Occurrence, partitioning behavior and risk assessments of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water, sediment and biota from the Dongshan Bay, China

Twenty-five per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were analyzed in water, sediment and biota from the Dongshan Bay (DSB) to study their seasonal variations, composition profiles, potential pollution sources, partitioning behavior and risk assessments. The total concentrations of PFASs (∑PFASs) in water ranged from 3.2 to 6.5 ng L^-1 (mean 4.0 ng L^-1) during the dry season, and 0.11-4.5 ng L^-1 (mean 1.3 ng L^-1) during the wet season. Perfluoro-butane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluoro-butanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) were dominated and frequently detected in water. ∑PFASs in sediment were 0.15-0.37 ng g^-1 dw (mean 0.24 ng g^-1 dw) with the long-chain PFASs perfluoro-octane sulfonic acid (PFOS) dominating. High concentrations of PFASs in land-based drainage outlets (2.0-384.6 ng L^-1 in water) and Zhangjiang estuary indicated that land-based discharges and the river discharge were the main sources. High concentration (366.1 ng L^-1) and proportion (94%) of PFBA on one drainage outlet agreed with the trend that PFBA was as an alternative to long-chain PFASs. ∑PFASs in biota ranged from 0.11 to 0.40 ng g^-1 ww, and only long-chain PFASs were detected. The partition coefficients (log K_d) of PFASs between water and sediment ranged from 1.13 to 2.90, increased with carbon chain length, implied long-chain PFASs are more likely to adsorb to sediment. Results of ecological and health risk assessments indicated that PFASs had no significant risk for the aquatic organisms and local residents.

Species-specific profiles and risk assessment of perfluoroalkyl substances in coral reef fishes from the South China Sea

The contamination profiles of sixteen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were examined in coral reef fish samples collected from the South China Sea (SCS) where no information about this topic was available in the literature. The results revealed that six PFAS were found in coral reef fish samples from the SCS. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most predominant PFAS contaminant detected in most of the samples, with the highest concentration value of 27.05 ng/g wet weight (ww) observed in Cephalopholis urodelus. Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were the second and third dominant PFAS, respectively. Mean PFOS concentrations in muscle of seven coral reef fish varied from 0.29 ng/g ww in Lethrinus olivaceus to 10.78 ng/g ww in Cephalopholis urodelus. No significant linear relationship was observed between PFOS levels and coral reef fish traits (length, weight) collected in this region. Average daily intake of PFOS for the seven coral reef fishes ranged from 0.79 ng/kg/d for Lethrinus olivaceus to 29.53 ng/kg/d for Cephalopholis urodelus. The hazard ratio (HR) values for human consumption of PFOS-contaminated coral reef fishes ranged from 0.04 to 1.48, with Cephalopholis urodelus having the highest HR value of 1.18 (higher than 1) among the species, indicating frequent consumption of Cephalopholis urodelus might pose potential health risk to local population. The present work have provided the first hand data of PFAS in coral reef fishes in the SCS and indirectly demonstrated the existence of low level PFAS pollution in the SCS in China.

The measurement of bisphenol A and its analogues, perfluorinated compounds in twenty species of freshwater and marine fishes, a time-trend comparison and human health based assessment

