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  • Review Article
  • Published:

Occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: a scope review of the literature from 1980–2021

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 33, pages 673–686 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise a large group of chemicals that have been integrated into a wide variety of industrial processes and consumer products since the 1950s. Due to their profuse usage and high persistence in human serum, understanding workplace exposures to PFAS is critical.

Objective

We aimed to characterize the PFAS exposure profiles of relevant occupational populations, elucidate trends in the PFAS exposure characterization process, and identify major research gaps that remain within the occupational PFAS exposure literature.

Methods

A systematic search of four literature databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 1980 and 2021 on PFAS exposure in occupational settings was conducted.

Results

Of the 2574 articles identified, 92 met the inclusion criteria. Fluorochemical workers were the target population in most early exposure assessment research; however, studies conducted within the last 10 years have evaluated a wider range of occupational populations and settings. The highest exposures were reported in fluorochemical workers, but, in comparison to reference populations, one or more PFAS were elevated in most workers and in most workplaces that were assessed. PFAS was most frequently assessed in worker serum using a discrete analytical panel of PFAS, with earlier studies restricted to a few long-alkyl chain PFAS while more recent studies have included more expansive panels due to more robust methods.

Significance

Characterization of occupational exposure to PFAS is limited but expanding. Current analytical methods are not robust enough to fully capture the potential range of PFAS present across different workers and workplaces. While exposures to PFAS for certain occupational groups have been studied in detail, exposure information for other occupational groups with high potential for exposure are limited. This review highlights substantial findings and major research gaps within the occupational literature.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Bubble plot of PFAS chemistries analyzed in worker blood across individual studies that sampled whole blood, plasma, or serum.
Fig. 3: PFOA in serum, plasma, or whole blood* by population, geographic region, and year of most recent sample collection.
Fig. 4: PFOS in serum, plasma, or whole blood* by population, geographic region, and year of most recent test.

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

See the Supplementary Information section for information on where the selected articles for this review were extracted from.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by an interagency agreement between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (AES22002-001-0000) as a collaborative National Toxicology Program research activity.

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  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA

    Brian T. Christensen & Miriam M. Calkins

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  1. Brian T. Christensen
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Contributions

BTC was responsible for designing the search strategy, screening for eligible studies, extracting relevant data, interpreting study results, producing tables and figures, producing the initial draft of the manuscript, and revising the manuscript. MMC was responsible for designing the search strategy, screening for eligible studies, producing tables and figures, interpreting results, and revising the manuscript. The CDC Thacker Library provided technical assistance in designing the search strategy and ran the search strategy through multiple databases. Other Contributions: The CDC Thacker Library provided technical assistance in designing the search strategy and ran the search strategy through multiple databases. Additionally, Jessica Rinsky, Susan Moore, Susan Fenton, Kristen Ryan, Pei Li Yao, and Kristin Eccles reviewed the paper and provided helpful feedback.

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Correspondence to Brian T. Christensen.

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Christensen, B.T., Calkins, M.M. Occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: a scope review of the literature from 1980–2021. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 33, 673–686 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-023-00536-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-023-00536-y

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