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Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous synthetic compounds found in many products, including Teflon, water-resistant materials, paints, and firefighting foams. PFASs are commonly detected in biomonitoring studies in everything from air, water and soil to fish, animals, and human blood. Environmental and health agencies in Europe, the U.S., and Australia have identified PFASs as potential carcinogens and have linked them to several other adverse health effects. Since PFASs bind to serum proteins in the blood and have a long half-life, researchers in Australia hypothesized that plasma and/or blood donations over time may decrease PFAS levels in the blood. In order to test this hypothesis, 285 Fire Rescue Victoria staff or contractors (97.9% men; mean age, 53 years) with elevated serum levels (>5 ng/ml) of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were randomly assigned to either donate plasma every 6 weeks, donate blood for every 12 weeks, or to be observed for 52 weeks. PFAS levels were measured four times: at screening, baseline (week 0), and weeks 52 and 64. Over 52 weeks, participants in the plasma (n=95) and blood (n=95) donation arms donated a mean of 6.4 and 4.3 donations, respectively. PFOS levels were significantly decreased compared to baseline levels in the plasma (-2.9 ng/ml; 95% C.I., -3.6 to -2.3 ng/ml; P<0.001) and blood donation (-1.1 ng/ml; 95% C.I., -1.5 to -0.7 ng/ml; P<0.001) arms but not in the observation arm (-0.01 ng/ml; 95% C.I., -0.5 to 0.5 ng/ml; P=0.96). Furthermore, plasma donations reduced PFOS levels more quickly than blood donations. Currently, blood donors who have elevated levels of PFASs are not excluded from donating blood, and more information is needed on the health effects of elevated PFASs in blood donors and recipients.
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