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Matsukami H, Saito J, Wang Q, Miyake Y. Impact of tightening environmental regulations against long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids on composition of durable water repellents containing side-chain fluorinated polymers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 940:173708. [PMID: 38830421 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Tightening of environmental regulations against long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) since the 2000s may have led to significant increases in the occurrence of short-chain PFAAs in the environment. Understanding the impact of the regulations on composition of durable water repellents (DWRs) is imperative to guide implementation of pragmatic actions during their use and end-of-life treatment. Substantial decreases in the frequencies of detection and concentrations of long-chain PFAAs and long-chain PFAA-precursors, and substantial increases in those of short-chain PFAAs and short-chain PFAA-precursors, have been observed in the impurities and hydrolysis products of side-chain fluorinated polymers (SCFPs). Comparison of profiles among the DWRs containing fluorinated ingredients in 2011 indicated that DWRs containing C8F17- and C10F21-SCFPs were the dominant products and accounted for 90 % of the samples, whereas DWRs containing C4F9- and C6F13-SCFPs were the dominant products and accounted for 70 % of the samples collected in 2021. Tightening of the regulations have caused decreasing applications of long-chain SCFPs and increasing use of short-chain SCFPs in DWRs containing fluorinated ingredients. The ingredients of one DWR were changed from PFAS-free alternatives to short-chain SCFPs, whereas those of another DWR were changed from short-chain SCFPs to PFAS-free alternatives. The presence of unexplained extractable organic fluorine has been observed in DWRs containing fluorinated ingredients, which may be difficult to be hydrolyzed and form known compounds. A historical series of DWRs available from before and after the tightening of regulations and a multifaceted analytical technique consisting of combustion ion chromatographic and mass spectrometric approaches combined with two extraction techniques involving ultrasonic treatment and alkaline hydrolysis revealed the impact of tightening regulations on composition of DWRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Matsukami
- Material Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Junki Saito
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Qi Wang
- Research Center for Chemical Information and Management, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 6-21-1 Nagao, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki 214-8585, Japan
| | - Yuichi Miyake
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
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2
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DeWitt JC, Glüge J, Cousins IT, Goldenman G, Herzke D, Lohmann R, Miller M, Ng CA, Patton S, Trier X, Vierke L, Wang Z, Adu-Kumi S, Balan S, Buser AM, Fletcher T, Haug LS, Heggelund A, Huang J, Kaserzon S, Leonel J, Sheriff I, Shi YL, Valsecchi S, Scheringer M. Zürich II Statement on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs): Scientific and Regulatory Needs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2024; 11:786-797. [PMID: 39156923 PMCID: PMC11325642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of synthetic organic chemicals of global concern. A group of 36 scientists and regulators from 18 countries held a hybrid workshop in 2022 in Zürich, Switzerland. The workshop, a sequel to a previous Zürich workshop held in 2017, deliberated on progress in the last five years and discussed further needs for cooperative scientific research and regulatory action on PFASs. This review reflects discussion and insights gained during and after this workshop and summarizes key signs of progress in science and policy, ongoing critical issues to be addressed, and possible ways forward. Some key take home messages include: 1) understanding of human health effects continues to develop dramatically, 2) regulatory guidelines continue to drop, 3) better understanding of emissions and contamination levels is needed in more parts of the world, 4) analytical methods, while improving, still only cover around 50 PFASs, and 5) discussions of how to group PFASs for regulation (including subgroupings) have gathered momentum with several jurisdictions proposing restricting a large proportion of PFAS uses. It was concluded that more multi-group exchanges are needed in the future and that there should be a greater diversity of participants at future workshops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department
of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331, Oregon, United States
| | - Juliane Glüge
- Institute
of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Ian T. Cousins
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | | | - Dorte Herzke
- NILU,
Tromsø 9296, Norway and Department of Food Safety, Norwegian
Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0213, Norway
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate
School of Oceanography, University of Rhode
Island, Narragansett 02882, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Mark Miller
- National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Public Health Service, Research
Triangle Park 27709, North Carolina, United States
| | - Carla A. Ng
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Environmental and Occupational
Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh 15261, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Sharyle Patton
- Health
and
Environment Program Commonweal, Bolinas 94924, California, United States
| | - Xenia Trier
- Department
of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section for Environmental Chemistry
and Physics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Lena Vierke
- German
Environment Agency (UBA), Dessau-Roßlau 06844, Germany
| | - Zhanyun Wang
- Empa-Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen CH-9014, Switzerland
| | | | - Simona Balan
- California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, Safer Consumer Products Program, Berkeley 94710, California, United States
| | | | - Tony Fletcher
- Department
of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, U.K.
