Analysis of perfluorinated compounds in sewage sludge and hydrochar by UHPLC LTQ/Orbitrap MS and removal assessment during hydrothermal carbonization treatment

Wastewater treatment plants have been recognized as important sinks for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) because of their ineffectiveness in removing them reflecting both water and sewage sludge discharge routes. Hydrothermal treatment represents an alternative technology for treating sludge to recover energy and other valuable products. In this study, 15 PFAS were determined in sludge and hydrochar substrates using sonication-solid phase extraction procedure and analyzed using LC-Orbitrap-High Resolution-MS/MS. The method was fully validated, exhibiting very good linearity, recoveries in the range of 48 to 126 %, low detection and quantification limits with expanded uncertainty and precision below 32 % and 21.9 %, respectively. The method was applied to sludge samples from the WWTP of Ioannina city (Greece), as well as to hydrothermally treated samples under various conditions. The most abundant PFAS were PFHxA (0.5-38.3 ng g-1) and PFOS (4.4-22.1 ng g-1). Finally, the hydrothermally treated sludge samples spiked with PFAS presented removal efficiencies for total PFAS of 86.9 %, 91.8 % and 95.7 % at three spiking levels namely 10, 50 and 200 ng g-1, respectively. Results indicated that PFCAs were almost completely removed, except for PFOA, while the concentrations of PFSAs increased in the produced hydrochar with the formation of several intermediates, as detected by HR-LC-MS/MS. The results of this study demonstrate the effect of hydrothermal treatment to the fate of PFAS in sewage sludge and contribute for further studies on design and scale up of hydrothermal carbonization technology as a management option for safer disposal of municipal wastewater sludge.

Quantification of perfluorinated compounds in atmospheric particulate shows potential connection with environmental event

A method of quantification of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) from atmospheric particulate matter (APM) is described. A single step pretreatment method, selective pressurized liquid extraction (SPLE), was developed to reduce the high matrix background and avoid contamination from commonly used multiple sample pretreatment steps. An effective sorbent was selected to purify the PFCs during SPLE, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), for quantification of PFCs. Conditions affecting the SPLE efficiency, including temperature, static extraction time, and number of extraction cycles used, were studied. The optimum conditions were found to be 120°C, 10 min, and 3 cycles, respectively. LC-MS/MS method was developed to obtain the optimal sensitivity specific to PFCs. The method detection limits (MDLs) were 0.006 to 0.48 ng/g for the PFCs studied and the linear response range was from 0.1 to 100 ng/g. To ensure accurate values were obtained, each step of the experiment was evaluated and controlled to prevent contamination. The optimized method was tested by performing spiking experiments in natural particulate matter matrices and good rates of recovery and reproducibility were obtained for all target compounds. Finally, the method was successfully used to measure 16 PFCs in the APM samples collected in Beijing over five years from 2015 to 2019. It is observed that some PFCs follow the trend of total PFC changes, and can be attributed to the environment influencing events and policy enforcement, while others don't seem to change as much with time of the year or from year to year.

Evidence for neurotoxicity and oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos/larvae treated with HFPO-DA ammonium salt (GenX)

"GenX" [ammonium perfluoro (2-methyl-3-oxahexanoate] was developed as a replacement chemical for toxic perfluorinated compounds to be used in product manufacturing. Here, we assessed developmental, mitochondrial, and behavioral toxicity endpoints in zebrafish embryos/larvae exposed to GenX. GenX exerted low toxicity to zebrafish embryos/larvae up to 20 mg/L. GenX did not affect mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation nor ATP levels. ROS levels were reduced in larvae fish exposed to 10 and 100 µg/L, indicative of an antioxidant defense; however, ROS levels were elevated in fish exposed to 1000 µg/L. Increased expression of cox1 and sod2 in GenX exposed 7-day larvae was noted. GenX (0.1 or 1 µg/L) altered transcripts associated with neurotoxicity (elavl3, gfap, gap43, manf, and tubb). Locomotor activity of larvae was reduced by 100 µg/L GenX, but only in light periods. Perturbations of anxiety-related behaviors in larvae were not observed with GenX exposure. These data inform risk assessments for long-lived perfluorinated chemicals of concern.

Environmental explanation of prostate cancer progression based on the comprehensive analysis of perfluorinated compounds

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made chemicals used in the manufacture of many products with water and dirt repellent properties. Many diseases have been proved to be related to the exposure of PFCs, including breast fibroadenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and leydig cell adenoma. However, whether the PFCs promote the progression of prostate cancer remains unclear. In this work, through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, we discovered the correlation between the prostate cancer and five PFCs using Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. In addition, further analysis showed that several PFCs-related genes demonstrated strong prognostic value for prostate cancer patients. The survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves revealed that PFCs-related genes based prognostic model held great predictive value for the prognosis of prostate cancer, which could potentially serve as an independent risk factor in the future. In vitro experiments verified the promotive role of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in the growth of prostate cancer cells. This study provided novel insights into understanding the role of PFCs in prostate cancer and brought attention to the environmental association with cancer risks and progression.

Metabolic characteristics and pathogenesis of precocious puberty in girls: the role of perfluorinated compounds

BACKGROUND

Precocious puberty (PP) in girls is traditionally defined as the onset of breast development before the age of 8 years. The specific biomarkers of premature thelarche (PT) and central precocious puberty (CPP) girls are uncertain, and little is known about their metabolic characteristics driven by perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and clinical phenotype. This study aimed to screen specific biomarkers of PT and CPP and elucidate their underlying pathogenesis. The relationships of clinical phenotype-serum PFCs-metabolic characteristics were also explored to reveal the relationship between PFCs and the occurrence and development of PT and CPP.

METHODS

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based cross-metabolomics strategy was performed on serum from 146 PP (including 30 CPP, 40 PT, and 76 unspecified PP) girls and 64 healthy girls (including 36 prepubertal and 28 adolescent). Specific biomarkers were screened by the uni- and multivariate statistical analyses. The relationships between serum PFCs and clinical phenotype were performed by correlation analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to explore the link of clinical phenotype-PFCs-metabolic characteristics in PT and CPP.

RESULTS

The disordered trend of pyruvate and butyrate metabolisms (metabolites mapped as formate, ethanol, and 3-hydroxybutyrate) were shared and kept almost consistent in PT and CPP. Eight and eleven specific biomarkers were screened for PT and CPP, respectively. The area under curve of specific biomarker combination was 0.721 in CPP vs. prepubertal, 0.972 in PT vs. prepubertal, 0.646 in CPP vs. prepubertal integrated adolescent, and 0.822 in PT vs. prepubertal integrated adolescent, respectively. Perfluoro-n-heptanoic acid and perfluoro-n-hexanoic acid were statistically different between PT and CPP. Estradiol and prolactin were significantly correlated with PFCs in CPP and PT. Clinical phenotypes and PFCs drive the metabolic characteristics and cause metabolic disturbances in CPP and PT.

CONCLUSIONS

The elevation of formate, ethanol, and 3-hydroxybutyrate may serve as the early diagnostic indicator for PP in girls. But the stratification of PP still needs to be further determined based on the specific biomarkers. Specific biomarkers of CPP and PT exhibited good sensitivity and can facilitate the classification diagnosis of CPP and PT. PFC exposure is associated with endocrine homeostasis imbalance. PFC exposure and/or endocrine disturbance directly or indirectly drive metabolic changes and form overall metabolic network perturbations in CPP and PT.

