Breastfeeding as an exposure pathway for perfluorinated alkylates
Open accessAbstract
Perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) are widely used and have resulted in human exposures worldwide. PFASs occur in breast milk, and the duration of breastfeeding is associated with serum-PFAS concentrations in children. To determine the time-dependent impact of this exposure pathway, we examined the serum concentrations of five major PFASs in a Faroese birth cohort at birth, and at ages 11, 18, and 60 months. Information about the children's breastfeeding history was obtained from the mothers. The trajectory of serum-PFAS concentrations during months with and without breastfeeding was examined by linear mixed models that accounted for the correlations of the PFAS measurements for each child. The models were adjusted for confounders such as body size. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with increases of most PFAS concentrations by up to 30% per month, with lower increases during partial breast-feeding. In contrast to this main pattern, perfluorohexanesulfonate was not affected by breast-feeding. After cessation of breastfeeding, all serum concentrations decreased. This finding supports the evidence of breastfeeding being an important exposure pathway to some PFASs in infants.
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Breastfeeding has been identified as a significant route for early-life PFAS exposure, which can contribute to higher levels in infants compared to adults.
“Breastfeeding has been identified as a significant route for early-life PFAS exposure, which can contribute to higher levels in infants compared to adults [178,179].”
From Industrial Applications, Environmental Fate, Human Exposure, and Health Effects of PFAS (2025) · cites this paper as [178]
The Discussion reports substantial increases in four PFASs during breastfeeding and suggests that human milk is a main exposure source during infancy. The Introduction says an infant’s serum concentrations may eventually exceed those of the mother, but the paper does not establish higher levels in infants than in adults generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredToddlers show higher PFASs than mothers-with plasma PFOS, PFOA, and PFHpS increasing by 3.3%, 4.7%, and 6.1% per month of breastfeeding, respectively.
“Exclusive breastfeeding correlates with up to a 30% monthly increase in infant PFAS levels, while toddlers show higher PFASs than mothers—with plasma PFOS, PFOA, and PFHpS increasing by 3.3%, 4.7%, and 6.1% per month of breastfeeding, respectively [52,64,65,81,119].”
From Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Healthcare: Environmental and Clinical Insights (2025) · cites this paper as [64]
The Introduction (page unavailable) says infant serum PFAS concentrations may eventually exceed mothers’, but does not establish that toddlers generally have higher levels. The Results (page unavailable) report breastfeeding-associated increases, but not the claimed 3.3%, 4.7%, and 6.1% monthly increases; the paper measures PFHxS, not PFHpS. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding are key determinants of infant PFAS serum levels; monthly PFAS serum increases reach up to 30% with exclusive breastfeeding and have lower rates with partial breastfeeding, whilst levels drop after weaning.
“The duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding are key determinants; monthly PFAS serum increases reach up to 30% with exclusive breastfeeding and have lower rates with partial breastfeeding, whilst levels drop after weaning [64].”
From Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Healthcare: Environmental and Clinical Insights (2025) · cites this paper as [64]
Exclusive breastfeeding correlates with up to a 30% monthly increase in infant PFAS levels.
“Exclusive breastfeeding correlates with up to a 30% monthly increase in infant PFAS levels, while toddlers show higher PFASs than mothers—with plasma PFOS, PFOA, and PFHpS increasing by 3.3%, 4.7%, and 6.1% per month of breastfeeding, respectively [52,64,65,81,119].”
From Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Healthcare: Environmental and Clinical Insights (2025) · cites this paper as [64]
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- Authors
- Mogensen, U. B., Grandjean, P., Nielsen, F., Weihe, P., & Budtz-Jørgensen, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Harvard University (US)
- University of Southern Denmark (DK)
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, 100 Torshavn, Faroe Islands
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Corresponding author
- Grandjean, Philippe
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2015-08-20
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 17
- Pages
- 10466-10473
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- PMC
- PMC6190571
- OpenAlex
- W2164331186
- Cited by
- 190
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 8.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Strategiske Forskningsråd (09-063094)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (R830758)
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES012199)
- Miljøstyrelsen, Miljø- og Fødevareministeriet
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- Keywords
- PFAS exposure, breastfeeding, breast milk, serum PFAS concentrations, infant exposure, exposure trajectories, exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, PFHxS
- MeSH terms
- Alkylation, Breast Feeding, Child, Preschool, Environmental Exposure, Female, Fluorocarbons, Humans, Infant, Male, Cohort Studies
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