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Department
of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public
Health, Oslo 0213, Norway
| | | | - Jun Huang
- School
of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sarit Kaserzon
- Queensland
Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Juliana Leonel
- Department
of Oceanography, Universidade Federal de
Santa Catarina, Florianopólis 40170110, Brazil
| | - Ishmail Sheriff
- School
of Civil Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 14300, Malaysia
| | - Ya-Li Shi
- School
of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University
of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, CN, 310024 and State Key
Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research
Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Sara Valsecchi
- Water
Research Institute-National Research Council, Brugherio 20861, Italy
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute
of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich CH-8092, Switzerland
- RECETOX, Masaryk
University, Brno 62500, Czech Republic
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3
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Henderson WM, Evich MG, Washington JW, Ward TT, Schumacher BA, Zimmerman JH, Kim YD, Weber EJ, Williams AC, Smeltz MG, Glinski DA. Analysis of Legacy and Novel Neutral Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Soils from an Industrial Manufacturing Facility. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10729-10739. [PMID: 38829283 PMCID: PMC11304343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been detected in an array of environmental media due to their ubiquitous use in industrial and consumer products as well as potential release from fluorochemical manufacturing facilities. During their manufacture, many fluorotelomer (FT) facilities rely on neutral intermediates in polymer production including the FT-alcohols (FTOHs). These PFAS are known to transform to the terminal acids (perfluoro carboxylic acids; PFCAs) at rates that vary with environmental conditions. In the current study on soils from a FT facility, we employed gas chromatography coupled with conventional- and high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-MS and GC-HRMS) to investigate the profile of these precursor compounds, the intermediary secondary alcohols (sFTOHs), FT-acrylates (FTAcr), and FT-acetates (FTAce) in soils around the former FT-production facility. Of these precursors, the general trend in detection intensity was [FTOHs] > [sFTOHs] > [FTAcrs], while for the FTOHs, homologue intensities generally were [12:2 FTOH] > [14:2 FTOH] > [16:2 FTOH] > [10:2 FTOH] > [18:2 FTOH] > [20:2 FTOH] > [8:2 FTOH] ∼ [6:2 FTOH]. The corresponding terminal acids were also detected in all soil samples and positively correlated with the precursor concentrations. GC-HRMS confirmed the presence of industrial manufacturing byproducts such as FT-ethers and FT-esters and aided in the tentative identification of previously unreported dimers and other compounds. The application of GC-HRMS to the measurement and identification of precursor PFAS is in its infancy, but the methodologies described here will help refine its use in tentatively identifying these compounds in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Matthew Henderson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - Marina G Evich
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - John W Washington
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - Thomas T Ward
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - Brian A Schumacher
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - John H Zimmerman
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/WECD, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Yung D Kim
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - Eric J Weber
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
| | - Alan C Williams
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/WECD, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Marci G Smeltz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CPHEA/PHITD, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Donna A Glinski
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM/EPD, Athens, Georgia 30605, United States
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Adams H, Hanrahan J, Kiefte S, O'Brien T, Mercer GV, Steeves KL, Schneider CM, Jobst KJ, Cahill LS. Differential impact of perfluorooctanoic acid and fluorotelomer ethoxylates on placental metabolism in mice. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 356:141923. [PMID: 38599328 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of compounds with uses in industry and many consumer products. Concerns about the potential health effects of these compounds resulted in regulation by the Stockholm Convention on the use of three of the most common PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Thousands of PFAS remain in production that are unregulated and for which their toxicity is unknown. Our group recently identified a new class of PFAS, fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs), in indoor dust and industrial wastewater. In this study, we investigated the effect of PFAS on placental metabolism by exposing healthy, pregnant CD-1 mice to PFOA or FTEOs at one of three concentrations (0 ng/L (controls), 5 ng/L, 100 ng/L) (n = 7-8/group). While PFOA is banned and PFOA concentrations in human blood are decreasing, we hypothesize that FTEOs will cause adverse pregnancy outcomes similar to PFOA, the compounds they were meant to replace. Placental tissue samples were collected at embryonic day 17.5 and 1H solid-state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to determine the relative concentration of placental metabolites (n = 18-20/group). At the highest concentration, the relative concentrations of glucose and threonine were increased and the relative concentration of creatine was decreased in the PFOA-exposed placentas compared to controls (p < 0.05). In contrast, the relative concentrations of asparagine and lysine were decreased and the relative concentration of creatine was increased in the FTEOs-exposed placentas compared to controls (p < 0.05). Partial least squares - discriminant analysis showed the FTEOs-exposed and control groups were significantly separated (p < 0.005) and pathway analysis found four biochemical pathways were perturbed following PFOA exposure, while one pathway was altered following FTEOs exposure. Maternal exposure to PFOA and FTEOs had a significant impact on the placental metabolome, with the effect depending on the pollutant. This work motivates further studies to determine exposure levels and evaluate associations with adverse outcomes in human pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Adams
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Jenna Hanrahan
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Sophie Kiefte
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Thomas O'Brien
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Grace V Mercer
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Katherine L Steeves
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Céline M Schneider
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Karl J Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada; Discipline of Radiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada.