Cotransport of different electrically charged microplastics with PFOA in saturated porous media

The fate and transport behavior of microplastics (MPs), emerging colloidal contaminant ubiquitous in natural environments, would be greatly affected by other copresent pollutants. PFOA (emerging surfactant pollutant) would interact with MPs after encounter with them in natural environments, which could alter the transport behavior of both pollutants. Relevant knowledge is still lacking, affecting accurate prediction the fate and distribution of these two emerging contaminants in natural porous media. The cotransport behavior of different surface charged MPs (negatively/positively charged, CMPs/AMPs) with PFOA (three concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 10 mg/L) in porous media in both 10 and 50 mM NaCl solutions thus was investigated in the present study. We found PFOA inhibited CMPs transport in porous media, while enhanced AMPs transport. The mechanisms leading to the altered transport of CMPs/AMPs caused by PFOA were found to be different. The decreased electrostatic repulsion between CMPs-sand induced by the decreased CMPs negative zeta potentials via the adsorption of PFOA led to the inhibited transport of CMPs in CMPs-PFOA suspension. The enhanced electrostatic repulsion between AMPs-sand due to the decreased positive charge of AMPs via the adsorption of PFOA together with steric repulsion induced by suspended PFOA resulted in the increased transport of AMPs in AMPs-PFOA suspension. Meanwhile, we found that the adsorption onto MPs surfaces also impacted the transport of PFOA. Due to the lower mobility of MPs than PFOA, the presence of MPs despite their surface charge decreased the transport of PFOA of all examined concentrations in quartz sand columns. This study demonstrates that when MPs and PFOA are co-existing in environments, their interaction with each other will alter the fate and transport behavior of both pollutants in porous media and the alteration is highly correlated with the amount of PFOA adsorbed onto MPs and original surface properties of MPs.

Plasma concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are associated with perturbations in lipid and amino acid metabolism

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through the environment can lead to harmful health outcomes and the development of disease. However, little is known about how PFAS impact underlying biology that contributes to these adverse health effects. The metabolome represents the end product of cellular processes and has been used previously to understand physiological changes that lead to disease. In this study, we investigated whether exposure to PFAS was associated with the global, untargeted metabolome. In a cohort of 459 pregnant mothers and 401 children, we quantified plasma concentrations of six individual PFAS- PFOA, PFOS, PFHXS, PFDEA, and PFNA- and performed plasma metabolomic profiling by UPLC-MS. In adjusted linear regression analysis, we found associations between plasma PFAS and perturbations in lipid and amino acid metabolites in both mothers and children. In mothers, metabolites of 19 lipid pathways and 8 amino acid pathways were significantly associated with PFAS exposure at an FDR<0.05 threshold; in children, metabolites of 28 lipid pathways and 10 amino acid pathways exhibited significant associations at FDR<0.05 with PFAS exposure. Our investigation found that metabolites of the Sphingomyelin, Lysophospholipid, Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (n3 and n6), Fatty Acid- Dicarboxylate, and Urea Cycle showed the most significant associations with PFAS, suggesting these may be particular pathways of interest in the physiological response to PFAS. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize associations between the global metabolome and PFAS across multiple periods in the life course to understand impacts on underlying biology, and the findings presented here are relevant in understanding how PFAS disrupt normal biological function and may ultimately give rise to harmful health effects.

Global ocean contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: A review of seabird exposure

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been extensively produced and used as surfactants and repellents for decades. To date, the global contamination pattern of PFAS in marine biota has seldomly been reviewed. Seabirds are ideal biomonitoring tools to study environmental contaminants and their effects. Here, we compiled and synthesized reported PFAS concentrations in various seabird species to reflect spatiotemporal patterns and exposure risks of major PFAS on a global ocean scale. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was the most studied PFAS in seabirds, which showed the highest level in eggs of common guillemots (U. aalge) from the Baltic Sea, followed by great cormorants (P. carbo) from the North Sea and double-crested cormorants (P.auritus) from the San Francisco Bay, whereas the lowest were those reported for Antarctic seabirds. The temporal pattern showed an overall higher level of PFOS in the late 1990s and early 2000s, consistent with the phase-out of perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride-based products. Maximum liver PFOS concentrations in several species such as cormorants and fulmars from Europe and North America exceeded the estimated toxicity reference values. Systematic evaluations using representative species and long time-series are necessary to understand contamination patterns in seabirds in South America, Africa, and Asia where information is lacking. In addition, limited research has been conducted on the identification and toxic effects of novel substitutes such as fluorotelomers and ether PFAS (F-53B, Gen-X etc.) in seabirds. Further research, including multi-omics analysis, is needed to comprehensively characterize the exposure and toxicological profiles of PFAS in seabirds and other wildlife.

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFOA) can, by interacting with highly brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE 209) during a defined period of neonatal brain development, exacerbate neurobehavioural defects

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous persistent environmental compounds, present in humans and at higher levels in infants/children than in adults. This study shows that co-exposure to pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decaBDE (PBDE 209) can significantly exacerbate developmental neurobehavioural defects. Neonatal male NMRI mice, 3 and 10 days old, were exposed perorally to PBDE 209 (1.4 or 8.0 μmol/kg bw), PFOA (1.4 or 14 μmol/kg bw), co-exposed to PBDE 209 and PFOA (at the given doses), or a vehicle (20% fat emulsion) and observed for spontaneous behaviour in a novel home environment when 2 and 4 months old. The behavioural defects observed included hyperactivity and reduced habituation indicating cognitive defects. This interaction appears most likely dependent on the presence of PBDE 209 and/or its metabolites together with PFOA, during a defined critical period of neonatal brain development, corresponding to the perinatal and newborn period in humans.

Locally caught freshwater fish across the United States are likely a significant source of exposure to PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, gained significant public and regulatory attention due to widespread contamination and health harms associated with exposure. Ingestion of PFAS from contaminated food and water results in the accumulation of PFAS in the body and is considered a key route of human exposure. Here we calculate the potential contribution of PFOS from consumption of locally caught freshwater fish to serum levels. We analyzed data for over 500 composite samples of fish fillets collected across the United States from 2013 to 2015 under the U.S. EPA's monitoring programs, the National Rivers and Streams Assessment and the Great Lakes Human Health Fish Fillet Tissue Study. The two datasets indicate that an individual's consumption of freshwater fish is potentially a significant source of exposure to perfluorinated compounds. The median level of total targeted PFAS in fish fillets from rivers and streams across the United States was 9,500 ng/kg, with a median level of 11,800 ng/kg in the Great Lakes. PFOS was the largest contributor to total PFAS levels, averaging 74% of the total. The median levels of total detected PFAS in freshwater fish across the United States were 278 times higher than levels in commercially relevant fish tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2019-2022. Exposure assessment suggests that a single serving of freshwater fish per year with the median level of PFAS as detected by the U.S. EPA monitoring programs translates into a significant increase of PFOS levels in blood serum. The exposure to chemical pollutants in freshwater fish across the United States is a case of environmental injustice that especially affects communities that depend on fishing for sustenance and for traditional cultural practices. Identifying and reducing sources of PFAS exposure is an urgent public health priority.

