Extractable Organofluorine Analysis in Pooled Human Serum and Placental Tissue Samples from an Austrian Subpopulation—A Mass Balance Analysis Approach
Andreas-Marius Kaiser, Martin Forsthuber, Rudolf Aro, Anna Kärrman, Claudia Gundacker, Harald Zeisler, Philipp Foessleitner, Hans Salzer, Christina Hartmann, Maria Uhl, Leo W. Y. Yeung
Abstract
= 45). The EOF was analyzed using combustion ion chromatography, and the concentrations of known PFAS were determined using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer. Using a mass balance analysis approach, the amount of unknown PFAS was estimated between the levels of known PFAS and EOF. The EOF levels ranged from 2.85 to 7.17 ng F/mL (21 PFAS were quantified) in the maternal serum, from 1.02 to 1.85 ng F/g (23 PFAS were quantified) in the placental tissue, and from 1.2 to 2.10 ng F/mL (18 PFAS were quantified) in the cord serum. An average of 24, 51, and 9% of EOF is unidentified in the maternal serum, placental tissue, and cord serum, respectively. The results show that the levels of unidentified EOF are higher in the placental tissue, suggesting accumulation or potential transformation of precursors in the placenta.