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5
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Londhe K, Lee CS, Grdanovska S, Smolinski R, Hamdan N, McDonough C, Cooper C, Venkatesan AK. Application of electron beam technology to decompose per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123770. [PMID: 38493862 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The widespread detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental compartments across the globe has raised several health concerns. Destructive technologies that aim to transform these recalcitrant PFAS into less toxic, more manageable products, are gaining impetus to address this problem. In this study, a 9 MeV electron beam accelerator was utilized to treat a suite of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl carboxylates: PFCAs, perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate: FTS) at environmentally relevant levels in water under different operating and water quality conditions. Although perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid showed >90% degradation at <500 kGy dose at optimized conditions, a fluoride mass balance revealed that complete defluorination occurred only at/or near 1000 kGy. Non-target and suspect screening revealed additional degradation pathways differing from previously reported mechanisms. Treatment of PFAS mixtures in deionized water and groundwater matrices showed that FTS was preferentially degraded (∼90%), followed by partial degradation of long-chain PFAS (∼15-60%) and a simultaneous increase of short-chain PFAS (up to 20%) with increasing doses. The increase was much higher (up to 3.5X) in groundwaters compared to deionized water due to the presence of PFAS precursors as confirmed by total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. TOP assay of e-beam treated samples did not show any increase in PFCAs, confirming that e-beam was effective in also degrading precursors. This study provides an improved understanding of the mechanism of PFAS degradation and revealed that short-chain PFAS are more resistant to defluorination and their levels and regulation in the environment will determine the operating conditions of e-beam and other PFAS treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushik Londhe
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA; New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Cheng-Shiuan Lee
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | | | - Rachel Smolinski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Noor Hamdan
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carrie McDonough
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Charles Cooper
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL, 60510, USA
| | - Arjun K Venkatesan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA; New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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6
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Roesch P, Schinnen A, Riedel M, Sommerfeld T, Sawal G, Bandow N, Vogel C, Kalbe U, Simon FG. Investigation of pH-dependent extraction methods for PFAS in (fluoropolymer-based) consumer products: A comparative study between targeted and sum parameter analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 351:141200. [PMID: 38228192 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Here, we report a comparative study of different sum parameter analysis methods for the extraction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from manufactured consumer products, which can be measured by combustion ion chromatography (CIC). Therefore, a hydrolysis-based extraction method was further developed, which accounts for the addition of hydrolyzable covalently bound polyfluoroalkylated side-chain polymers (SFPs) to the extractable organic fluorine portion of the mass balance proposed as "hydrolyzable organically bound fluorine" (HOF). To test this hypothesis, the method was applied to 39 different consumer products containing fluoropolymers or monomeric PFAS taken from four different categories: outdoor textiles, paper packaging, carpeting, and permanent baking sheets. We also evaluated the method's efficiency by extracting four synthesized fluorotelomer polyacrylate reference compounds. The total fluorine (TF) and extractable organically bound fluorine (EOF) values were measured through CIC using established protocols. The TF values ranged from sub-ppb to %-levels, depending on the compound class. All samples showed results for hydrolyzed organofluorine (HOF) between 0.03 and 76.3 μg/g, while most EOF values were lower (
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Roesch
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andrea Schinnen
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maren Riedel
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Sommerfeld
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 1.7 - Organic Trace and Food Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany
| | - George Sawal
- German Environment Agency, Colditzstr. 34, 12099, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole Bandow
- German Environment Agency, Colditzstr. 34, 12099, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Vogel
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Kalbe
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz-Georg Simon
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Division 4.3 - Contaminant Transfer and Environmental Technologies, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany
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7
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Rice PA, Kabadi SV, Doerge DR, Vanlandingham MM, Churchwell MI, Tryndyak VP, Fisher JW, Aungst J, Beland FA. Evaluating the toxicokinetics of some metabolites of a C6 polyfluorinated compound, 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol in pregnant and nonpregnant rats after oral exposure to the parent compound. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 183:114333. [PMID: 38061571 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH) is a common impurity in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) used in many applications. Our previous toxicokinetic (TK) evaluation of 6:2 FTOH calculated times to steady state (tss) of one of its metabolites, 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (5:3A), in the plasma and tissues of up to a year after oral exposure to rats. Our current work further elucidated the TK of 5:3A and other metabolites of 6:2 FTOH in pregnant and nonpregnant rats after repeated oral exposure and examined the role of renal transporters in the biopersistence of 5:3A. The tss values for 5:3A in serum and tissues of adult nonpregnant animals ranged from 150 days to over a year. 4:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (4:3A) was an additional potentially-biopersistent metabolite. 5:3A was the major metabolite of 6:2 FTOH in serum of pregnant dams and fetuses at each time interval. 5:3A was not a substrate for renal transporters in a human kidney cell line in vitro, indicating that renal reuptake of 5:3A is unlikely contribute to its biopersistence. Further research is needed to identify the underlying processes and evaluate the impact of these 6:2 FTOH metabolites on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope A Rice
- FDA/CFSAN/OFAS/DFCN, 5001 Campus Drive, HFS 275, College Park, MD, 20740, USA.
