Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to illustrate the perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) levels in serum of non-occupational exposure human from Shenyang and Chongqing areas and to compare the distributing character and region difference of PFOS and PFOA in those two region human.
Methods: Sera samples of non-occupational human from Shenyang and Chongqing areas were collected, and the concentration of PFOS and PFOA in serum were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Mass Selective Detector (HPLC/MS-MIS).
Results: The average Shenyang and Chongqing fluorochemical concentrations, respectively, were as follows: PFOS, 22.40 microg/L vs 7.40 microg/L, PFOA, 4.32 microg/L vs 1.00 microg/L. Statistical analysis indicated that serum concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in Shenyang human than in Chongqing human. Furthermore, there are sex differences in PFOS and PFOA concentrations in serum at all location. In Shenyang the concentration of PFOS in females were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in males. The correlations of PFOS (r = 0.298) and PFOA (r = 0.271) with age were significant in females from Chongqing area, and especially the correlations were higher in older females (age t 50) than the groups of age < 13 and 13 - 50 years old.
Conclusion: This finding suggests that there are predominant regional differences and distributing character for both PFOS and PFOA concentrations in Shenyang and Chongqing areas, and the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in serum were correlated with age and sex.