Target-triggered double fluorescent biosensors for rapid and sensitive detection of long-chain perfluorinated compounds using DNA probe and lysozyme fiber

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are useful man-made chemicals and serve as new emerging organic pollutants due to their environmental and health concerns. Chromatography-mass detection methods often need complex procedure and are also too expensive, so there is a critical demand to develop rapid, inexpensive, easy-to-operate and sensitive methods for PFCs detection. In this work, double fluorescent biosensors ('DT sensor' and 'FT sensor') have been designed to quantitatively detect long-chain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), due to their strong hydrophobic interaction with DNA probe or lysozyme fiber. The ratio and rapid fluorescence responses offered more obvious signal changes, and high sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 μM (98.2 ppb) for perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA). For three PFCs with longer perfluoroalkyl chain (CF₂), increased detection sensitivity was achieved due to a stronger hydrophobicity. The fluorescent biosensors showed a good selectivity for long-chain PFCs and served as cross-reactive sensors to differentiate three different long-chain PFCs. The biosensors also had robust signal response in tap water or serum samples, and the LOD can be further lowered to pM (ppt) level after sample preconcentration.

Effects of perfluorinated compounds homologues on chemical property, microbial composition, richness and diversity of urban forest soil

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), as an important class of new persistent organic pollutants, are widely distributed in the environment. Yet the effects of different types and concentrations of PFCs on soil microbial community in urban forest ecosystems are remain uncertain. Here, two typical PFCs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), were selected to carry out a pot experiment in greenhouse with singly and joint treatment at different concentrations, to examine their effects on composition and diversity of soil microorganisms and availability of soil macronutrients by using high-throughput Illumina sequencing approach. The results showed both PFOA and PFOS application significantly increased soil NO3--N and NH4+-N content, but did not alter total phosphorus content, compared to the control check (CK) treatments. Total potassium content was reduced in PFOA treatments but increased in PFOS and PFOA×PFOS treatments. The most dominant bacterial phylum was Chloroflexi in low and medium PFCs concentrations and the CK treatments, but it was switched to Acidobacteria in high concentrations. No obvious change was detected for the composition of the dominant fungi community in PFCs treatments compared to the CK treatments. With the increase of PFCs concentrations, soil bacterial richness decreased but its diversity increased, whereas the richness and diversity of fungal community usually decreased. Redundancy analyses revealed that soil fungal community was more sensitive to PFCs pollutants than soil bacterial communities. Further data analysis revealed by structural equation model (SEM) that the PFCs exposed for 60 days indirectly affects the diversity and richness of soil bacteria and fungi by directly affecting NO3--N and NH4+-N content. The results suggested the concentration of PFCs pollutants played a primary role in determining the composition, richness and diversity of forest soil microbial communities.

The burden of emerging contaminants upon an Atlantic Ocean marine protected reserve adjacent to Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

The presence and levels of fifteen chemicals of emerging concerns, including five perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), two industrial chemicals, seven pharmaceuticals and one personal care product, were evaluated in biota, seawater and sediments obtained from near-shore coastal zone in Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. Eight compounds were found in seawater, and between nine to twelve compounds were quantified in marine invertebrates, sediment and seaweed. Diclofenac was the prevalent pharmaceutical with a maximum concentration of 2.86 ng/L in seawater, ≥110.9 ng/g dry weight (dw) in sediments and ≥67.47 ng/g dw in marine biotas. Among PFCs, perfluoroheptanoic acid was predominant in seawater (0.21-0.46 ng/L). Accumulation of perfluorodecanoic acid (764 ng/g dw) as well as perfluorononanoic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid (504.52 and 597.04 ng/g dw, respectively) was highest in samples of seaweed. The environmental risk assessment carried out in this study showed that although individual pollutants pose a low acute and chronic risk, yet individual compounds each had a high bioaccumulation factor in diverse marine species, and their combination as a complex mixture in marine organisms might have adverse effects upon aquatic organisms. Data revealed that this Atlantic Ocean marine protected environment is affected by the presence of numerous and diverse emerging contaminants that could only have originated from sewage discharges. The complex mixture of persistent chemicals found bioaccumulating in marine organisms could bode ill for the propagation and survival of marine protected species, since many of these compounds are known toxicants.

Hydrated electron based photochemical processes for water treatment

Hydrated electron (e_aq^-) based photochemical processes have emerged as a promising technology for contaminant removal in water due to the mild operating conditions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date summary on e_aq^- based photochemical processes for the decomposition of various oxidative contaminants. Specifically, the characteristics of different photo-reductive systems are first elaborated, including the environment required to generate sufficient e_aq^-, the advantages and disadvantages of each system, and the comparison of the degradation efficiency of contaminants induced by e_aq^-. In addition, the identification methods of e_aq^- (e.g., laser flash photolysis, scavenging studies, chemical probes and electron spin resonance techniques) are summarized, and the influences of operating conditions (e.g., solution pH, dissolved oxygen, source chemical concentration and UV type) on the performance of contaminants are also discussed. Considering the complexity of contaminated water, particular attention is paid to the influence of water matrix (e.g., coexisting anions, alkalinity and humic acid). Moreover, the degradation regularities of various contaminants (e.g., perfluorinated compounds, disinfection by-products and nitrate) by e_aq^- are summarized. We finally put forward several research prospects for the decomposition of contaminants by e_aq^- based photochemical processes to promote their practical application in water treatment.

Individual and mixture associations of perfluoroalkyl substances on liver function biomarkers in the Canadian Health Measures Survey

BACKGROUND

Perfluoroalkyl substances can disrupt hepatic metabolism and may be associated with liver function biomarkers. We examined individual and mixture associations of PFAS on liver function biomarkers in a representative sample of Canadian adults. We explored the potential for effect modification by sex and body mass index, as well as by physical activity level which may attenuate the deleterious effect of PFAS on metabolic disorders.

METHODS

We analyzed data from participants aged 20-74 from the Canadian Health Measures Survey. We used linear regression to examine associations between plasma concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUDA on serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin. We used quantile g-computation to estimate associations with a PFAS mixture for each simultaneous, one-quartile change in PFAS concentrations.

RESULTS

Each doubling of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, or PFNA concentrations was associated with higher AST, GGT, and ALP concentrations. Each doubling of PFOA concentrations was associated with 16.5% (95%CI: 10.4, 23.0) higher GGT concentrations among adults not meeting Canada's physical activity guidelines vs. 6.6% (95%CI: -1.6, 15.5) among those meeting these guidelines. Sex and BMI also modified some associations, though to a lesser extent. We did not observe associations between ALT and PFOA (1.2% change; 95%CI: -2.5, 4.9), PFOS (2.2% change; 95%CI: -0.8, 5.3), or PFHxS (1.5% change; 95%CI: -0.4, 3.4). We also did not observe consistent associations for PFDA and PFUDA or with total bilirubin. In quantile g-computation models, each simultaneous one-quartile increase in the PFAS mixture was positively associated with AST (7.5% higher; 95%CI: 4.0, 10.4), GGT (9.7% higher; 95%CI: 1.7, 17.0), and ALP (2.8% higher; 95%CI: 0.5, 5.4).

CONCLUSION

Higher plasma concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA - both individually and as a mixture - were associated with higher serum concentrations of liver function biomarkers. These results contribute to emerging evidence suggesting that higher levels of physical activity appear to be protective against the hepatotoxic effects of PFOA. This work contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting the hepatotoxic effects of PFAS.

