A review of the occurrence and distribution of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human organs and fetal tissues.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing observational human tissue studies.
PubMed 39978621 · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2025.121181
What was done
Literature review using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus synthesizing current evidence on PFAS concentrations and distribution across human solid organs and fetal or placental tissues, excluding blood matrices.
What was found
The earliest cited study reported mean liver PFOS concentrations of 18.8 ng/g with a liver-to-serum ratio of 1.3:1. Across reviewed literature, PFOS predominated in liver, kidney, and lung, while PFOA was more prominent in bone. Pathological conditions like liver disease altered accumulation patterns. PFAS crossed the placenta with fetal tissue concentrations significantly lower than maternal levels, accumulating higher in fetal liver and lung. Placental PFOS levels were associated with sex-specific reductions in male infant birth weight.
Why it matters
Provides evidence that PFAS accumulate selectively in human internal organs beyond blood compartments and cross the placenta to deposit in fetal tissues.
Limits
The abstract does not state the total number of studies or samples evaluated. Findings are limited by heterogeneous analytical methods, reliance on pooled samples, differing exposure sources, and confounding from underlying tissue pathology.
Cited by
- supports PFAS chemicals accumulate in human organs including the liver and kidneys.