Our previous study in 2011 reported the detection of BPA and PFAAs in 20 species of marine and freshwater fishes. With an emerging evidence to suggest the metabolic-disrupting effects of BPA/PFAAs in animals, the present study was aimed to provide a time-trend analysis to determine the current concentrations of PFAAs and BPA in 20 commercially available Hong Kong species of fishes. Since the manufacture and use of BPA is being prohibited in most nations, the introduction of BPA alternatives has recently been incorporated in the markets. Therefore, the concentrations of BPB, BPF and BPS were determined. In the present study, all freshwater and seawater fish samples showed quantified concentrations [>Limit of Quantification (LOQ<0.5ng/g)] of BPA. BPF was detected in some marine (yellow seafin, bigeye, goldspotted rabbitfish, snubnose pompano, tongue sole, Bleeker's grouper and orange-spotted grouper) and freshwater fishes (mud carp, crucian carp, tilapia, catfish, mandarin fish, grass carp, grey mullet and spotted snakehead). Two of the compounds, BPS and BPB could only be identified in the marine fishes (snubnose pompano, yellow seafin). In PFAA analysis, PFOA, PFDA, PFOS, PFUdA and PFDoA were found in most of the marine and freshwater fishes. PFOS and PFOA were shown to be the two predominant PFAAs in fishes. On the basis of the measured concentrations of bisphenols, BPs (BPA, BPB, BPF, BPS) and PFAAs, the average daily intake for BPs (20.5-31.5ng/kgb.w./day) and PFAAs (1.17-1.83ng/kgb.w./day) were calculated and found to be lower than values of tolerable daily intake (TDI) established in Europe. However, as compared with our previous study in 2011, the present study revealed an approximate 10-fold increase in the concentrations of BPA in the fish samples. Although the hazard ratio of consuming fishes for BPA and PFAA exposure is expected to remain low, possible additive metabolic-disrupting effect of BPA and its analogues as well PFAAs should be taken into consideration for human health risk assessment.

Spatial and temporal trends of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in fish fillets and water collected from pool 2 of the Upper Mississippi River

In 2011, poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were analyzed in surface water and fish fillet samples taken from Pool 2 of the Upper Mississippi River, a 33-mile stretch inclusive of the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (USA) metropolitan area. Approximately 100 each of bluegill, freshwater drum, smallmouth bass, and white bass were sampled within the study area. Surface water samples were also collected from each of the 10 sampling reaches established for the study. Water and fillet samples were analyzed for perfluorinated carboxylic acids (C4-C12), perfluorinated sulfonic acids (C4, C6, and C8), and perfluorooctane sulfonamide. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was observed with the greatest frequency in fish fillets and ranged from 3.0 to 760 ng/g wet weight. Mean (geometric) PFOS concentrations in bluegill, freshwater drum, smallmouth bass, and white bass were 20, 28, 29, and 58 ng/g wet weight, respectively. When compared with fish data collected in 2009, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in PFOS concentrations was noted. This finding was confirmed based on data from studies conducted in 2012 and 2013. Overall, between 2009 and 2013, PFOS concentrations decreased by 65, 76, and 50% for bluegill, freshwater drum, and white bass, respectively (44% decrease for smallmouth bass from 2009 to 2012). These declines in fish PFOS concentrations are consistent with ongoing efforts to effectively control sources of PFASs to the Mississippi River. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3138-3147. © 2017 SETAC.

Fish for Dinner? Balancing Risks, Benefits, and Values in Formulating Food Consumption Advice

Many and complex factors underlie seemingly simple decisions about what to eat. This is particularly so for foods such as fish, which present consumers with both risks and benefits. Advice about what type of and how much fish to consume is abundant, but that advice is often confusing or contradictory, reflecting the differing mandates and orientations of those advising. We survey a range of issues that can and should be incorporated into dietary advice, and offer tools for health agencies tasked with providing it. We argue that risks and benefits should not be limited to direct physical health. Rather, socioeconomic and community factors, unintended or indirect effects, and nonhuman-health outcomes such as animal welfare and planetary health should also be considered and weighed. We provide examples of existing fish consumption guidance to highlight the conflicting messages that emerge when different sources of advice with singular aims of avoiding risk, gaining nutritional benefit, or sustaining fish populations are juxtaposed. We then offer tools borrowed from health and other fields to guide health agencies toward developing more comprehensive advice and targeting that advice for specific populations.

