Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of fluorinated anthropogenic chemicals that include perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), w
Characterizing the Areal Extent of PFAS Contamination in Fish Species Downgradient of AFFF Source Zones
Abstract. Most monitoring programs next to large per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sources focus on drinking water contamination near source zones
Characterizing the Areal Extent of PFAS Contamination in Fish Species Downgradient of AFFF Source Zones
Dataset of targeted PFAS and extractable organofluorine concentrations in water, sediment, and biological tissue samples that support data included in two papers: "Characterizing the Areal Extent of PFAS Contamination in Fish Species Downgradient of AFFF Source Zones" and "Bioaccumulation of Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonamides (FASA)"
Legacy and Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Juvenile Seabirds from the U.S. Atlantic Coast
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic, globally distributed chemicals. Legacy PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (P
Whale Baleen To Monitor Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Marine Environments
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise >10 000 synthetic compounds that are globally distributed and highly persistent but remain
Stability of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Solvents Relevant to Environmental and Toxicological Analysis
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used anthropogenic chemicals. For environmental and toxicological analysis, it is importan
Isolating the AFFF Signature in Coastal Watersheds Using Oxidizable PFAS Precursors and Unexplained Organofluorine
Abstract. Water supplies for millions of U.S. individuals exceed maximum contaminant levels for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Contemporary an
Bioconcentration of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Precursors in Fathead Minnow Tissues Environmentally Exposed to Aqueous Film-Forming Foam–Contaminated Waters
Abstract Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with toxicity in wildlife and negative health effects in humans. Decades of fire training activity at Joint Base Cape Cod (MA, USA) incorporated the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which resulted in long-term PFAS contamination of sediments, groundwater, and hydrologically connected surface waters. To explore the bioconcentration potential of PFAS in complex environmental mixtures, a mobile laboratory was established to evaluate the bioconcentration of PFAS from AFFF-impacted groundwater by flow-through design. Fathead minnows (n = 24) were exposed to PFAS in groundwater over a 21-day period and tissue-specific PFAS burdens in liver, kidney, and gonad were derived at three different time points. The ∑PFAS concentrations in groundwater increased from approximately 10,000 ng/L at day 1 to 36,000 ng/L at day 21. The relative abundance of PFAS in liver, kidney, and gonad shifted temporally from majority perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASAs) to perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs). By day 21, mean ∑PFAS concentrations in tissues displayed a predominance in the order of liver > kidney > gonad. Generally, bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for FASAs, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), and fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS) increased with degree of fluorinated carbon chain length, but this was not evident for PFSAs. Perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) displayed the highest mean BCF (8700 L/kg) in day 21 kidney. Suspect screening results revealed the presence of several perfluoroalkyl sulfinate and FASA compounds present in groundwater and in liver for which pseudo-bioconcentration factors are also reported. The bioconcentration observed for precursor compounds and PFSA derivatives detected suggests alternative pathways for terminal PFAS exposure in aquatic wildlife and humans. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1795–1806. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Flow-through dosing experiments utilizing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)–contaminated groundwater revealed positive linear correlations between fluorinated carbon chain length and logarithm-transformed bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides identified in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) liver via target analysis and suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry. FBSA = perfluorobutane sulfonamide; FHxSA = perfluorohexane sulfonamide; FOSA = perfluorooctane sulfonamide; FPeSA= perfluoropentane sulfonamide; FPrSA = perfluoropropane sulfonamide.
