Analysis of a Homologous Series of Perfluorocarboxylates from American Red Cross Adult Blood Donors, 2000–2001 and 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration trends of a nine-target-analyte homologous seriesof perfluorocarboxylates from six American Red Cross adult blood donor centers. A total of 645 serum and 600 plasma samples were obtained in 2000–2001 and 2006, respectively, with samples stratified for each 10-year (20–69) age- and sex-group per each location. Samples were extracted by protein precipitationand quantified by using tandem mass spectrometry. The nine perfluorocarboxylates were perfluorobutanoate (PFBA, C3F7CO2–), perfluoropentanoate (PFPeA, C4F9CO2–), perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA, C5F11CO2–), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA, C6F13CO2–), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, C7F15CO2–), perfluorononanoate (PFNA, C8F17CO2–), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA, C9F19CO2–), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnA,C10F21CO2–), and perfluorododecanoate (PFDoA, C11F23CO2–). The majority of measurements were less than the lower limit of quantitation for PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFDoA. For the remaining targeted analytes, the geometric m...