Optimization and application of a method to determine 24 perfluorinated compounds in umbilical cord serum by using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a group of widely used synthetic chemicals. Owing to their unique chemical properties, PFCs can accumulate in the environment and living organisms. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of exposure to PFCs, resulting in increased concern. Therefore, a fast, reliable analytical method is crucial for human biomonitoring and health risk assessment. This study used two isotope internal standards to identify and quantify 24 PFCs in umbilical cord serum samples, based on classical liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). According to our review of the literature, this study is the first to determine the TFHSA, S4hPDS, S4hPOS, S4hPHS, SPHeS, SPNoS, and SPPeS by using this developed method. The average spiked recoveries of 24 PFCs were acceptable, ranging from approximately 64.0% to 124%; RSDs ranged from 0.74% to 11.2%; LOD and LOQ ranged from 0.013 to 0.248 μg/L and from 0.030 to 0.747 μg/L, respectively. This method was applied to measure the PFCs in umbilical cord serum samples; 24 PFCs were detected in the investigated samples, which are comparable to those reported in the literature. TFHSA, S4hPDS, S4hPOS, S4hPHS, SPHeS, SPNoS, and SPPeS were also detected in the samples, which should be investigated in further research. The sensitivity, accuracy, and precision of the developed method are sufficient for its application in large-scale biomonitoring studies.

Framework for risk assessment of PFAS utilizing experimental studies and in-silico models

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), especially PFOS and PFOA, are two widely used synthetic chemicals that can impact human health based on evidence from animal and epidemiologic studies. In this paper, we have reviewed and summarized the influence of PFAS exposure on health, pointing the quality of evidence, and applied translational techniques to integrate evidence for PFAS policy making. This is the first review where highly referred articles on PFAS used for policymaking by several regulatory agencies were collected and evaluated based on the review guidelines developed by the US National Toxicology Program's Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) review guidelines. Several limitations were observed, including co-exposure to multiple chemicals and limited measurement of primary and secondary outcomes related to specific toxicity. However, data from all the studies provided a moderate to strong level of confidence for link between PFAS exposure and different adverse outcomes. Secondly, for translating the risk to humans, an in-silico model and scaling approach was utilized. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) was used to calculate the human equivalent dose (HED) from two widely accepted studies and compared with tolerable daily intakes (TDIs) established by various regulatory agencies. Inter-species dose extrapolation was done to compare with human the relevance of dosing scenarios used in animals. Overall, a framework for translation of risk was proposed based on the conclusions of this review with the goal of improving policymaking. The current paper can improve the methodological protocols for PFAS experimental studies and encourage the utilization of in-silico models for translating risk.

Replacement per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potent modulators of lipogenic and drug metabolizing gene expression signatures in primary human hepatocytes

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of environmental toxicants, and some, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have been associated with hepatic steatosis in rodents and monkeys. It was hypothesized that perfluorosulfonic acids (C4, 6, 8), perfluorocarboxylic acids (C4-14), perfluoro(2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic) acid (HFPO-DA), 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) along with 3 PFOS precursors could induce expression of lipid metabolism genes and lipid deposition in human hepatocytes. Five-donor pooled cryopreserved human hepatocytes were cultured and treated with 0.1% DMSO vehicle or various PFAS (0.25 to 25 μM) in media. After a 48-h treatment, mRNA transcripts related to lipid transport, metabolism, and synthesis were measured using a Quantigene Plex assay. After 72-h treatments, hepatocytes were stained with Nile Red dye to quantify intracellular lipids. Overall, PFAS were transcriptionally active at 25 μM. In this model, lipid accumulation was not observed with C8-C12 treatments. Shorter chain PFAS (C4-C5), 6:2 FTS, and PFOS precursor, metFOSA, induced significant liver lipid accumulation, and gene activation at lower concentrations than legacy PFAS. In summary short chain PFAS and other alternative PFAS were more potent gene inducers, and potential health effects of replacement PFAS should be critically evaluated in humans.

Non-targeted metabolomics and associations with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in humans: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the application of non-targeted metabolomics in epidemiological studies that assessed metabolite and metabolic pathway alterations associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure.

RECENT FINDINGS

Eleven human studies published before April 1st, 2021 were identified through database searches (PubMed, Dimensions, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Scopus), and citation chaining (Citationchaser). The sample sizes of these studies ranged from 40 to 965, involving children and adolescents (n = 3), non-pregnant adults (n = 5), or pregnant women (n = 3). High-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was the primary analytical platform to measure both PFAS and metabolome. PFAS were measured in either plasma (n = 6) or serum (n = 5), while metabolomic profiles were assessed using plasma (n = 6), serum (n = 4), or urine (n = 1). Four types of PFAS (perfluorooctane sulfonate(n = 11), perfluorooctanoic acid (n = 10), perfluorohexane sulfonate (n = 9), perfluorononanoic acid (n = 5)) and PFAS mixtures (n = 7) were the most studied. We found that alterations to tryptophan metabolism and the urea cycle were most reported PFAS-associated metabolomic signatures. Numerous lipid metabolites were also suggested to be associated with PFAS exposure, especially key metabolites in glycerophospholipid metabolism which is critical for biological membrane functions, and fatty acids and carnitines which are relevant to the energy supply pathway of fatty acid oxidation. Other important metabolome changes reported included the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle regarding energy generation, and purine and pyrimidine metabolism in cellular energy systems.

CONCLUSIONS

There is growing interest in using non-targeted metabolomics to study the human physiological changes associated with PFAS exposure. Multiple PFAS were reported to be associated with alterations in amino acid and lipid metabolism, but these results are driven by one predominant type of pathway analysis thus require further confirmation. Standardizing research methods and reporting are recommended to facilitate result comparison. Future studies should consider potential differences in study methodology, use of prospective design, and influence from confounding bias and measurement errors.

A highly sensitive dual-readout assay for perfluorinated compounds based CdTe quantum dots

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are two typical perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) that poss potential ecological toxicity. In this work, a fluorescence and resonance light scattering (RLS) dual-readout strategy for the detection of PFCs at picomole level based on the water-soluble CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) has been proposed. It is found that the CdTe QDs exhibit a quenching in the presence of PFCs and thus serve as useful probes for PFCs. The linear ranges are 0.032-10.0 nM with a limit of detection(LOD) of 32.02 pM for PFOA and 0.044-15.0 nM with a LOD of 43.96 pM for PFOS, respectively. Meanwhile, PFCs can form complexes with CdTe QDs in acid medium, resulting in remarkable RLS signals. The enhanced RLS intensities are in proportion to the concentrations of PFOA and PFOS, respectively. And the linear ranges are 0.048-5.0 nM with a LOD of 47.78 pM for PFOA, and 0.057-5.0 nM with a LOD of 56.72 pM for PFOS, respectively. This dual-mode detection increases the reliability of the measurement. The proposed method is simple, sensitive and cost-effective, with potential applications in environmental monitoring and assessment.

Electrochemical destruction and mobilization of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in saturated soil

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have attracted attention due to their widespread distribution, recalcitrance, and substantial toxicity. In this work, high concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were degraded and mobilized through electrochemical treatments in a simulated source zone of saturated soil. Under a low constant voltage and direct current of 24 V and 467-690 mA, approximately 51.7% and 33% of PFOA and PFOS were degraded, respectively. Additionally, a total defluorination mass balance of 44.7% and 23% were detected for PFOA and PFOS, respectively, which indicates that the removal of PFOA and PFOS occurs through its destruction. Substantial electromigration causes the destruction and mobilization of solid PFOA and PFOS to shift into the water phase. Although electrochemical oxidation of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) were previously reported and studied, this study is one of the few that focus on simultaneous desorption, mobilization, and destruction of PFAS in saturated soil containing a low-intensity electrical field.