| | - Shruti V Kabadi
- FDA/CFSAN/OFAS/DFCN, 5001 Campus Drive, HFS 275, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jason Aungst
- FDA/CFSAN/OFAS/DFCN, 5001 Campus Drive, HFS 275, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
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8
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Yu C, Stevenson G, De Araujo J, Crough R. Application of in-source fragmentation to the identification of perfluoropentanoic acid and perfluorobutanoic acid in environmental matrices and human serum by isotope dilution liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 340:139756. [PMID: 37572710 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the most common analytical technique for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) research and monitoring. The PFAS identification requires a minimum of two multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transition ions as quantifier transition ion and qualifier transition ion, respectively. The second transition ion abundance for perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and perfluobutanoic acid (PFBA) is too low for practical use. A method using the in-source fragment ions as the precursor ion for MRM or pseudo-MRM has been developed and evaluated for PFPeA and PFBA identification in various environmental abiotic and biotic samples including water, soil, sediment, WWTP sludge, fruits, vegetables, egg, macrophytes, fish, dolphin liver and human serum. The PFPeA qualifier MRM transition ion (m/z = 219 > 69) has been successfully applied in all the matrices with spike recoveries (90-125%), signal to noise ratios (>10) and transition ions ratio variation (80-120%). The PFBA qualifier pseudo-MRM transition ion (m/z = 169 > 169) works well in all the matrices except dolphin liver sample. The interpretation of pseudo-MRM results should be with cautions due to lower specificity compared to MRM. In addition, this project indicated under typical chromatographic conditions the MRM isobaric interference does happen frequently to PFPeA quantifier transition ion (m/z = 263 > 219) in serum and fish composite samples, and to PFBA quantifier transition ion (m/z = 213 > 169) in macrophytes, fish composite and dolphin liver samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhai Yu
- Australian Ultra-Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, 105 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia.
| | - Gavin Stevenson
- Australian Ultra-Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, 105 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia.
| | - Jesuina De Araujo
- Australian Ultra-Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, 105 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia
| | - Robert Crough
- Australian Ultra-Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, 105 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia
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9
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Xu N, Lin H, Du Q, Dong S, Cheng J, Wang P, Lin JM. In situ investigation of detoxification and metabolic effects of polyfluoroalkyl substances on metal-organic frameworks combined with cell-cultured microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:3062-3069. [PMID: 37282617 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00423f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Over 9000 types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been produced that exhibit environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and biotoxicity, and pose a potential hazard to human health. Although metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising structure-based materials for adsorbing PFASs, the enormous structural diversity and variability of the pharmacologic action of PFASs present challenges to the development of structure-based adsorbents. To address this issue, we propose an in situ platform for the high-throughput identification of efficient MOF sorbents that can adsorb PFASs and their metabolism using a filter-chip-solid phase extraction-mass spectrometry (SPE-MS) system. As a proof of concept, we screened BUT-16 as an attractive material for in situ fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH) adsorption. The results demonstrated that FTOH molecules were adsorbed around the surface of the large hexagonal pores of BUT-16 by forming multiple hydrogen bonding interactions with its Zr6 clusters. The FTOH removal efficiency of the BUT16 filter was 100% over a period of 1 min. To determine the FTOH metabolism effects in different organs, HepG2 human hepatoma, HCT116 colon cancer, renal tubular HKC, and vascular endothelial HUVEC cells were cultured on a microfluidic chip, and SPE-MS was used to track a variety of cell metabolites in real time. Overall, the filter-Chip-SPE-MS system is a versatile and robust platform for the real-time monitoring of noxious pollutant detoxification, biotransformation, and metabolism, which facilitates pollutant antidote development and toxicology assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Xu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Haifeng Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry &Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Qiuling Du
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Shujun Dong
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Jie Cheng
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Peilong Wang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Jin-Ming Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry &Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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10
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Wang X, Liu Y, Zhang X, Tu W, Wang Q, Liu S, Zhang M, Wu Y, Mai B. Bioaccumulation, tissue distribution, and maternal transfer of novel PFOS alternatives (6:2 Cl-PFESA and OBS) in wild freshwater fish from Poyang Lake, China. CHEMOSPHERE 2023:139253. [PMID: 37331668 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
