Researchers map PFAS exposure among the youngest

With support from the Danish Health Authority, SDU researchers, in collaboration with three Danish regions, will measure PFAS levels in blood samples from 300 pregnant women and, after delivery, in their breast milk. The aim is to determine the extent to which foetuses and infants are exposed to these harmful chemicals.

- PFAS is omnipresent in the environment and accumulates in our bodies through food and drinking water, explains Iben Have Beck, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Unit for Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Environmental Medicine.

- This makes it inevitable that children are also exposed to these substances.

Infants are particularly vulnerable, as PFAS can be transferred from mother to child both during pregnancy and through breast milk.

Severe health effects documented

PFAS exposure has been linked to health issues in adults, such as weakened immune responses, elevated cholesterol levels, and increased risk of kidney cancer.

Studies in children have shown that prenatal exposure can lead to low birth weight and a reduced immune response, meaning their bodies do not respond optimally to vaccinations. Researchers are also exploring potential links to pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as liver impacts.

Focus on newer PFAS substances

- We will measure current concentrations of both short- and long-chain PFAS, says Iben Have Beck.

- We suspect that regulation has reduced levels of older PFAS including PFOS and PFOA. However, we know very little about the newer short-chain PFAS substances now used as replacements.

Regulation includes the EU's ban on PFOS and PFOA, which were previously used in products such as firefighting foam, non-stick coatings, and textiles. Short-chain PFAS substances are now widespread as replacements in, for example, food packaging and impregnated textiles, but their health impacts remain largely unknown.

Improved guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women

The researchers aim to gather data to form the basis for future public health advice to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

- We lack Danish data on PFAS levels in pregnant women and breast milk, which makes it difficult to formulate recommendations, notes Nete Lundager Rausgaard, also a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Unit for Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Environmental Medicine.

- The knowledge we gain from this project will serve as a foundation for improving advice for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

So far, no Danish studies have analysed PFAS in breast milk. This project is therefore the first of its kind and will provide new and essential insights into infants' exposure through breastfeeding.

Need for updated knowledge

The project builds on previous Danish studies that have mapped PFAS levels in pregnant women over several decades. Although exposure to certain older substances has decreased, it is crucial to acquire new knowledge about the newer PFAS substances, which are increasingly being used.

This project will help fill important knowledge gaps and strengthen health advice for the most vulnerable groups.

Currently, researchers in the Environmental Medicine group are also involved in a project examining PFAS levels in the blood of young Danes nationwide.