Home Medicine Chapter 10 Biomonitoring and health effects of PFAS exposure
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 10 Biomonitoring and health effects of PFAS exposure

  • , and
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances
This chapter is in the book Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances

Abstract

It has been over two decades since global distribution and human exposure to PFAS were revealed. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the sources and fate of this complex class of chemicals, although introduction of numerous novel PFAS, now numbering over 12,000 in total, poses challenges to understanding exposure and risk management. Humans are primarily exposed to PFAS through the ingestion of food and water, as well as contact with PFAS-containing products. Human biomonitoring studies have found PFAS in blood, breastmilk, placenta, amniotic fluid, cord blood, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, nail, hair, feces, and urine. Despite the phase out of production of “legacy” PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), these compounds continue to be the predominant ones detected in human serum. Human exposure to short-chain replacement PFAS (e.g., perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)) and several new PFAS (e.g., 6:2 polyfluorinated ether sulfonate; 6:2 Cl-PFESA) is likely increasing. The estimated exposure doses of PFAS from various sources are close to the reference values set by international health organizations. PFAS exposure doses in infants are higher than those of adults and breastmilk concentrations are higher than the advisory limits set for drinking water in many western countries. Epidemiological studies have linked PFAS exposure to adverse health outcomes such as reduced birth weight, immunosuppression, altered hormone homeostasis, hepatotoxicity, and disrupted fatty acid metabolism, among others. Analytical methods to determine cumulative exposures to all PFAS are needed to assess risks from this class of chemicals. This chapter reviews recent findings of human biomonitoring of PFAS, sources and trends in exposure, and epidemiological findings on the adverse health outcomes from exposure.

Abstract

It has been over two decades since global distribution and human exposure to PFAS were revealed. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the sources and fate of this complex class of chemicals, although introduction of numerous novel PFAS, now numbering over 12,000 in total, poses challenges to understanding exposure and risk management. Humans are primarily exposed to PFAS through the ingestion of food and water, as well as contact with PFAS-containing products. Human biomonitoring studies have found PFAS in blood, breastmilk, placenta, amniotic fluid, cord blood, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, nail, hair, feces, and urine. Despite the phase out of production of “legacy” PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), these compounds continue to be the predominant ones detected in human serum. Human exposure to short-chain replacement PFAS (e.g., perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)) and several new PFAS (e.g., 6:2 polyfluorinated ether sulfonate; 6:2 Cl-PFESA) is likely increasing. The estimated exposure doses of PFAS from various sources are close to the reference values set by international health organizations. PFAS exposure doses in infants are higher than those of adults and breastmilk concentrations are higher than the advisory limits set for drinking water in many western countries. Epidemiological studies have linked PFAS exposure to adverse health outcomes such as reduced birth weight, immunosuppression, altered hormone homeostasis, hepatotoxicity, and disrupted fatty acid metabolism, among others. Analytical methods to determine cumulative exposures to all PFAS are needed to assess risks from this class of chemicals. This chapter reviews recent findings of human biomonitoring of PFAS, sources and trends in exposure, and epidemiological findings on the adverse health outcomes from exposure.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword VII
  3. Preface IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. List of contributors XIII
  6. Chapter 1 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the environment: issues and challenges 1
  7. Chapter 2 PFAS: an overview of their physicochemical properties and implications 13
  8. Chapter 3 Sources of PFAS in the environment 61
  9. Chapter 4 Occurrence, nature, and extent of PFAS contamination in the environment 83
  10. Chapter 5 Analytical techniques for perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) 143
  11. Chapter 6 Nontarget screening approaches for PFAS and their applications on contaminated sites 169
  12. Chapter 7 Dynamic transport, sorption, and desorption of PFAS in water-saturated and unsaturated soils 201
  13. Chapter 8 From contamination to clarity: evaluating the role of groundwater modeling in managing and remediating PFAS plumes 319
  14. Chapter 9 Assessment of environmental risk 337
  15. Chapter 10 Biomonitoring and health effects of PFAS exposure 399
  16. Chapter 11 Bioaccumulation of legacy and novel PFAS in the environment 495
  17. Chapter 12 Toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in plants and microbes 519
  18. Chapter 13 PFAS treatment and remediation 567
  19. Chapter 14 A zero PFAS future: transitioning away from forever chemicals 599
  20. Chapter 15 Regulatory perspectives on PFAS 615
  21. Index 631
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110796797-010

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword VII
  3. Preface IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. List of contributors XIII
  6. Chapter 1 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the environment: issues and challenges 1
  7. Chapter 2 PFAS: an overview of their physicochemical properties and implications 13
  8. Chapter 3 Sources of PFAS in the environment 61
  9. Chapter 4 Occurrence, nature, and extent of PFAS contamination in the environment 83
  10. Chapter 5 Analytical techniques for perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) 143
  11. Chapter 6 Nontarget screening approaches for PFAS and their applications on contaminated sites 169
  12. Chapter 7 Dynamic transport, sorption, and desorption of PFAS in water-saturated and unsaturated soils 201
  13. Chapter 8 From contamination to clarity: evaluating the role of groundwater modeling in managing and remediating PFAS plumes 319
  14. Chapter 9 Assessment of environmental risk 337
  15. Chapter 10 Biomonitoring and health effects of PFAS exposure 399
  16. Chapter 11 Bioaccumulation of legacy and novel PFAS in the environment 495
  17. Chapter 12 Toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in plants and microbes 519
  18. Chapter 13 PFAS treatment and remediation 567
  19. Chapter 14 A zero PFAS future: transitioning away from forever chemicals 599
  20. Chapter 15 Regulatory perspectives on PFAS 615
  21. Index 631
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Winner of the OpenAthens UX Award 2026
Winner of the OpenAthens UX Award 2026
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 31.3.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110796797-010/html
Scroll to top button