Comparative analysis of selected semi-persistent and emerging pollutants in wild-caught fish and aquaculture associated fish using Bogue (Boops boops) as sentinel species

The marine environment acts as a sink for diverse anthropogenic pollutants, although the environmental contamination may be non-uniformly distributed. In recent decades, the aquaculture sector has experienced a steady growth postulating as a good alternative for seafood production. However, a social debate exits about the differential level of pollutants in wild and farmed species. This study was designed to evaluate the level of pollutants in a sentinel species: Bogue (Boops boops) associated and non-associated to fish-farm cages. A total of 82 chemical substances were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, including persistent (polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)), semi-persistent (bromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), and emerging pollutants (such as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and UV-filters). In general, aquaculture-associated bogues showed lower levels of semi-persistent and emerging pollutants than wild-caught fish, especially when sums were considered. Thus, sum of BDEs was significantly lower in the aquaculture group (p=0.01). A similar trend was also observed for benzo(a)anthracene, the UV-filter 2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate and some OPFRs. In the case of persistent pollutants, the sum of dioxin-like PCBs and sum of DDTs were lower in the group of wild-caught bogues (p=0.034 and p=0.003, respectively) than in aquaculture-associated bogues, as previously described for some aquaculture species. Fish feed appear as an important factor in the uptake of such substances suggesting a diet intervention to reduce their levels in the aquaculture products. Another interesting result is that for almost all chemical substances analyzed, bogues captured near sewage outfalls showed the highest levels of pollutants, pointing out the need of stringent measures for wastewater treatment units discharging in coastal areas. On the light of these results, further research in specific farmed and wild fish species in relation to their dietary value and pollutant's levels seems to be mandatory.

Environmental contamination, human exposure and body loadings of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), focusing on Asian countries

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made fluorinated hydrocarbons, which are very persistent in the environment. Since the early 1980s, the usage of PFCs has sharply increased for a wide array of industrial and commercial applications. Being the most important PFC, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has received much attention. In the past decades, increasing surveys have been focused on this compound, to study its sources, fates and effects in the environment. According to the large production volume and wide usage in industrial and commercial products in the past, PFOS can be detected in various environmental media and matrix, even in human tissues. This article attempted to review the current status of PFOS contaminations in Asia, focusing on water systems, sediments, wide animals and human tissues. A special section is devoted to examine the pathways of human exposure to this compound, as well as human body loadings of PFOS and their possible association with diseases.

Differential effects in mammalian cells induced by chemical mixtures in environmental biota as profiled using infrared spectroscopy

Environmental contaminants accumulate in many organisms and induce a number of adverse effects. As contaminants mostly occur in the environment as mixtures, it remains to be fully understood which chemical interactions induce the most important toxic responses. In this study, we set out to determine the effects of chemical contaminants extracted from Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) eggs (collected from the UK coast from three sampling years (1987, 1990, and 1992) on cell cultures using infrared (IR) spectroscopy with computational data handling approaches. Gannet extracts were chemically analyzed for different contaminants, and MCF-7 cell lines were treated for 24 h in a dose-related manner with individual-year extracts varying in their polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) ratios. Treated cellular material was then fixed and interrogated using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform IR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy; resultant IR spectra were computationally analyzed to derive dose-response relationships and to identify biomarkers associated with each contaminant mixture treatment. The results show distinct biomarkers of effect are related to each contamination scenario, with an inverse relationship with dose observed. This study suggests that specific contaminant mixtures induce cellular alterations in the DNA/RNA spectral region that are most pronounced at low doses. It also suggests alterations in the "biochemical-cell fingerprint" of IR spectra can be indicative of mixture exposures.

Social communication network analysis of the role of participatory research in the adoption of new fish consumption behaviors

The formulation and communication of fish advisories are highly complex because of the potential conflict between the nutritional and toxicological issues associated with fish consumption. Government and organization-sponsored fish advisories have had limited success in changing behaviors. Participatory approaches may enhance the understanding of complex issues and the adoption of new behaviors. Here we used social network analysis to investigate the adoption of dietary changes within the context of a community participatory research project. In the Brazilian Amazon, many communities are highly exposed to methylmercury from fish consumption. A participatory intervention based on dietary changes aimed at reducing methylmercury exposure while maintaining fish consumption was initiated in 1995. In 2001, we collected data on individual participation in the research, on the discussion network regarding mercury issues and on changes in fish consumption from 96 of the 110 village households. More than half of men and women had adopted new fish consumption behavior to reduce mercury exposure. Adoption was associated with participation in the research project for both women and men, and with a higher number of discussion partners about mercury issues for women. Adoption was likewise associated with the presence of a female communication partner in the personal networks of both men and women. At the household level, men and women who considered their spouse as a discussion partner were more likely to adopt than those who did not. Opinion le]adership was associated with change in fish consumption only for women. We discuss the contribution of community participation and communication networks to overcome the difficulties in generating complex messages that take into account both health benefits and risks of fish consumption. We also discuss the relevance of building preventive health programs based on participatory research approaches and the roles and relations specific to men and women.

