Mixed exposure to PFAS and OPEs is associated with increased depressive and anxiety symptoms in college freshmen.

Objective

To examine individual and mixture associations of PFAS and OPEs with depressive and anxiety symptoms among college freshmen.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 1,247 Chinese freshmen with serum PFAS/OPE measurements and SDS/SAS scores. Associations were estimated using multiple linear regression, WQS regression, and BKMR, adjusting for demographic and lifestyle covariates.

Results

In adjusted WQS models, each one-quartile increase in the mixture index was associated with higher depression (β=1.42; 95% CI, 0.28-2.56) and anxiety scores (β=1.96; 95% CI, 0.77-3.15). BKMR showed positive but imprecise mixture trends and identified PFHpA as a relatively important contributor.

Conclusions

PFAS/OPE co-exposure was associated with greater depressive and anxiety symptoms, supporting mixture-based assessment of environmental mental health risks.