Personal Exposure of Domestic Dogs and Their Owners to Airborne Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
EMILY JOHNSON, Maryam Aniya Khalili, Elizabeth Lin, Jeremy Koelmel, Shelly L. Miller, Krystal Godri Pollitt,
Yale University Abstract Number: 221
Working Group: Aerosol Exposure
AbstractPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained attention given their prevalence and persistence in the environment and in our bodies. PFAS have been detected in water, food products, and consumer products. Furthermore, companion animals may be exposed to elevated PFAS levels due to sources from pet products as well as household items. A growing number of studies have been conducted to better understand the toxicological and public health impacts of legacy PFAS resulting from ingestion and dermal exposure pathways in both humans and domesticated animals. As alternative replacement PFAS emerge in the market, these compounds are shorter chain which allows them to be volatilized more readily into the air, introducing a need to study the inhalation exposure. The objective of this study was to determine PFAS personal exposures of humans and dogs and perform a comparative assessment of the two populations using wearable passive samplers. Fresh Air samplers, consisting of custom-made polydimethylsiloxane sorbent bars sheltered in a housing case, were deployed in wristbands and dog collars for seven consecutive days within a cohort of 38 dog-human pairs in Boulder, Colorado. Collected samplers were analyzed following the assessment period using thermal desorption gas chromatography high-resolution Orbitrap mass-spectrometry. Across the 21 PFAS assessed, 7 compounds were detected. The greatest exposure range was observed for 1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluoroundecyl acetate while the highest exposure concentrations were for FTOH 10:2, FTOH 12:2, and FTOH 14:2. Detected PFAS were highly correlated for dog-owner pairs suggesting similar sources of exposure within the home environment. Our findings demonstrate the utility of wearable passive samplers to assess personal exposure to airborne PFAS. Application of these sampling tools with domestic animals and humans presents opportunities to understand exposures of concern alongside public health implications for pet owners and their animals.