Determination of contamination levels for multiple endocrine disruptors in hair from a non-occupationally exposed population living in Liege (Belgium)

Abstract

Today, the interest in hair as alternative matrix for human biomonitoring of environmental pollutants has increased, but available data on chemical levels in hair remain scarce. In this study, the measurement of 2 bisphenols (A and S), 3 parabens (methyl-, ethyl- and propylparabens) and 8 perfluroralkyl compounds (PFCs) namely perfluoroctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluroroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) was carried out, using a thoroughly validated UPLC-MS/MS method, in the hair from 114 adults living in Liege (Belgium) and surrounding areas. The most frequently quantified compounds in the population were: bisphenol S (97.4%, median = 31.9 pg·mg−1), methylparaben (94.7%, median = 28.9 pg·mg−1), bisphenol A (93.9%, median = 46.6 pg·mg−1), ethylparaben (66.7%, median = 5.2 pg·mg−1), propylparaben (54.8%, median = 16.4 pg·mg−1) and PFOA (46.4%, median < 0.2 pg·mg−1). The other PFCs were detected only in few samples although current exposure of the Belgian population to PFCs was previously demonstrated using blood analyses. Nonparametric statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of gender, hair treatments and hair length, but no significant difference was observed. Only age was positively correlated with the propylparaben contamination. Although blood seems to remain more suitable for PFCs exposure assessment, the results of this study suggest that hair can be an appropriate matrix for biomonitoring of organic pollutants such as parabens or bisphenols.