Perfluorinated compound exposure and health effects in humans

Abstract

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) include a large group of anthropogenic fluorinated organic substances. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the sources and trends of human exposure to PFCs and evidences from both animal experiments and epidemiological studies about their effects on immunological and metabolic functions, neurodevelopment, reproduction, and children development. Humans can be exposed to PFCs by ingesting contaminated drinking water and seafood, inhaling polluted indoor air, and other contaminated media, the way of exposure is wide and undetectable. The structure and physicochemical properties of PFCs can greatly affect their environmental behaviors and the safety of emerging perfluorobutane sulfonates (PFBS) and other substances cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is necessary to study health effects of various PFCs and their alternatives, and analyze the different environmental behaviors of isomers and homologues of PFCs.