Risk assessment for human consumption of perfluorinated compound-contaminated freshwater and marine fish from Hong Kong and Xiamen

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made fluoro-surfactants that are identified as global pollutants and can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. Two aspects of risk assessment were conducted in this study, including exposure and response. Exposure was estimated by using the concentrations of PFCs in fish and applying standard exposure factors. Among different PFCs, PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA and PFTrDA were detected. Total concentrations of PFC in fish ranged from 0.27-8.4 ng g(-1) to 0.37-8.7 ng g(-1) respectively in Hong Kong and Xiamen. The calculated hazard ratio (HR) of PFOS for all fish was less than 1.0. However, the HR for mandarin fish in Hong Kong and bighead carp, grass carp and tilapia in Xiamen, had HR values of approximately 0.5, indicating that frequent consumption of these 4 more contaminated fish species might pose an unacceptable risk to human health. Our data support the notion that the released/disposed chemical pollutants into water systems make fish a source of environmental toxicants to humans. The risks and potential effects of PFCs to health of coastal population in the Pearl River Delta are of concern.

Marine natural products, the halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles, biomagnify in a northwestern Atlantic food web

Halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles (MBPs) are putative marine natural products that accumulate in marine mammal blubber in similar concentrations and patterns to biomagnifying organic pollutants. Here we measure concentrations of MBPs and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) in 40 samples composed of eight fish species, two squid species, and six species of marine mammals. To determine their trophic positions and to further investigate influence of prey preference, we also measured the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of all samples. Our results show that lipid-normalized MBP concentrations increase with increasing trophic level; therefore, MBPs qualify as another class of biomagnifying marine natural products. The presence of MBPs in pinniped prey and absence in pinniped blubber suggests that these mammals share dietary exposure to MBPs with odontocetes but have an enhanced ability to metabolize these natural products.

The detection of dioxin- and estrogen-like pollutants in marine and freshwater fishes cultivated in Pearl River Delta, China

In this study we aimed to assess the dioxin- and estrogen-like activities of contaminants extracted from twenty species of freshwater and seawater fishes, using luciferase reporter assays. Transfected MCF7 cells were treated with sample extracts and luciferase activities were then measured at 24-h of post-treatment. The mean values of the detected dioxin- and estrogen-like activities in the freshwater fishes were 25.3 pg TEQ/g ww and 102.3 pM EEQ/g ww whereas in the seawater fishes, the values were 46.2 pg TEQ/g ww and 118.8 pM EEQ/g ww. Using sample-relevant dosage of estrogen, inductions of cell proliferation markers (i.e. retinoblastoma, cyclin D) and stimulations of cell growth were revealed by Western blotting, colony formation and BrdU uptake assays. A cotreatment with TCDD significantly reduced these effects. Using the sample extracts with different dioxin- and estrogen-like activities, similar observation was revealed. The data highlighted the mixture effect of food contaminants on human health.

Environmental toxins, a potential risk factor for diabetes among Canadian Aboriginals

OBJECTIVES

To review the current literature to determine if there is a case for examining the presence of toxins in traditional foods and the environment as a possible risk factor for type 2 diabetes in Canadian Aboriginal populations.

