Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise >10 000 synthetic compounds that are globally distributed and highly persistent but remain
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
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
PFAS and Precursor Bioaccumulation in Freshwater Recreational Fish: Implications for Fish Advisories
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of fluorinated anthropogenic chemicals that include perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), w
Large declines in organofluorine contamination indicated by subarctic marine mammal tissues
The ocean is thought to be the terminal sink for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent organofluorine chemicals used widely in modern commerce for decades. Industry and stewardship programs phased out the most abundantly produced legacy PFAS in the early 2000s due to toxicity concerns. However, they have since been replaced by shorter carbon chain and “novel” chemistries, and past work hypothesized likely increases in these replacement PFAS that were not previously quantifiable. To address this gap, we measured bulk extractable organofluorine (EOF) in archived liver and muscle tissues from pelagic Subarctic pilot whales over the last several decades. Results show EOF concentrations peaked in 2011 and declined by over 60% by 2023. Among a broad suite of targeted and suspect PFAS measured using high-resolution mass spectrometry, only one was consistently increasing through 2023. Tissue concentrations of four main legacy PFAS that accounted for over 75% of EOF were all decreasing by 2023. The timing of peak concentrations depended primarily on whether they were transported to the subarctic by ocean circulation or atmospheric deposition, with the latter declining much faster. Oceanic transport and bioaccumulation modeling suggests that decadal-scale lags between production and food web bioaccumulation are primarily driven by marine transport processes. Large declines in tissue concentrations in this study reinforce the effectiveness of phase-outs in chemical production. However, other work showing stable or increasing EOF in human serum suggests many emerging PFAS with more neutral physicochemical properties may be preferentially accumulating in terrestrial and nearshore environments compared to legacy PFAS.
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
Transport of Legacy Perfluoroalkyl Substances and the Replacement Compound HFPO-DA through the Atlantic Gateway to the Arctic Ocean—Is the Arctic a Sink or a Source?
Abstract. The spatial distribution of 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in seawater was investigated along a sampling transect from Europe to
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
Passive Sampler Derived Profiles and Mass Flows of Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFASs) across the Fram Strait in the North Atlantic
Abstract. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of pollutants of high concern due to their ubiquity and negative human health impac
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
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.
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
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
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)"
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.
Perfluorinated Carbon Chain Length Drives Uptake of Diverse Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Field-Deployed Passive Samplers
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of compounds of high concern due to their ubiquity, persistence, and adverse health impact
Furthering the Capabilities of Diffusive-Gradient Passive Samplers for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
Abstract. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemical pollutants of growing concern for many stakeholders. Due to their ubiquity, persistence i
