Plasma and skin per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) levels in dairy cattle with lifetime exposures to PFAS contaminated drinking water and feed

Authors: Lupton, Sara; Smith, David; SCHOLLJEGERDES, ERIC - New Mexico State University; IVEY, SHANNA - New Mexico State University; YOUNG, WENDY - Food And Drug Administration(FDA); GENUALDI, SUSAN - Food And Drug Administration(FDA); DEJAGER, LOWRI - Food And Drug Administration(FDA); Snyder, Abigail; ESTEBAN, EMILIO - Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS); JOHNSTON, JOHN - Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/23/2022
Publication Date: 12/8/2022
Citation: Lupton, S.J., Smith, D.J., Scholljegerdes, E., Ivey, S., Young, W., Genualdi, S., Dejager, L., Snyder, A.W., Esteban, E., Johnston, J. 2022. Plasma and skin per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) levels in dairy cattle with lifetime exposures to PFAS contaminated drinking water and feed. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 70:15945-15954. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06620?urlappend=%3Fref%3DPDF&jav=VoR&rel=cite-as.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06620?urlappend=%3Fref%3DPDF&jav=VoR&rel=cite-as

Interpretive Summary: “PFAS” compounds are environmental contaminants that have affected agricultural water and feed sources around the globe. A large dairy herd in the western United States was exposed to PFAS contaminated feed and water to the extent that neither milk nor meat from the affected animals could be recovered. Unfortunately, very little is known about PFAS residue accumulation and depletion from cattle after exposure to environmental PFAS sources. Therefore, a series of nine PFAS compounds, representing two chemical classes (carboxylic acids and sulfonates) were measured in blood and skin samples removed from 164 female dairy cattle on the contaminated farm. The cattle ranged from a few months in age to over 10 years old. The carboxylic acid class of PFAS did not accumulate in the dairy cattle. In contrast the sulfonic acid class accumulated in both blood and skin. Exposure periods of greater than one year were required before maximum concentrations of the sulfonic acid class were achieved. Skin acted as a reservoir for the sulfonic acid PFAS class in non-lactating animals. The data will be useful to regulators and risk assessors who determine the fate of milk and meat from cattle exposed to PFAS contaminates.

Technical Abstract: Plasma and ear-notch samples were removed from 164 Holstein cows and heifers which had lifetime exposures to perfluoroalkane substances (PFAS) through consumption of contaminated feed and water sources. A suite of 9 PFAS including five perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA) and four perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA) was quantified in plasma and ear-notch samples by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Bioaccumulation of 4 to 9-carbon PFCAs did not occur in plasma or skin but PFSAs longer than 4 carbons accumulated in both plasma and skin. Exposure periods of at least 1 year were necessary for PFSAs to reach steady-state concentrations in plasma. Neither parity (P = 0.76) nor lactation status (P = 0.30) affected summed PFSA concentrations in mature cow plasma. In contrast, lactation status greatly affected (P < 0.0001) summed PFSA concentrations in ear notch samples. Skin samples could be used for biomonitoring purposes in instances when on-farm blood collection and plasma preparation are not practical.