Human Exposure to Perfluorinated Chemicals through the Diet: Intake of Perfluorinated Compounds in Foods from the Catalan (Spain) Market INGRID ERICSON, † ROSER MARTÍ-CID, ‡ MARTÍ NADAL, ‡ BERT VAN BAVEL, † GUNILLA LINDSTRÖM, † AND JOSÉ L. DOMINGO* ,‡ Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Center, Örebro University, Örebro 70182 Sweden, and Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, “Rovira i Virgili” University, San Lorenzo 21, 43201 Reus, Spain The aim of this study was to determine the dietary intake of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) by the population of Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain). PFC levels were determined in 36 composite samples of foodstuffs randomly purchased in various locations. Exposure to PFCs through the diet was estimated for various age/gender groups. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorocarboxylate perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) were the only detected PFCs in foodstuffs. On average, for a standard adult man (70 kg of body weight), the dietary intake of PFOS was estimated to be 62.5 or 74.2 ng/day (assuming ND ) 0 or ND ) 1/2 LOD, respectively). Fish, followed by dairy products and meats, were the main contributors to PFOS intake. For an adult man, the intake of PFOS (1.07 ng/kg/day) and those of PFOA and PFHpA were lower than that recently reported for Canada (4.0 ng/kg/day), and considerably lower than that previously found in the United Kingdom, the only two countries where, to date, results concerning this issue have been reported. A correlation between dietary intake and blood levels of PFOS is suggested. However, the current results do not justify dietary intake as the main route of exposure governing blood concentrations of other PFCs. KEYWORDS: Perfluorinated chemicals; foodstuffs; dietary intake; Catalonia (Spain) INTRODUCTION The perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) and their salts, such as perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, and te- lomer alcohols, are chemicals that have wide consumer and industrial applications, including protective coatings for fabrics and carpets, paper coatings, insecticides, paints, cosmetics, and fire-fighting foams. In recent years, a number of studies have reported the ubiquitous distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in humans and wildlife (1–8). Among the perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), followed by perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorocarboxylate perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), have been the most extensively studied (9). These compounds are extremely persistent, bioac- cumulative, and of toxicological concern (10–13). Although accumulation and trends of PFCs are still largely unknown, it is well established that in contrast to the classical more lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins and furans, or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), PFCs do not typically accumulate in lipids. In humans, exposure levels and pathways leading to the presence of PFCs can be better characterized by monitoring these chemicals in whole blood. PFCs have been detected in human blood worldwide, with increased levels observed in industrialized areas. In recent years, the concentrations of various PFCs in human blood have been determined in individuals from a number of regions and countries: the United States (1, 14), Sweden (5, 6), China (15), Catalonia (Spain) (2), Japan (16), and Germany (17) as well as Colombia, Brazil, Italy, Poland, Belgium, India, Malaysia, and Korea (18). Calafat et al. (1, 14) concluded that the high prevalence of exposure to several PFCs and the differences among sex, race/ethnic groups, and socioeconomic status highlighted the need for additional research to identify sources of human exposure to PFCs, to study the environmental distribution of these chemicals, and to evaluate the potential human health effects resulting from these exposures. The origin of the human blood contamination by PFCs is not well understood. In general, the consumption of con- taminated foodstuffs is the main route of exposure to * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed (telephone +34 977759380; fax +34 977759322; e-mail joseluis.domingo@ urv.cat). † Örebro University. ‡ “Rovira i Virgili” University. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2008, 56, 1787–1794 1787 10.1021/jf0732408 CCC: $40.75  2008 American Chemical Society Published on Web 02/06/2008