Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – unravelling exposure sources and demographical exposure patterns in a Swedish adolescent population

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl acids (PFAS) is a group of anthropogenic substances, with some suspected to cause adverse health effects in humans. Little is known about adolescent exposure to PFAS, thus this thesis focuses on exposure sources and demographical exposure patterns of PFAS in a nationally representative Swedish adolescent (age 10-21 years) population (Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17). Legacy PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were detected in serum from 70-100% of the participants (n=1098). Concentrations of PFOA, PFHxS and PFOS in serum increased with increased concentrations in drinking water (DW). Even though median PFAS concentrations in DW were as low as