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3.14 Organofluorine compounds (PFOS6, PFOA7, PFOSA8)9
- In order to know the exposure level of the general public in
Japan, the sera of 272 residents (40-77 years of age) from 10
regions (23-33 persons in each area) were analyzed. All the
samples showed PFOS with a median of 26.2 ng/ml (2.8-271.1 ng/ml).
The PFOS level increased with the age. PFOA was found in 91
persons, and PFOSA was not detected. The level variation with
the region has prompted studies on the exposure source in terms
of lifestyle habits. PFOS detected in all the subjects needs
further studies on possible health effects.3)
3.15 Phytoestrogens
- Isoflavonoids (daidzein, genistein, glycitein) in the urine of
80 women (26-43 years of age) with a chief complaint of
infertility were analyzed by HPLC-couloarray, resulting in
medians of 4.0, 3.2 and 0.6 μmol/g creatinine, respectively.
Equol was found in 21% of the subjects.3)
- Average concentrations (and range) of phytoestrogens in the
serum of spouses of pregnant women (i.e. men with proven
reproductive capacity) (31.6 years of age on an average) were:
14.6 μg/ml (0.006-412.7) equol, 67.0 μg/m (2.7-445) daidzein,
and 172.4 μg/m (3.5-1516.3) genistein. Corresponding data for
male university students (20.4 years of age on an average) were:
6.7 μg/m (0.071-170.9) equol, 46.5 μg/m (1.8-305.9) daidzein,
and 73.0 μg/m (0.1-1007.8) genistein.6)
- HPLC-couloarray, detection limit 5 ng/ml daidzein, 15 ng/ml
genistein, 2.5 ng/ml equol:
It is known that the phytoestrogen level is highly dependent on
the timing of meal and sampling, but the blood equol level is
scarcely influenced by eating even immediately before sampling.
A product of actions of enteric flora on daidzein, equol is
believed to reflect diet or state of enteric flora.9)
3.16 Heavy metals
- Autopsy in 18 cases revealed <0.08-1.49 mg/g mercury, 0.095-1.38
mg/g lead and 1.05-22.6 mg/g cadmium (all dry basis) in liver.
3.17 Volatile organic compounds (toluene, benzene, xylene,
styrene, p-dichlorobenzene, etc.)
- These substances were studied for comparison with other
pollutants with respect to exposure. Peripheral blood and
peritoneal fluid samples contained volatile organic compounds at
levels of 0.6-4.0 ppb. Toluene was found in 80% of the samples,
p-dichlorobenzene in 49%, o-xylene in 29%, and styrene in 26%.
Naphthalene was never detected.1)
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