There is some evidence for widespread environmental contamination in Puerto Rico, as well as increased rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes and child developmental disorders, yet human studies of human exposure on the island are lacking. To better characterize exposure distributions, temporal variability, and predictors of exposure among pregnant women on the island, to date we have collected urine and serum samples from over 1,200 pregnant women as part of the Puerto Rico Testsite for Environmental Contamination Threats (PROTECT) cohort study. Samples are collected at study visits occurring at 18±2, 22±2, and 26±2 weeks gestation, along with extensive questionnaire data. Urinary or serum concentrations of biomarkers of exposure related to a range of SVOCs (including phthalates, phenols, PAH, brominated and phosphorus-containing flame retardants, pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], and others) were measured using state-of-the-art analytical chemistry techniques. We found that concentrations of a number of chemicals (e.g., certain phthalates, phenols and PAH) were significantly greater than those among women of reproductive age in the US NHANES study, while others (e.g., PFAS, polybrominated diphenyl ethers [PBDE], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCB], organochlorine pesticides) were lower. Our analysis of predictors (e.g., demographics, housing characteristics, product use) of these biomarker concentrations have revealed a number of significant findings, which may help inform strategies to reduce exposure. We utilized repeated measures of some biomarkers to calculate intraclass correlation coefficients, which can inform future epidemiology studies and exposure assessments. Finally, we explored the degree to which co-exposures to these chemicals, both within and between chemical groups, was present. Future goals of the study include investigating associations between exposure to chemical mixtures and adverse birth and child development outcomes.
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