Assessment of a wide array of organic micropollutants of emerging concern in wastewater treatment plants in Greece: Occurrence, removals, mass loading and potential risks

Exploring the contamination profile of multi-class emerging contaminants (ECs) in wastewater is highly desirable. To this end, the occurrence, removal, mass loading and risks associated with a large panel of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, illicit drugs, perfluorinated compounds and organophosphate flame retardants in two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the region of Thessaloniki (Greece) after a survey is illustrated. Influent and effluent wastewaters were submitted to solid phase extraction on Oasis HLB cartridges, followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Orbitrap MS). Influent concentrations in both WWTPs were notably higher than effluent, with caffeine, acetaminophen, irbesartan and valsartan being the most ubiquitous compounds, exhibiting elevated concentrations. Average effluent concentrations ranged from below the method quantification limits (<MQL) to remarkably high values (μg L^-1 scale), such as for caffeine, acetaminophen, diclofenac, irbesartan and valsartan, among others. Removal efficiencies ranged between -273% for lamotrigine and 100%, i.e., for the UV filter BP1. Notably, the polar compounds such as cytarabine, methotrexate and capecitabine were removed at a rate >80% in both WWTPs, allowing the correlation between logK_ow and removals. Interesting trends for the illicit drugs were revealed by means of mass loading estimation, as in the case of benzoylecgonine (71.6 mg/day/1000 inhabitants). Ecotoxicological risk assessment was evaluated for both single components and mixture, using three approaches: risk quotient (RQ), risk quotient considering frequency (RQ_f) and toxic units (TU). Irbesartan and telmisartan posed a high risk in all trophic levels, while fish was the most sensitive taxa for diclofenac. This work aspires to intensify the surveillance programs for the receiving water bodies, as well as to motivate the investigation of toxicity to non-target organisms.

The comprehensive analysis based study of perfluorinated compounds-Environmental explanation of bladder cancer progression

Perfluorinated compounds are emerging organic pollutants widely used in building materials, textiles, and electric equipment. Herein, silico analysis was conducted using bioinformatics approach to assess the potential relationship between bladder cancer and perfluorinated compounds. Transcriptome profiles and data of perfluorinated compounds were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression and Comparative Toxicogenomics databases. Gene Ontology (GO9 and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that interactive genes were mainly enriched in bladder cancer (BC). Transcriptome profiles were used to verify the expression of m6A-related genes at the mRNA and protein levels. Most m6A-related genes predicted BC prognosis. Survival analysis and ROC curves demonstrated that the expression levels of m6A-related genes were associated with BC prognosis. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) significantly increased the cell proliferation ability and promoted cell invasion capacity. In addition, PFOA significantly increased the cell viability and cell invasion capacity of T24 and BIU-87 cell lines compared with the control group. Taken together, these results show that perfluorinated compounds could promote BC progression. DATA AVAILABILITY: Data and materials are available within the manuscript.

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in regional industrial rivers: Interactions between pollution flux and eukaryotic community phylosymbiosis

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) pose serious threats to aquatic ecosystems, especially their microbial communities. However, little is known about the phylosymbiosis of aquatic fungal and viridiplantae communities in response to PFC accumulation. We quantified the distribution of 14 PFCs in rivers and found that PFBA was dominant in the transition from water to sediment. High through-put sequencing revealed that phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Anthophyta, and Chlorophyta were the predominant in eukaryotic community. The effects of PFCs on spatial community coalescence at taxonomic and phylogenetic levels (p < 0.05) were revealed. Fungal community coalescence triggered the spatial assembly of fungal and viridiplantae communities in riverine environments (p < 0.05). Null modeling indicated that PFBA, PFTrDA and PFOS, etc, mediated phylogenetic assembly (p < 0.05) and stochastic processes (86.67-100%) maintain phylogenetic turnover in the fungal community. Meanwhile, variable selection (27.78-54.44%) explained the viridiplantae community assemblage. Finally, we identified fungal genera Hannaella, Naganishia, Purpureocillium and Stachybotrys as indicators for PFC pollution (p < 0.001). These results help explain the effects of PFCs on riverine ecological remediation.

Perfluorinated compounds in a river basin from QingHai-Tibet Plateau: Occurrence, sources and key factors

The occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in different environmental media in the QingHai-Tibet Plateau has been limitedly investigated. In this study, the water, sediments, soils and agricultural product samples were collected in the Huangshui River basin, and contents of the PFCs and values of water parameters were determined. This study investigated dominantly regulating factors of the distribution of PFCs in the water emphatically, explored the sources and assessed potential risks of the PFCs integrally. The results showed that perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid presented high maximum concentrations of 3207.42, 3015.96, 1941.89 and 826.4 ng L-1 in the water, respectively. There were 12 PFCs detected in crops, with the maximum concentration of 5206.86 ng g-1 for PFBA. The significantly positive correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between the concentrations of PFBA in crops and that in adjacent rivers, indicating that the irrigation most likely contributed to the accumulation of PFBA in the studied crops. The occurrence of the PFCs in the water during the dry season was dominantly regulated by fluorescent dissolved organic matters via the hydrophobic interaction, while it was primarily regulated by the total nitrogen and electrical conductivity via electrostatic interaction during the wet season. The PFCs in the water were mainly from the wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants and carpet factories, while the resuspension of the PFCs in sediments was also an important contribution especially in wet season. The PFCs in the river has posed sustained risk to the public health, especially children.

Double-headed amphiphile-based sponge droplets: synthesis, characterization and potential for the extraction of compounds over a wide polarity range

Supramolecular solvents (SUPRASs) are gaining momentum in the multi-residue analysis of liquid samples thanks to the delimited hydrophilic and hydrophobic microenvironments in their nanostructures. In this work, SUPRASs with increased hydrophilicity were synthesized with the aim of enhancing the extractability of polar compounds. For this purpose, a double-headed amphiphile, 1,2-decanediol, was self-assembled in hydro-organic media in the presence and absence of sodium chloride. The SUPRASs formed, characterized by scanning electron microscopy, consisted of sponge droplets made up of a highly convoluted three-dimensional (3D) network of amphiphile. The network contained interconnected bilayers that were intersected by similarly interconnected aqueous channels with high and nearly constant water content (∼30%, w/w). Both the inherently open structure of the sponge morphology and the increased hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the amphiphile, provided highly hydrophilic microenvironments into the aggregates that rendered in increased recovery factors for 15 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs, C₄-C₁₈, log P_ow values from 0.4 to 11.6) in natural waters. Extraction took 15 min without further clean-up or evaporation of extracts which were readily compatible with LC-MS/MS quantitation. Absolute recoveries for PFCs, at the level of a few ng L^-1, were in the range 70-120%, except for perfluoropentanoic acid (40%) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (51%). Detection limits for PFCs in water were in the range 0.01-0.02 ng L^-1, which allowed their determination in slightly polluted waters (0.07-2.33 ng L^-1). This work proves that hydrophilicity in SUPRASs can be tailored through the amphiphile and the morphology of their aggregates, and that this characteristic improves compound extractability in multi-residue analysis.

