Childhood exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances during eating activities: Occurrence, exposure, and developmental risk
By Xinming Shen, Cheng Xu, Peng Yuan, Yucan Wei, Yifan Wei, Wenting Wang, Yatai Li, and Qihong Deng
J. Environ. Chem. Ecotoxicol.
November 3, 2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.10.019
Despite increasing concern over children's vulnerability to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure, limited research has identified high-risk PFAS under frequent hand-to-mouth exposure conditions common in early childhood. Here, we investigated the occurrence of PFAS in textile products used during children's mealtimes and integrated toxicity metrics to identify high-risk compounds relevant to child-specific exposure scenarios. PFAS were detected in all feeding bib and tablecloth samples, with median ∑PFAS concentrations of 1.30 ng/g (range: 0.67–32.54 ng/g) and 1.01 ng/g (range: 0.72–5.02 ng/g), respectively. Hand-to-mouth exposure modeling indicated that the estimated intake of PFAS in young children, particularly those under two years old, approached the safety threshold established by the European Food Safety Authority, underscoring the potential importance of bibs as a source of PFAS exposure in early childhood. Furthermore, integrated in vitro bioactivity data and molecular docking simulations revealed that multiple PFAS strongly bind to nuclear receptors involved in child growth and development, including the estrogen receptors, androgen receptors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and liver X receptors. Risk prioritization using the toxicological priority index framework identified perfluorononanoic acid, pentadecafluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid as high-concern compounds due to their high exposure potential and receptor-disrupting activities. Characterization of these priority PFAS contaminants establishes a technical basis for strengthening regulatory frameworks to protect children's health.
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