As emerging alternatives to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), 6:2 chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA) and sodium p-perfluorous nonenox-benzenesulfonate (OBS) were frequently detected in the four freshwater fish species collected from Poyang Lake. Median concentrations of 6:2 Cl-PFESA and OBS in fish tissues were 0.046-6.0 and 0.46-5.1 ng/g wet weight, respectively. The highest concentrations of 6:2 Cl-PFESA was found in fish livers, whereas OBS was found in the pancreas, brain, gonads, and skin. The tissue distribution pattern of 6:2 Cl-PFESA is similar to that of PFOS. The tissue/liver ratios of OBS were higher than those of PFOS, suggesting that OBS has a greater tendency to transfer from the liver to other tissues. The logarithmic bioaccumulation factors (log BAFs) of 6:2 Cl-PFESA in three carnivorous fish species were greater than 3.7, whereas those of OBS were less than 3.7, indicating that 6:2 Cl-PFESA had a strong bioaccumulation potential. Notably, sex- and tissue-specific bioaccumulation of OBS has also been observed in catfish. Most tissues (except the gonads) exhibited higher OBS concentrations in males than in females. However, no differences were found for 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFOS. Maternal transfer efficiency of OBS was higher than that of 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFOS in catfish (p < 0.05), indicating that OBS presents a higher risk of exposure to males and offspring through maternal offloading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiandong Wang
- College of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, China; Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China.
| | - Xinghui Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Wenqing Tu
- School of Land Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Qiyu Wang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Yongming Wu
- College of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, China; Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China.
| | - Bixian Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
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11
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Zhou Y, Lin X, Xing Y, Zhang X, Lee HK, Huang Z. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Personal Hygiene Products: The Implications for Human Exposure and Emission to the Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:8484-8495. [PMID: 37262408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been related to reproductive toxicity in humans, but their occurrence in some specific personal hygiene products, i.e., sanitary pads, panty liners, tampons, paper diapers, menstrual cups, and bactericidal liquids, has not been extensively studied. This work investigated 31 representative PFAS in six categories of such personal hygiene products (n = 91). Perfluorinated carboxylic acids were the primary PFAS found in the samples, accounting for over 85% of the total concentrations of PFAS. Paper diapers contained the highest sum of PFAS concentrations (64.6 ng/g) followed by sanitary pads (52.3 ng/g) and menstrual cups (21.1 ng/g). The estimated exposure doses of perfluorooctanoic acid through dermal absorption from the use of menstrual cups and paper diapers for infants (adults) were 0.77 and 2.1 (1.2) ng/kg-bw/day, which contributed more than normal dust ingestion. The estimated emission of paper diapers and sanitary pads into the environment was 2.58 and 322 kg/year with an assumed leaching rate of 100%. The potential exposure of PFAS through the use of personal hygiene products observed in this work suggests a previously unreported exposure pathway of these chemicals to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Yudong Xing
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Hian Kee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Zhenzhen Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
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12
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Kreutz A, Clifton MS, Henderson WM, Smeltz MG, Phillips M, Wambaugh JF, Wetmore BA. Category-Based Toxicokinetic Evaluations of Data-Poor Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) using Gas Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11050463. [PMID: 37235277 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11050463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Concern over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has increased as more is learned about their environmental presence, persistence, and bioaccumulative potential. The limited monitoring, toxicokinetic (TK), and toxicologic data available are inadequate to inform risk across this diverse domain. Here, 73 PFAS were selected for in vitro TK evaluation to expand knowledge across lesser-studied PFAS alcohols, amides, and acrylates. Targeted methods developed using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) were used to measure human plasma protein binding and hepatocyte clearance. Forty-three PFAS were successfully evaluated in plasma, with fraction unbound (fup) values ranging from 0.004 to 1. With a median fup of 0.09 (i.e., 91% bound), these PFAS are highly bound but exhibit 10-fold lower binding than legacy perfluoroalkyl acids recently evaluated. Thirty PFAS evaluated in the hepatocyte clearance assay showed abiotic loss, with many exceeding 60% loss within 60 min. Metabolic clearance was noted for 11 of the 13 that were successfully evaluated, with rates up to 49.9 μL/(min × million cells). The chemical transformation simulator revealed potential (bio)transformation products to consider. This effort provides critical information to evaluate PFAS for which volatility, metabolism, and other routes of transformation are likely to modulate their environmental fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kreutz
