UC Berkeley

Certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are suspected developmental toxicants, but data on PFAS concentrations and exposure routes in children are limited. We measured plasma PFASs in children aged 6-10 years from the Boston-area Project Viva prebirth cohort, and used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations with sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors, and maternal PFASs measured during pregnancy. PFAS concentrations in Project Viva children (sampled 2007-2010) were similar to concentrations among youth participants (aged 12-19 years) in the 2007-8 and 2009-10 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES); mean concentrations of most PFASs declined from 2007 to 2010 in Project Viva and NHANES. In mutually adjusted models, predictors of higher PFAS concentrations included older child age, lower adiposity, carpeting or a rug in the child's bedroom, higher maternal education, and higher neighborhood income. Concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), and 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate (Me-PFOSA-AcOH) were 26-36% lower in children of black mothers compared to children of white mothers and increased 12-21% per interquartile range increase in maternal pregnancy PFASs. Breastfeeding duration did not predict childhood PFAS concentrations in adjusted multivariable models. Together, the studied predictors explained the observed variability in PFAS concentrations to only a modest degree.