指甲油似乎也会影响我们人群的 PFAS 身体负担。然而，统计模型的预测性很差，表明没有考虑到主要的暴露来源。