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, 1299 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Matthew S Clifton
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - W Matthew Henderson
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Athens, GA 30605, USA
| | - Marci G Smeltz
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Matthew Phillips
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 100 ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - John F Wambaugh
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Barbara A Wetmore
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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13
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Eeso K, Gallan R, Goukeh MN, Tate K, Raja RKB, Popovic Z, Abichou T, Chen H, Locke BR, Tang Y. Degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate by a thin-water-film nonthermal plasma reactor. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 161:104-115. [PMID: 36878039 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are present in landfill leachate, posing potential challenges to leachate disposal and treatment. This work represents the first study of a thin-water-film nonthermal plasma reactor for PFAS degradation in landfill leachate. Of the 30 PFAS measured in three raw leachates, 21 were above the detection limits. The removal percentage depended on the category of PFAS. For example, perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA (C8) had the highest removal percentage (77% as an average of the three leachates) of the perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) category. The removal percentage decreased when the carbon number increased from 8 to 11 and decreased from 8 to 4. The effects of various landfill leachate components, including sodium chloride, acetate, humic acids, pH, and surfactants, had no or minor impacts (<30%) on PFOA mineralization in synthetic samples. This might be explained by the plasma-generation and PFAS-degradation mainly occurring at the gas/liquid interface. Shorter-chain PFCAs were produced as intermediates of PFOA degradation, and shorter-chain PFCAs and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) were produced as intermediates of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The concentrations of the intermediates decreased with decreasing carbon number, suggesting a stepwise removal of difluoromethylene (CF2) in the degradation pathway. Potential PFAS species in the raw and treated leachates were identified at the molecular level through non-targeted Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). The intermediates did not show accurate toxicity per Microtox bioassay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karam Eeso
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Rachel Gallan
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Mojtaba Nouri Goukeh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Kerry Tate
- Chemistry Program, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 N Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399, United States
| | - Radha Krishna Bulusu Raja
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Zeljka Popovic
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Tarek Abichou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Huan Chen
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Bruce R Locke
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States
| | - Youneng Tang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310, United States.
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14
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Saini A, Chinnadurai S, Schuster JK, Eng A, Harner T. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and volatile methyl siloxanes in global air: Spatial and temporal trends. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 323:121291. [PMID: 36796663 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The study reports on the atmospheric concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) measured using sorbent-impregnated polyurethane foam disks (SIPs) passive air samplers. New results are reported for samples collected in 2017, which extends temporal trend information to the period 2009-2017, for 21 sites where SIPs have been deployed since 2009. Among neutral PFAS, fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) had higher concentrations than perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FOSAs) and perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanols (FOSEs) with levels of ND‒228, ND‒15.8, ND‒10.4 pg/m3, respectively. Among ionizable PFAS, the sum of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) in air were 0.128-781 and 6.85-124 pg/m3, respectively. Longer-chain i.e. C9-C14 PFAS, which are relevant to the recent proposal by Canada for a listing of long-chain (C9-C21) PFCAs to the Stockholm Convention, were also detected in the environment at all site categories including Arctic sites. Cyclic and linear VMS ranged between 1.34‒452 and 0.01-12.1 ng/m3, respectively, showing dominance in urban areas. Despite the wide range of levels observed across different site categories, geometric means of the PFAS and VMS groups were fairly similar when grouped according to the five United Nations regions. Variable temporal trends in air (2009-2017) were observed for both PFAS and VMS. PFOS, which has been listed in the Stockholm Convention since 2009, is still showing increasing tendencies at several sites, indicating constant input from direct and/or indirect sources. These new data inform international chemicals management for PFAS and VMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandeep Saini
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada.