A review of responses of terrestrial organisms to perfluorinated compounds

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants with widespread distribution in the environment. Since the soil environment has become a significant sink for PFCs, the toxicological assessment about their potential effects on terrestrial organisms is necessary. This review compiles the toxicity researches of regular and emerging PFCs on classical terrestrial biota i.e. microorganisms, earthworms, and plants. In the soil environment, the bioavailability of PFCs much depends on their adsorption in soil, which is affected by soil properties and PFCs structure. By the exploration of bacterial community richness and structure, the gene expression, the influences of PFCs on soil microorganisms were revealed; while the plants and earthworms manifested the PFCs disruption not only through macroscopic indicators, but also from molecular and metabolite responses. Basically, the addition of PFCs would accelerate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in terrestrial organisms, while the excessive ROS could not be eliminated by the defense system causing oxidative damage. Nowadays, the PFCs toxic mechanisms discussed are limited to a single strain, Escherichia coli; thus, the complexity of the soil environment demands further in-depth researches. This review warrants studies focus on more potential quantitative toxicity indicators, more explicit elaboration on toxicity influencing factors, and environmentally relevant concentrations to obtain a more integrated picture of PFCs toxicity on terrestrial biota.

Perfluorinated compounds disrupted osmoregulation in Oryzias melastigma during acclimation to hypoosmotic environment

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a type of ubiquitous contaminants spreading in the estuarine and coastal areas. Anadromous fish should deal with hypoosmotic challenge with PFCs stress during their migration from seawater to estuaries. However, few studies have been carried out to investigate the adverse impact of PFCs on fish osmoregulation and the underlying mechanism. In this study, Oryzias melastigma, an euryhaline fish model, were exposed to four representative PFC congeners including perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) separately under both seawater and freshwater conditions. Histopathological changes in gills, ion homeostasis, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKA) activity, as well as the expression of related genes was detected upon exposure. Results showed that PFCs induced morphological changes in gills, disturbed the levels of major ions (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), and inhibited the NKA activity. Transcriptome analysis in fish gills during the acclimation to freshwater revealed that PFCs influenced the osmoregulation mainly by interfering with the endocrine system, signal transduction, as well as cellular community and motility. Validation with qRT-PCR confirmed that the mRNA expressions of osmoregulatory genes encoding hormones and receptors, as well as ion transmembrane transporters were disturbed by PFCs. Longer chain homolog (PFOS) showed a greater impact on osmoregulation than the shorter chain homolog (PFBS). Within the same carbon chain, sulfonic congener (PFOS) induced more serious injury to gills than carboxylic congener (PFOA). The interaction between PFCs and salinity varied in different adverse outcome. These results help to further understand the mechanism of how PFCs influence osmoregulation and elicit the need to assess the ecological risk of PFCs and other pollutants on anadromous migration.

Iron-activated persulfate oxidation degrades aqueous Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at ambient temperature

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, C₈HF₁₅O₂) is an industrial surfactant that is highly resistant to natural breakdown processes such as those mediated by heat, hydrolysis, photolysis, and biodegradation. Many efforts have been developed to breakdown PFOA to less harmful species due to its widespread human exposure and potential toxicity. However, these methods require high temperature or specialized equipment with serious disadvantages of high energy cost for long-term use. We investigated the effectiveness of PFOA degradation by ferrous iron-activated persulfate oxidation (IAPO) under various aqueous geochemical conditions. Approximately 64% of PFOA (initial concentration = 1.64 μmol L^-1) was degraded after 4 h under illuminated anoxic conditions at ambient temperature. This degradation rate and magnitude support the potential use of IAPO as a novel inexpensive and environmentally friendly method to remediate PFOA in soil and groundwater.

Planktonic microbial responses to perfluorinated compound (PFC) pollution: Integrating PFC distributions with community coalescence and metabolism

The presence of perfluorinated compound (PFC) contamination in riverine ecosystems represents a novel challenge for environmental remediation. However, little attention has been paid to how PFCs affect planktonic microbial community coalescence. Here, the spatial profiles of fourteen PFCs and their contributions to community assembly were determined using field sampling in a natural river confluence. Overall, PFPeA (perfluorovaleric acid), PFBS (perfluorobutylsulfonate), PFHpA (perfluoroheptanoic acid) and PFHxA (perfluorohexanoic acid) were identified as important indicators of PFC pollution, accounting for the majority of the spatial heterogeneity in PFC pollution. PFPeA (perfluorovaleric acid) (9.39%) and PFTrDA (perfluorotridecanoate acid) (8.61%) contributed more to microbial taxonomic spatial heterogeneity than did other factors, such as pH, dissolved oxygen and velocity. PFOA (pentadecafluorooctanoic acid) (R² = 0.353) and PFBS (R² = 0.297) drove turnover in archaeal communities within river sections (transversely), while PFHpA (R² = 0.251) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonate) (R² = 0.105) drove turnover in bacterial communities transversely and longitudinally, respectively. Phylogenetic null modeling suggested that archaeal (68.89-83.33%) community assembly was dominated by stochastic processes, and was balanced by PFHxA (R² = 0.349) and PFOA (R² = 0.290). Furthermore, PFOS inhibited the biosynthesis of several key amino acids in archaea, and PFBA enhanced the potential for bacterial infections in humans (p < 0.05), threatening water quality. In sum, this study provides new insights into riverine ecological risk management.

Seasonal variability, long-term distribution (2001-2014), and risk assessment of polar organic micropollutants in the Baltic Sea

From 2001 to 2014, 13 surveys were conducted in the Baltic Sea, to determine its pollution of 50 micropollutants. The investigations focused mostly on the German western Baltic Sea; in 2008, one survey covered the entire Baltic Sea. Various groups of herbicides (such as triazines, phenoxyacetic acid, phenylurea), perfluoroalkyl substances, pharmaceuticals, and industrial products were analyzed during these surveys. The highest concentrations (median 1 to 4 ng/L) were observed for atrazine, simazine, chloridazone, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, benzotriazole, primidone, and carbamazepine. Most micropollutants exhibited a relatively homogenous spatial distribution, though some herbicides show elevated concentrations in certain regions (e.g., Odra estuary), indicating a riverine input. The data set was analyzed, both for seasonal influences and long-time trends. Some herbicides exhibited higher concentrations during summertime. Both upward- and downward-directed time trends could be identified for some herbicides and perfluorinated compounds. For most of the detected compounds, a low-risk quotient was calculated. Only the occurrence of carbendazim could potentially pose a higher risk to the Baltic Sea.

