Transfer of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) from contaminated feed to dairy milk

•A PBPK model was derived describing uptake of PFOS from contaminated fodder into consumption milk.•Almost all PFOS is eliminated through the milk.•PFOS elimination rate is low.•Single pollution events may lead to reaching the TDI in the vulnerable population.•Other exposure routes in the food chain should be quantified as well.

Dietary intake is the predominant route for human exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Single pollution events may thus affect human exposure if polluted ground and water is used to produce animal feed or food. In this study, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK-) model is derived that describes the uptake of PFOS from contaminated feed by cows and its subsequent elimination through the cows’ milk. Parameter values of the model were estimated by fitting to experimental data of a cow feeding trial. Model calculations showed that almost all PFOS ingested is excreted through the cows’ milk. The elimination rate, however, was low as the estimated half-life in the cow was 56 days and it may, thus, take a long time after an initial pollution event to produce PFOS-free milk. The derived model can be used to estimate the transfer of PFOS through the dairy food chain and can be used for comparison of various contamination routes.