Phospholipid Levels Predict the Tissue Distribution of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in a Marine Mammal
Abstract. Exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been linked to many negative health impacts in humans and wildlife. Unlike neutral hy
Addressing Urgent Questions for PFAS in the 21st Century
Abstract. Despite decades of research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), fundamental obstacles remain to addressing worldwide contamination by
A review of the pathways of human exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and present understanding of health effects
Here, we review present understanding of sources and trends in human exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and epidemiologic evidence for impacts on cancer, immune function, metabolic outcomes, and neurodevelopment. More than 4000 PFASs have been manufactured by humans and hundreds have been detected in environmental samples. Direct exposures due to use in products can be quickly phased out by shifts in chemical production but exposures driven by PFAS accumulation in the ocean and marine food chains and contamination of groundwater persist over long timescales. Serum concentrations of legacy PFASs in humans are declining globally but total exposures to newer PFASs and precursor compounds have not been well characterized. Human exposures to legacy PFASs from seafood and drinking water are stable or increasing in many regions, suggesting observed declines reflect phase-outs in legacy PFAS use in consumer products. Many regions globally are continuing to discover PFAS contaminated sites from aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) use, particularly next to airports and military bases. Exposures from food packaging and indoor environments are uncertain due to a rapidly changing chemical landscape where legacy PFASs have been replaced by diverse precursors and custom molecules that are difficult to detect. Multiple studies find significant associations between PFAS exposure and adverse immune outcomes in children. Dyslipidemia is the strongest metabolic outcome associated with PFAS exposure. Evidence for cancer is limited to manufacturing locations with extremely high exposures and insufficient data are available to characterize impacts of PFAS exposures on neurodevelopment. Preliminary evidence suggests significant health effects associated with exposures to emerging PFASs. Lessons learned from legacy PFASs indicate that limited data should not be used as a justification to delay risk mitigation actions for replacement PFASs.
Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Seawater and Plankton from the Northwestern Atlantic Margin
Abstract. The ocean is thought to be the terminal sink for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have been produced and released in large quantit
High organofluorine concentrations in municipal wastewater affect downstream drinking water supplies for millions of Americans
Wastewater receives per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from diverse consumer and industrial sources, and discharges are known to be a concern for drinking water quality. The PFAS family includes thousands of potential chemical structures containing organofluorine moieties. Exposures to a few well-studied PFAS, mainly perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), have been associated with increased risk of many adverse health outcomes, prompting federal drinking water regulations for six compounds in 2024. Here, we find that the six regulated PFAS (mean = 7 to 8%) and 18 measured PFAA (mean = 11 to 21%) make up only a small fraction of the extractable organofluorine (EOF) in influent and effluent from eight large municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Most of the EOF in influent (75%) and effluent (62%) consists of mono- and polyfluorinated pharmaceuticals. The treatment technology and sizes of the treatment facilities in this study are similar to those serving 70% of the US population. Despite advanced treatment technologies, the maximum EOF removal efficiency among facilities in this work was <25%. Extrapolating our measurements to other large facilities across the United States results in a nationwide EOF discharge estimate of 1.0 to 2.8 million moles F y −1 . Using a national model that simulates connections between wastewater discharges and downstream drinking water intakes, we estimate that the sources of drinking water for up to 23 million Americans could be contaminated above regulatory thresholds by wastewater-derived PFAS alone. These results emphasize the importance of further curbing ongoing PFAS sources and additional evaluations of the fate and toxicity of fluorinated pharmaceuticals.
Considerations and challenges in support of science and communication of fish consumption advisories for per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Abstract. Federal, state, tribal, or local entities in the United States issue fish consumption advisories (FCAs) as guidance for safer consumption of loca
Shifting Global Exposures to Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Evident in Longitudinal Birth Cohorts from a Seafood-Consuming Population
Abstract. Rapid declines in legacy poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been reported in human populations globally following changes in produc
Scientific Basis for Managing PFAS as a Chemical Class
Abstract This commentary presents a scientific basis for managing as one chemical class the thousands of chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The class includes perfluoroalkyl acids, perfluoroalkylether acids, and their precursors; fluoropolymers and perfluoropolyethers; and other PFAS. The basis for the class approach is presented in relation to their physicochemical, environmental, and toxicological properties. Specifically, the high persistence, accumulation potential, and/or hazards (known and potential) of PFAS studied to date warrant treating all PFAS as a single class. Examples are provided of how some PFAS are being regulated and how some businesses are avoiding all PFAS in their products and purchasing decisions. We conclude with options for how governments and industry can apply the class-based approach, emphasizing the importance of eliminating non-essential uses of PFAS, and further developing safer alternatives and methods to remove existing PFAS from the environment.
Liver and Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Proteins Are Not Critical for Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) Tissue Distribution and Elimination in Mice
Abstract. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent environmental pollutant in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class, known to accumul