Investigation of distribution, sources and flux of perfluorinated compounds in major southern Indian rivers and their risk assessment

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a group of emerging contaminants still less reported in rivers, particularly southern India. Therefore, we investigated the fate of 13 PFCs in three major rivers in southern India during post-monsoon and summer seasons. Twelve PFCs were detected, with an average total PFCs of 1853 ± 1463 pg/l. However, the total PFCs recorded in ppost-monsoon and summer seasons ranged from ND (none detected) to 10,545 pg/l and ND to 4960 pg/l, respectively. Among the individual congeners, perfluoro-n-hexanoic acid (PFHxA) had the highest detection average (929 ± 710 pg/l). The higher detection of short chain PFCs signifies their increasing wide usage as an alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Higher levels of PFCs were observed in summer than post-monsoon season in the river Kaveri, which is mainly attributed to the decrease in river flow. A multidimensional source identification revealed domestic and commercial wastewater as the major source. A correlation analysis showed that most of the detected PFCs share the common source and undergo co-migration into rivers. The flux of PFCs into the Bay of Bengal, loaded by the Kaveri (15 kg/yr) and the Tamiraparani (2.2 kg/yr) rivers, signifies lower per capita emissions than other rivers in India and other countries. Further, the PFC levels found in the rivers can be considered safe for human consumption and aquatic organisms based on international guidelines. Being the first hand report in southern Indian rivers, the results warrant further investigation to understand the exact sources, fate and removal in detail.

[Study on the Analytical Method of Solid Phase Extraction-Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry for 12 Perfluorinated Compounds in Human Urine]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method for simultaneous determination of 12 kinds of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in human urine based on ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTtrap-MS).

METHODS

After pH adjustment with 2% formic acid, the urine samples were loaded on a WAX solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge for extraction, purification and concentration. The eluates were collected, concentrated to dryness under nitrogen, and reconstituted with 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution-methanol ( V water∶ V methanol = 70∶30) before injection. UPLC was performed on a C 18 cartridge, and methanol and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution was used as mobile phases with gradient elution. QTtrap-MS was operated in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, and the internal standard calibration curves were applied for quantitative analysis.

RESULTS

Good linearity was obtained in the linear range, with the method detection limits and method quantification limits being 0.032 ng/L-6.5 ng/L and 0.10 ng/L-21 ng/L, respectively, for the 12 kinds of PFCs. The spiked recoveries of the 12 kinds of PFCs were 91.5%-114%, with the intra-day precision and the inter-day precision being 0.57%-16.0% and 1.88%-20.1%, respectively. The established method was applied to the determination of 12 kinds of PFCs in the urine samples of primary school students collected in one area. Nine kinds of PFCs were detected in the urine samples in this area. Among the PFCs detected, perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were the main PFCs found in the student urine samples.

CONCLUSION

The method established in this study could be used to simultaneously examine 12 kinds of PFCs in urine. The method combined SPE with isotope internal standard correction and achieved good sensitivity and accuracy.

Maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl chemicals and anogenital distance in the offspring: A Faroese cohort study

Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has in some studies been associated with reduced anogenital distance (AGD) in newborns as a sensitive indicator of prenatal anti-androgenic exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal PFAS exposure and offspring AGD in a population with wide ranges of PFAS exposures. Participants were recruited in the Faroe Islands in 2007-2009, and information on AGD and PFAS exposure was obtained from 463 mother-infant pairs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured in maternal serum. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for birth weight, child age at examination, parity, and maternal education level. Among boys, higher maternal serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA were significantly associated with a longer AGD, both with the exposure entered as a continuous variable and as quartiles. Boys in the highest quartile of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA exposure had an increase in AGD of 1.2 mm (95 % CI 0.1;2.2), 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.3), 1.0 mm (95 % CI 0.0:2.0) and 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.4), respectively, when compared to boys in the lowest quartile of exposure (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between male AGD and PFHxS. No association was found for girls. In conclusion, elevated maternal exposure to major PFASs was significantly associated with a longer AGD in boys. No significant associations were found among girls, thus suggesting a sex-dimorphic effect of PFAS exposure.

Assessing the role of the "estuarine filter" for emerging contaminants: pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl compounds and plasticisers in sediment cores from two contrasting systems in the southern U.K

The environmental occurrence, fate and ecotoxicity of emerging contaminants (ECs) has been the subject of increasing research, policy and public concern over the past two decades. While a wide range of publications have examined the environmental persistence and sediment/soil interactions of ECs following their discharge into aquatic environments, the extent to which ECs are sequestered in estuarine sediments, and the impact of this on their environmental persistence and supply to the ocean, in comparison remains unclear. This Article examines the environmental concentrations of seven, relatively water-soluble and environmentally mobile, ECs (including pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl compounds, and plasticisers) in dated intertidal saltmarsh cores from two contrasting estuarine sites in the southern U.K. (one heavily urbanised/industrial, the other non-urbanised). Mean sediment EC concentrations are similar in both estuarine systems (in the range 0.1 (acetaminophen) to 17 (4-hydroxyacetophenone) ng/g dry weight). Despite their variable reported Log K_ow values (from ca. 0.5 to > 7), the ECs are all apparently mobile in the marsh systems studied, and where subsurface concentration maxima are present these most likely relate to local flushing or diffusive processes and cannot be clearly linked to likely input trends or changes in sediment geochemistry (including sedimentary organic carbon content). The "estuarine filter" here, at least with respect to intertidal saltmarsh sediments, shows reduced potential to sequester the seven ECs examined and mediate their supply to coastal and shelf environments.

Different transport behaviors and mechanisms of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in saturated porous media

Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in soil aroused increasing concern, however there is little information about their transport in porous media, which is urgently needed to better control their environmental risks. In this study, saturated sand columns (considering the coupled effect of solution cation type and pH) and a two-site nonequilibrium transport model (TSM) were used to investigate the transport behaviors and mechanisms of PFOA and PFOS. Breakthrough data and the TSM parameters showed PFOA had higher mobility than PFOS, and divalent cation could inhibit their transport by increasing the nonequilibrium interactions between them and the sand. pH had little influence on PFOA migration when there was only monovalent cation in the solution since PFOA had limited affinity with the sand, however, polyvalent cation could provide additional adsorption sites for it through cation bridging and enhance the effect of pH. Differently, decreasing pH inhibited the transport of PFOS more significantly, and the effect was stronger than that of changing cation type. That proved mechanisms like hydrogen-bonding which were sensitive to solution pH played an important role in PFOS migration. These results provide important scientific basis to the remediation strategy and the migration prediction model development of PFOA and PFOS.

Consumption of freshwater fish: A variable but significant risk factor for PFOS exposure

PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS are the PFAS substances that currently contribute most to human exposure, and in 2020 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) presented a draft opinion on a tolerable intake of 8 ng/kg/week for the sum of these four substances (equaling 0.42 μg/kg if expressed as an annual dose). Diet is usually the dominating exposure pathway, and in particular the intake of PFOS has been shown to be strongly related to the consumption of fish and seafood. Those who eat freshwater fish may be especially at risk since freshwater and its biota typically display higher PFOS concentrations than marine systems. In this study, we estimated the range in PFOS intake among average Swedish "normal" and "high" consumers of freshwater fish. By average we mean persons of average weight who eat average-sized portions. The "normal consumers" were assumed to eat freshwater fish 3 times per year, and the "high consumers" once a week. Under these assumptions, the yearly tolerable intake for "normal" and "high" consumers is reached when the PFOS concentrations in fish equals 59 and 3.4 μg per kg fish meat. For this study, PFOS concentrations in the muscle tissue of edible-sized perch, pike and pikeperch were retrieved from three different Swedish datasets, covering both rural and urban regions and a total of 78 different inland waters. Mean PFOS concentrations in fish from these sites varied from 0.3 to 750 μg/kg. From the available data, the annual min-max dietary PFOS intake for male "normal consumers" was found to be in the range 0.0021-5.4 μg/kg/yr for the evaluated scenarios, with median values of 0.02-0.16 μg/kg/yr. For male "high consumers", the total intake range was estimated to be 0.04-93 μg/kg/yr, with median values being 0.27-1.6 μg/kg/yr. For women, the exposure estimates were slightly lower, about 79% of the exposure in men. Despite highly variable PFOS concentrations in fish from different sites, we conclude that the three most commonly consumed freshwater species in Sweden constitute an important source for the total annual intake even for people who eat this kind of fish only a few times per year. The analyses of PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS showed values which were all below detection limit, and their contribution to the total PFAS intake via freshwater fish consumption is negligible in comparison to PFOS.

