Assessment of contamination levels and exposure risk of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFOS and PFOA) in Vietnamese fish

Abstract

Contamination levels of two typical perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were evaluated in Vietnamese fish samples by using our monitoring results and database reported in previous studies. In freshwater fish taken from West and Yen So Lakes (Hanoi), PFOS and PFOA concentrations ranged from < 0.030 to 0.48 (mean 0.12) ng/g, and from < 0.010 to 0.19 (mean 0.058) ng/g, respectively. These levels were comparable to those measured in fish samples from other areas in Vietnam, but were generally lower than values documented for fish samples from other countries. PFOS and PFOA daily intake doses via fish consumption ranged from 0.015 to 0.48 (mean 0.12) and from 0.005 to 0.20 (mean 0.065) ng/kg/day. In general, these intake doses were lower than the reference dose of 20 ng/kg/day, suggesting acceptable levels of risk.