Occupational exposure to fluorinated ski wax

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Occupational exposure to fluorinated ski wax

av

Helena Nilsson

Akademisk avhandling

Avhandling för filosofie doktorsexamen i kemi, som enligt beslut av rektor kommer att försvaras offentligt

fredagen den 28 september 2012 kl. 10.00, Hörsal P2, Prismahuset, Örebro universitet, Örebro

Opponent: Ass. Prof. Jonathan W. Martin University of Alberta Edmonton, Kanada Örebro universitet Institutionen för naturvetenskap och teknik 701 82 ÖREBRO

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Abstract

Helena Nilsson (2012): Occupational exposure to fluorinated ski wax. Örebro Studies in Chemistry 11, 73 pp.

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are used in the production of ski wax to reduce the friction between the snow and the ski. In this occupa-tional study of ski wax technicians’ exposure to PFAS and particulate aero-sol we have collected whole blood (wb) (n=94), air (n=84) and aeroaero-sol (n=159) samples at World Cup events from 2007-2011.

We have analysed the blood, air and aerosol with respect to 13 perfluoro-carboxylic acids (PFCAs), 4 perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), 3 fluorote-lomer alcohols (FTOHs), 3 fluorotefluorote-lomer acids (FTCAs) and 3 unsaturated fluorotelomer acids (FTUCAs). Further, we assessed the exposure to 3 par-ticulate aerosol fractions (inhalable, respirable and total aerosol) in air. In comparison to a general population, several of the PFCA blood levels are elevated in the technicians’, primarily perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorononate (PFNA) with concentrations up to 628 and 163 ng/mL wb, respectively. Further, we detected FTUCAs and FTCAs in the blood, suggesting biotransformation of FTOHs to PFCAs. The metabolites 5:3 and 7:3 FTCA were detected in all blood samples at levels up to 6.1 and 3.9 ng/mL wb. Levels of perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA) and per-fluorooctadecanoic acid (PFOcDA) were detected in the technician’s blood at mean concentration up to 4.22 ng/mL wb and 4.25 ng/mL wb.

The FTOH levels in air of the wax cabin during work ranged up to 997 000 ng/m3_{(average=114 000 ng/m}3_{) and PFOA up to 4 890 ng/m}3

(average= 526 ng/m3_{. FTOHs were not detected in aerosols but PFOA}

showed average levels of 12 000 ng/m3_{(range=1 230- 46 900 ng/m}3_).

The occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3_{was exceeded in 37%}

of the personal measurements with aerosol concentrations up to 15 mg/m3_.

Keywords: Perfluorinated, polyfluorinated, FIS, occupational exposure, ski

wax, biotransformation, metabolism, fluorotelomer alcohol, fluorotelomer acid, aerosol, dust, UPLC/MS-MS, GC/MS-MS

Helena Nilsson, School of Science and Technology, Örero University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden, helena.nilsson@oru.se