Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been detected in many environmental matrices, biota, and nonoccupationally exposed populations in China recently. However, little is known about the distribution and levels of various PFCs in the general population living in areas where there is PFC exposure. In the present study, the levels and prevalence of ten target PFCs were determined in 227 serum samples from a population of nonoccupationally exposed individuals in Shenzhen, China. Results indicated that human exposure to PFCs was prevalent in Shenzhen. Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was the dominant PFC contaminant in the serum samples, with a median concentration of 6.72 ng/mL, followed by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) with a median concentration of 2.07 ng/mL. Other PFCs were detected at much lower concentrations, with median concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.87 ng/mL. Statistically, no significant (P>0.05) gender differences were observed for any of the PFCs. Significant (P<0.01) positive correlations were found between age and serum concentrations of the target PFCs, except for perfluorobutane sulfonate (R = -0.16, P = 0.01), perfluorohexanoic acid (R = 0.08, P = 0.22), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (R = -0.11, P = 0.10). Based on the one-compartment pharmacokinetic model, the total daily intakes of PFOA and PFOS for the general population in Shenzhen were calculated as 0.63 and 0.20 ng/kg body weight/day, respectively.