| | - Sita Chinnadurai
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Jasmin K Schuster
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Anita Eng
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Tom Harner
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
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15
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LeFauve MK, Bérubé R, Heldman S, Chiang YTT, Kassotis CD. Cetyl Alcohol Polyethoxylates Disrupt Metabolic Health in Developmentally Exposed Zebrafish. Metabolites 2023; 13:359. [PMID: 36984799 PMCID: PMC10057089 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13030359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol polyethoxylates (AEOs), such as cetyl alcohol ethoxylates (CetAEOs), are high-production-volume surfactants used in laundry detergents, hard-surface cleaners, pesticide formulations, textile production, oils, paints, and other products. AEOs have been suggested as lower toxicity replacements for alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs), such as the nonylphenol and octylphenol polyethoxylates. We previously demonstrated that nonylphenol polyethoxylates induced triglyceride accumulation in several in vitro adipogenesis models and promoted adiposity and increased body weights in developmentally exposed zebrafish. We also demonstrated that diverse APEOs and AEOs were able to increase triglyceride accumulation and/or pre-adipocyte proliferation in a murine pre-adipocyte model. As such, the goals of this study were to assess the potential of CetAEOs to promote adiposity and alter growth and/or development (toxicity, length, weight, behavior, energy expenditure) of developmentally exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio). We also sought to expand our understanding of ethoxylate chain-length dependent effects through interrogation of varying chain-length CetAEOs. We demonstrated consistent adipogenic effects in two separate human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell models as well as murine pre-adipocytes. Immediately following chemical exposures in zebrafish, we reported disrupted neurodevelopment and aberrant behavior in light/dark activity testing, with medium chain-length CetAEO-exposed fish exhibiting hyperactivity across both light and dark phases. By day 30, we demonstrated that cetyl alcohol and CetAEOs disrupted adipose deposition in developmentally exposed zebrafish, despite no apparent impacts on standard length or gross body weight. This research suggests metabolic health concerns for these common environmental contaminants, suggesting further need to assess molecular mechanisms and better characterize environmental concentrations for human health risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Christopher D. Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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16
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Steeves KL, Bissram MJ, Kleywegt S, Stevens D, Dorman FL, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ, Cahill LS, Jobst KJ. Nontargeted screening reveals fluorotelomer ethoxylates in indoor dust and industrial wastewater. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107634. [PMID: 36459821 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Concerns regarding the persistence, bioaccumulation behaviour, and toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid have resulted in the creation of thousands of replacement perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This study reports on the discovery of fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEO) in indoor dust (9/15 samples), and industrial effluents (14/37 samples) using gas chromatographic cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometry (GC-cIMS). By filtering the detected unknowns by mass and collision-cross section, a series of FTEO homologues were revealed with the formula F-(CF2)n(C2H4O)xH, where n = 6,8,10, and x = 4-12. The highest concentrations were observed in samples collected from healthcare facilities, consistent with the potential use of these compounds in anti-fog products, sprays used to prevent condensation on eyeglasses. FTEOs were also detected in c. 40 % of industrial effluent samples, with the highest concentrations in electroplating facilities, manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products, and linen cleaning services for healthcare and work uniforms. These results suggest that FTEOs may well be widespread pollutants that are more persistent than previously thought, underlining the need for further study of their occurrence and potential impact to human health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Steeves
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Meera J Bissram
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Sonya Kleywegt
- Technical Assessment and Standards Development Branch, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, 40 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto, ON M4V 1P5, Canada
| | | | - Frank L Dorman
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple St., Milford, MA, USA; Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hannover, NH, USA
| | - Andre J Simpson
- Departments of Chemistry and Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Departments of Chemistry and Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Karl J Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada.
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17
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Labine LM, Oliveira Pereira EA, Kleywegt S, Jobst KJ, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ. Sublethal Exposure of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances of Varying Chain Length and Polar Functionality Results in Distinct Metabolic Responses in Daphnia magna. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:242-256. [PMID: 36345965 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants used in industrial applications because of their physicochemical properties, which results in their ubiquitous presence across environmental matrices. To date, legacy PFAS have been well studied; however, the concentration of alternative PFAS may exceed the concentration of legacy pollutants, and more information is needed regarding the sublethal toxicity at the molecular level of aquatic model organisms, such as Daphnia magna. Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) are four widely detected PFAS alternatives of varying chain length and polar functionality that are quantified in aquatic environments. The present study examines the metabolic perturbations of PFAS with varying chemistries to D. magna using targeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Daphnia were acutely exposed to sublethal concentrations of PFBA, PFHxA, PFHxS, and PFNA before the polar metabolite profile was extracted from single organisms. Multivariate analysis demonstrated significant separation between the sublethal concentrations of PFHxA, PFHxS, and PFNA relative to the controls; in sum, longer chain lengths demonstrated greater overall perturbations to the extracted metabolic profiles. Univariate statistics revealed significant perturbations in the concentrations of several amino acids, nucleotides/nucleosides, and neurotransmitters with exposure to PFAS. These metabolic perturbations are consistent with disruptions in energy metabolism (pantothenate and coenzyme A metabolism, histidine metabolism) and protein synthesis (aminoacyl-transfer RNA biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism), which were identified through biochemical pathway analysis. These results provide evidence that although PFAS chemistry (chain length and polar functional group) invokes unique metabolic responses, there is also an underlying toxic mode of action that is common with select PFAS exposure. Overall, the present study highlights the capabilities of environmental metabolomics to elucidate the molecular-level perturbations of pollutants within the same chemical class to model aquatic organisms, which can be used to prioritize risk assessment of substituted PFAS alternatives. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:242-256. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Labine
