PFAS exposure and immunotoxic effects in children from Greenland

Abstract

Background and aim: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been in production for more than half a century and is still used in numerous consumer products. Humans are exposed to PFAS through contaminated food and water as well as dust from treated materials. These chemicals bioaccumulate and are widespread in the environment, and populations relying on a marine diet are thus often more exposed. The aim of this study was to examine the association between Greenlandic children’s exposure to major environmental chemicals and their concentrations of diphtheria and tetanus vaccine antibodies after vaccination. Methods: The study is based on cross-sectional data from Greenlandic children aged 7–12 years examined during 2012–2015. Among 175 children with known vaccination records, 169 provided a serum sample with sufficient volume to measure PFAS and specific antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus. Associations were examined in linear and logistic regression models. Results: We found higher serum-PFAS concentrations to be associated with lower diphtheria antibody concentrations after vaccination and with increased odds of having diphtheria antibody concentrations below the protective level. For each 1 ng/mL increase in serum concentrations of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), odds of not having protective levels of diphtheria antibodies were increased 6.44 times (95 % CI: 1.51–27.36), 1.14 times (95 % CI: 1.04–1.26), 1.96 times (95 % CI: 1.07–3.60), and 5.08 times (95 % CI: 1.32–19.51, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the risk of immunotoxicity associated with PFAS exposure also in this Arctic population. Keywords: PFAS, Children, Vaccine antibodies, Immunotoxicity, Greenland