STUDY DESIGN

Literature review. METHODS. The scientific literature on possible causes of type 2 diabetes in Aboriginal populations in Canada was reviewed. Potential exposure through food and water to environmental toxins such as methylmercury, arsenic, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including bisphenol A and phthalates, as well as Aboriginal lifestyle and composition of the traditional diet is discussed. RESULTS. There is growing evidence to suggest that environmental toxins may be associated with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes), which many consider to be endemic worldwide. In Canada, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions, especially among Aboriginal populations. Based on both molecular and pathological findings, some toxins found in the environment interfere with the functioning of the pancreas' islets of Langerhans cells, and consequently they affect insulin production. In addition, there is new evidence suggesting that obesity may be linked to endocrine disruptors, thus increasing the likelihood that obesity in itself may not be a chief risk factor for diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes prevalence rates among First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations are 3-5 times higher than the general population. Accepted risk factors such as diet, lifestyle and genetics do not fully explain this phenomenon. However, as many environmental toxins bioaccumulate in the food chain and are found in wild game and fish traditionally harvested and consumed by Aboriginal peoples, these chemicals could present health risks not yet fully explored. As there is not enough evidence to rule out this possibility, further studies are suggested. If correct, such environmental risk factors, especially if they are encountered early in life, would have implications on Aboriginal public health.

Strategies for improving human health in contaminated situations: a review of past, present and possible future approaches

Strategies for improving human health in contaminated situations have traditionally been based on restricting emissions, remedial reduction of exposure and, where appropriate and possible, medical reconnaissance of efficacy. We review these and the broader aspects of general public health approaches, including necessary understanding of epidemiology and the wider social context, before considering a specific local case study involving health issues associated with chromium-contaminated land and its remediation in an area of urban regeneration. The impact of remediation upon the common good, in its broadest environmental, health and socio-economic sense, including enhanced opportunities for members of the community to take personal responsibility for health-improving activities, should be taken into account in addition to conventional theoretical assessments and practical measurements of relief from environmental risk. Rapidly emerging toxicogenomic technologies may have a role to play in informing future risk assessment and remediation approaches in contaminated situations, although the ethical challenges of using personal genetic information could well be considerable.

Distribution patterns suggest biomagnification of halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles (MBPs)

The halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles (MBPs) are a suite of marine natural products that have been detected in marine mammals worldwide. Although their concentrations are similar to persistent organic pollutants that biomagnify, such as 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153), it is notyet clearthat these natural products also biomagnify. Here we analyze MBPs and CB-153 isolated from the blubber and liver of marine mammals stranded on the eastern coast of Massachusetts. Four odontocete species (Delphinus delphis, Lagenorhynchus acutus, Phocoena phocoena, and Globicephala melas) and two pinniped species (Halichoerus grypus and Phoca groenlandica) were sampled. MBPs were present in all odontocetes, but not detected in pinnipeds; CB-153 was detected in every species. MBP patterns indicative of biomagnification were found, including age-dependent concentration increases and reduced concentrations in adult females. Also explored were the similarities and differences with CB-153, the effects of nutritional state on contaminant distribution, and the maternal transfer of blubber-based organic contaminants.

Systems Epidemiology in Cancer

Prospective studies in cancer epidemiology have conserved their study design over the last decades. In this context, current epidemiologic studies investigating gene-environment interactions are based on biobank for the analysis of genetic variation and biomarkers, using notified cancer as outcome. These studies result from the use of high-throughput technologies rather than from the development of novel design strategies. In this article, we propose the globolomic design to run integrated analyses of cancer risk covering the major -omics in blood and tumor tissue. We defined this design as an extension of the existing prospective design by collecting tissue and blood samples at time of diagnosis, including biological material suitable for transcriptome analysis. The globolomic design opens up for several new analytic strategies and, where gene expression profiles could be used to verify mechanistic information from experimental biology, adds a new dimension to causality in epidemiology. This could improve, for example, the interpretation of risk estimates related to single nucleotide polymorphisms in gene-environment studies by changing the criterion of biological plausibility from a subjective discussion of in vitro information to observational data of human in vivo gene expression. This ambitious design should consider the complexity of the multistage carcinogenic process, the latency time, and the changing lifestyle of the cohort members. This design could open the new research discipline of systems epidemiology, defined in this article as a counterpart to systems biology. Systems epidemiology with a focus on gene functions challenges the current concept of biobanking, which focuses mainly on DNA analyses. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(11):2954–7)