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erico A Oliveira Pereira
- Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sonya Kleywegt
- Technical Assessment and Standards Development Branch, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karl J Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - André J Simpson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Gaines LGT. Historical and current usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A literature review. Am J Ind Med 2022; 66:353-378. [PMID: 35614869 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have uniquely useful chemical and physical properties, leading to their extensive industrial, commercial, and consumer applications since at least the 1950s. Some industries have publicly reported at least some degree of information regarding their PFAS use, while other industries have reported little, if any, such information publicly. METHODS Publicly available sources were extensively researched for information. Literature searches were performed on key words via a variety of search mechanisms, including existing PFAS use and synthesis literature, patent databases, manufacturers' websites, public government databases, and library catalogs. Additional searches were conducted specifically for suspected or known uses. RESULTS PFAS have been used in a wide variety of applications, which are summarized into several industries and applications. The expanded literature search yielded additional references as well as greater details, such as concentrations and specific PFAS used, on several previously reported uses. CONCLUSIONS This knowledge will help inform which industries and occupations may lead to potential exposure to workers and to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda G. T. Gaines
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington District of Columbia USA
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19
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McDonough CA, Li W, Bischel HN, De Silva AO, DeWitt JC. Widening the Lens on PFASs: Direct Human Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Acid Precursors (pre-PFAAs). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6004-6013. [PMID: 35324171 PMCID: PMC10782884 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Determining health risks associated with per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is a highly complex problem requiring massive efforts for scientists, risk assessors, and regulators. Among the most poorly understood pressing questions is the relative importance of pre-PFAAs, which are PFASs that degrade to highly persistent perfluoroalkyl acids. How many of the vast number of existing pre-PFAAs are relevant for direct human exposure, and what are the predominant exposure pathways? What evidence of direct exposure to pre-PFAAs is provided by human biomonitoring studies? How important are pre-PFAAs and their biotransformation products for human health risk assessment? This article outlines recent progress and recommendations toward widening the lens on human PFAS exposure to include the pre-PFAA subclass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A. McDonough
- Department of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Wenting Li
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Heather N. Bischel
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Amila O. De Silva
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Water Science Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
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Young RB, Pica NE, Sharifan H, Chen H, Roth HK, Blakney GT, Borch T, Higgins CP, Kornuc JJ, McKenna AM, Blotevogel J. PFAS Analysis with Ultrahigh Resolution 21T FT-ICR MS: Suspect and Nontargeted Screening with Unrivaled Mass Resolving Power and Accuracy. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2455-2465. [PMID: 35099180 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large family of thousands of chemicals, many of which have been identified using nontargeted time-of-flight and Orbitrap mass spectrometry methods. Comprehensive characterization of complex PFAS mixtures is critical to assess their environmental transport, transformation, exposure, and uptake. Because 21 tesla (T) Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) offers the highest available mass resolving power and sub-ppm mass errors across a wide molecular weight range, we developed a nontargeted 21 T FT-ICR MS method to screen for PFASs in an aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) using suspect screening, a targeted formula database (C, H, Cl, F, N, O, P, S; ≤865 Da), isotopologues, and Kendrick-analogous mass difference networks (KAMDNs). False-positive PFAS identifications in a natural organic matter (NOM) sample, which served as the negative control, suggested that a minimum length of 3 should be imposed when annotating CF2-homologous series with positive mass defects. We putatively identified 163 known PFASs during suspect screening, as well as 134 novel PFASs during nontargeted screening, including a suspected polyethoxylated perfluoroalkane sulfonamide series. This study shows that 21 T FT-ICR MS analysis can provide unique insights into complex PFAS composition and expand our understanding of PFAS chemistries in impacted matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Young
- Chemical Analysis & Instrumentation Laboratory, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, United States
| | - Nasim E Pica
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
- Weston Solutions, Lakewood, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Hamidreza Sharifan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
- Department of Natural Science, Albany State University, Albany, Georgia 31705, United States
| | - Huan Chen
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Holly K Roth
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Greg T Blakney
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Thomas Borch
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - John J Kornuc
- NAVFAC EXWC, 1100 23rd Avenue, Port Hueneme, California 93041, United States
| | - Amy M McKenna
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Jens Blotevogel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
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