文摘
An exposure assessment and risk characterization wasconducted to better understand the potential human healthsignificance of trace levels of perfluorooctanoate (PFO)detected in certain consumer articles. PFO is the anion ofperfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Concentrations of PFO inthe consumer articles were determined from extraction testsand product formulation information. Potential exposuresduring consumer use of the articles were quantified basedon an assessment of behavior patterns and regulatoryguidance. Health benchmarks were developed and thencompared to the exposure estimates to yield margins ofexposure (MOEs). A simple one-compartment model wasalso developed to estimate contributions of potential consumerexposures to PFO concentrations in serum. While thereare considerable uncertainties in this assessment, it indicatesthat exposures to PFO during consumer use of thearticles evaluated in this study are not expected to causeadverse human health effects in infants, children,adolescents, adult residents, or professionals nor result inquantifiable levels of PFO in human serum.