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Trends of perfluorinated
compounds in Inuit from different
districts in Greenland
Manhai Long1, Rossana Bossi2, Eva Cecilie
Bonefeld-Jørgensen1
1Unit
of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology (CMT), Centre for Arctic
Environmental Medicine (CAM), Institute of Public Health, University
of Aarhus, Denmark. 2National Environmental Research Institute,
University of Aarhus, Denmark
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs)
- “teflon” chemicals
 PFCs are organofluorine compounds belonging to the persistent organic pollutants
(POPs).
 Applications: Stain repellents, packaging materials, fire-fighting foams, textiles,
carpet, lubricants and various coatings e.g. Teflon on pans and pots
 Potential Health Effects: cancer, organ damage, reproductive effects, immune
system suppression, obesity.
Human exposure pathway of PFCs
PFCs have been detected in human blood, breast milk, and
umbilical cord blood from different countries:
USA, Canada, Brazil, Italy, Poland, Germany, Belgium,
Sweden,
Japan, China, India, Malaysia and Australia.
PFCs in Arctic region
• PFCs are transported to the Arctic via the
atmosphere and ocean currents
• For human, PFCs were measured in blood in the
Arctic region of Canada, Alaska, Sweden, Russia,
Norway and Faroe Island
• For Greenland, PFCs have been found in the marine
food chain with increasing trend during 1982-2006.
•Until now no data was reported on human levels
of PFCs in Greenlandic Inuit.
Aim
 Assessing the level of selected perfluorinated
compounds in the serum of Inuit from different
Greenlandic districts
284 Greenlandic Inuit (74 males, 209 females)
10 districts (north, west, south and east)
10 PFCs:
 3 perfluorooctane sulfate (PFSA)
 7 perfluorcarboxylated acids (PFCA)
 Analysing the time trend of serum PFCs in Inuit
from Nuuk
District differences of PFCs
∑PFC
As
∑PFS
As
PFOA
n=29
∑ PFCAs: PFHpA+PFOA+PFNA+PFDA+PFUnA+PFDoA+PFTrA
∑ PFSAs: PFOS+PFHxS+PFOSA
PFOS
n=2
n=18
n=24
n=19
n=20
n=13
n=7
n=142
n=10
Serum PFCs level (1997-2006)
District
Qaannaq
Upernavik
Uummannaq
Iluissat
Qeqertarsuaq
Sisimiut
Nuuk
Narsaq
Tasiilaq
Ittoqqortoormit
PFOS
10.5
83.4
13.2
39.7
5.74
7.04
30.6
3.93
51.3
13.5
(male+female)
median ng /ml
PFOA ∑ PFSAs
0.62
12
6.3
92.3
0.67
14
2.7
44.1
0.53
6.51
0.67
8.31
2.65
32.7
0.39
4.63
3.2
62.5
0.68
15.2
∑ PFCAs
1.75
11.3
2.84
5.95
1.78
1.47
6.23
1.41
8.1
2.18
The median serum PFOS level of
Greenlandic Inuit was higher
than other Arctic populations but
Nunavut, Canada and similar to
Europeans
Male Inuit had higher PFCs
level than females but no
gender difference for n-3/n-6 *
was found
*n-3/n-6 : indicator of marine mammals intake
Correlation of serum PFCs and age, n3/n-6
Single gender as well as the pooled data of serum PFCs levels
were positively correlated to age and marine mammals intake
(n-3/n-6 )
Time trend of PFCs in Nuuk Inuit
(1998-2005)
PFCs
Male+Female
Slope (%)
95%CI
p value
PFNA
28
4.4-52
< 0.05
PFDA
28
8.9-47
< 0.03
PFDoA
10
5.7-15
< 0.02
PFTrA
13
11-15
< 0.009
Conclusions
Significant districts differences in serum PFCs levels
Higher levels for males than females
PFCs positively correlated to age and n-3/n-6
However, other sources than marine food must contribute
to the human bioaccumulation of PFCs
 An increase trend of PFCs was found for Nuuk Inuit




Perspectives
 Climate change might affect the transportation of PFCs to




the Arctic
Effect biomarkers for serum PFCs levels must be
developed
The correlation of serum PFCs levels and health risks
must be evaluated
The possible interaction between PFCs and other POPs
must be studied
Follow up studies must be performed
Acknowledgement
 Thanks to my colleagues at the CAM / CMT research
group
 Thanks for financial support from the research fond
of University of Aarhus
Thank you for your
attention