TY - JOUR
T1 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure in hexavalent chromium exposed workers and the effects of exposure mixtures on oxidative stress and genomic instability
AU - Jiang, Zheshun
AU - Liu, Yishan
AU - Lindh, Christian
AU - Pineda, Daniela
AU - Carøe, Tanja K.
AU - Catalán, Julia
AU - Ebbehøj, Niels E.
AU - Givelet, Lucas
AU - Huusom, Anja J.
AU - Kines, Pete
AU - Krais, Annette M.
AU - Aimonen, Kukka
AU - Lundh, Thomas
AU - Loeschner, Katrin
AU - Rastkhani, Hamideh
AU - Tondel, Martin
AU - Saber, Anne T.
AU - Vogel, Ulla
AU - Broberg, Karin
AU - SafeChrom project team and SAM-Krom project team
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/12/15
Y1 - 2025/12/15
N2 - Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can induce oxidative stress, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. In occupational settings, Cr(VI)-exposed workers may also be exposed to other toxicants, such as elements besides Cr, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, research on the extent of these co-exposures and their combined effects remains limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure levels of ten elements and eight PFAS in Cr(VI)-exposed workers and to assess the combined effects of these exposure mixtures on biomarkers of oxidative stress and genomic instability. This study included 138 Cr(VI)-exposed workers and 96 controls from Swedish SafeChrom and Danish SAM-Krom studies. Concentrations of elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and PFAS were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Effect biomarkers, including 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn), telomere length (TL) and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter (MGMT) methylation, were analyzed in blood. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression and quantile-based g-computation models were used to evaluate the mixture effects. Exposed workers had higher concentrations of Cr, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), lower mtDNA-cn and longer TL compared to controls. In the SAM-Krom study, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels were significantly elevated among exposed workers, with the P95 reaching 2044 ng/mL. The exposure mixtures were associated with increased 8-OHdG and MGMT hypermethylation. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of multiple occupational exposures in Cr(VI)-related work environments and suggest that combined exposure may contribute to early biological alterations related to oxidative stress and DNA methylation.
AB - Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can induce oxidative stress, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. In occupational settings, Cr(VI)-exposed workers may also be exposed to other toxicants, such as elements besides Cr, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, research on the extent of these co-exposures and their combined effects remains limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure levels of ten elements and eight PFAS in Cr(VI)-exposed workers and to assess the combined effects of these exposure mixtures on biomarkers of oxidative stress and genomic instability. This study included 138 Cr(VI)-exposed workers and 96 controls from Swedish SafeChrom and Danish SAM-Krom studies. Concentrations of elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and PFAS were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Effect biomarkers, including 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn), telomere length (TL) and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter (MGMT) methylation, were analyzed in blood. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression and quantile-based g-computation models were used to evaluate the mixture effects. Exposed workers had higher concentrations of Cr, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), lower mtDNA-cn and longer TL compared to controls. In the SAM-Krom study, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels were significantly elevated among exposed workers, with the P95 reaching 2044 ng/mL. The exposure mixtures were associated with increased 8-OHdG and MGMT hypermethylation. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of multiple occupational exposures in Cr(VI)-related work environments and suggest that combined exposure may contribute to early biological alterations related to oxidative stress and DNA methylation.
KW - Effect biomarkers
KW - Hexavalent chromium
KW - Multiple exposure
KW - Occupational exposure
KW - PFAS
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105020834820&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127255
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127255
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 41086906
AN - SCOPUS:105020834820
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 387
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 127255
ER -