Photo enhanced degradation of polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances

The increase in the presence of highly recalcitrant poly- and per- fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment, plant tissues and animals continues to pose serious health concerns. Several treatment methods such as physical, biological and chemical processes have been explored to deal with these compounds. Current trends have shown that the destructive treatment processes, which offer degradation and mineralization of PFASs, are the most desirable process among researchers and policy makers. This article, therefore, reviews the degradation and defluorination processes, their efficiencies and the degradation mechanism of photon-based processes. It shows that high degradation and defluorination efficiency of PFASs could be achieved by photon driven processes such as photolysis, photochemical, photocatalysis and photoreduction. The efficiency of these processes is greatly influenced by the nature of light and the reactive radical generated in the system. The limitation of these processes, however, include the long reaction time required and the use of anoxic reaction conditions, which are not obtainable at ambient conditions.

High throughput analysis of 21 perfluorinated compounds in drinking water, tap water, river water and plant effluent from southern China by supramolecular solvents-based microextraction coupled with HPLC-Orbitrap HRMS

The present work reported a high-throughput strategy for the analysis of 21 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in drinking water, tap water, river water and plant effluent from southern China by supramolecular solvent (SUPARS) vortex-mixed microextraction combined with high performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-Orbitrap HRMS). The SUPRAS without heating assistance is less solvent-consumption, meeting the requirements for green environmental protection and sustainable development. Parameters in the microextraction such as volume of dodecanol and tetrahydrofuran (THF), vortexing extraction and centrifugation time, salt concentration were investigated. The optimal extraction conditions were 250 μL of undecanol, 1.0 mL of THF and 20.0% (w/v, 4 g) NaCl. Under the optimum conditions, method limit of detection and method limit of quantitation in the ranges of 0.01-0.08 μg/L and 0.03-0.25 μg/L, good recoveries (72.5-117.8%) and intra-day precision (1.1-11.2%, n = 6), high enrichment factors (48-78) were obtained. The developed method was successfully applied for analysis of PFCs in 13 drinking water, tap water, river water and plant effluent samples collected from southern China. Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid was detected in one river water with concentration of 0.48 μg/L and 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid was detected in one river water and two plant effluent samples with concentrations in the range of 0.14-0.67 μg/L.

Removal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from waters and wastewaters by the use of ionizing radiation

The most important advantages of the use of ionizing radiation over other AOPs are exceptionally efficient in situ generation of very reactive oxidizing free radicals ^•OH from water radiolysis and very unique simultaneous generation of strongly reducing hydrated electrons. They allow to carry out Advanced Oxidation and Reduction Processes (AO/RPs) simultaneously. Carrying out only oxidative or reductive processes is also possible by the use of appropriate scavengers of free radicals in irradiated solutions. For the application of these processes for environmental protection purposes gamma-rays from radioisotope sources or beams of accelerated electrons are most commonly used. In the case of particularly resistant POPs some chemical additives to the irradiated solutions may enhance the yield of decomposition. This review based on 125 references reported so far presents the applications of the discussed technology in removing POPs from waters and wastewaters, including pesticides listed among POPs, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and selected perfluorinated surfactants.

Efficient removal of GenX (HFPO-DA) and other perfluorinated ether acids from drinking and recycled waters using anion exchange resins

Carcinogenic GenX chemicals, heptafluoropropylene-oxide-dimer-acid (HFPO-DA), have been recently detected in surface, ground and recycled water sources worldwide. However, GenX removals under the influence of variable characteristics of the organic and inorganic compounds present in the natural water sources, have often been overlooked in scientific literature. This is critically important given that the ionic composition and characteristics of organic matter in natural waters are spatially and seasonally variable. A strongly basic anion exchange (IX) resin was used to remove GenX and two other perfluorinated ether acids (PFEAS) from natural surface and recycled water sources. Factors influencing the uptake behavior included the PFEAS concentrations, resin dosage, and background anion characteristics. The equivalent background compound was employed to evaluate the competitive uptake between natural organic matter (NOM), inorganic ions and PFEAS in natural water matrices. Experimental data were compared with different mathematical and physical models and it was depicted that approximately 4-6% of the initial NOM competed with PFEAS for active exchange sites. Further, IX was able to achieve complete PFEAS removal (C_final<10 ng/L) with simultaneous removal of>60% NOM and >80% inorganic ions. Results of this study indicate that IX exhibits great potential for PFEAS removal from natural drinking water sources.

Omics approach reveals perturbation of metabolism and phenotype in Caenorhabditis elegans triggered by perfluorinated compounds

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are widely used in consumer products because of their remarkable endurance. However, their distinct stability prolongs degradation, resulting in bioaccumulation in the environment which is a severe environmental issue. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are principal constituents in the PFCs. In this study, the potential toxic effects of PFOS and PFOA were evaluated by adopting an in vivo animal model, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The uptake of PFCs was confirmed by the quantification of internal concentration in C. elegans. Metabolomics and lipidomics were applied along with reproduction assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay. In the C. elegans exposed to PFOS and PFOA, amino acids including phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, were significantly affected. Also, various species that belong to glycerophospholipids and triacylglycerol were perturbed in the exposed groups. The alteration patterns of the lipidome in PFOS and PFOA treated C. elegans were significantly different. Additionally, dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H₂DCFDA)-based ROS assay revealed increased internal ROS in PFOS (1.5 fold, p-value = 0.0067) and PFOA (1.46 fold, p-value = 0.0253) groups. Decrease in reproduction was confirmed in PFOS (0.53 fold, p-value < 0.0001) and PFOA (0.69 fold, p-value = 0.0003) by counting progeny. Collectively, our findings suggest that exposure to PFCs in C. elegans leads to perturbation of various phenotypes as well as crucial amino acid and lipid metabolism.

Single and combined effects of amino polystyrene and perfluorooctane sulfonate on hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria and the interaction mechanisms

As a carrier of perfluorooctane sulfonate, nano-plastics are ubiquitous and finally enriched in the sludge, which is widely used as a raw material for the production of bioenergy (hydrogen or methane) by anaerobic digestion. However, there are still many unknowns about their metabolic toxicity to functional microbes (e.g. hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria). Therefore, single and combined effects of amino polystyrene (NPS: 70 nm; 0.2 mg/L) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS: 0.1, 1 and 5 mg/L) on hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria were investigated after exposure for 7 days at 55 °C and pH = 5.7. Single NPS exhibited obvious interference to the metabolism of thermophilic bacteria, resulting in a 53.9% reduction in hydrogen production. However, the combined NPS + PFOS produced an antagonistic effect, leading to a 31.6% reduction in hydrogen production. Nonetheless, the single and combined exposure did not alter the type of hydrogen production (acetic acid-type hydrogen fermentation). Moreover, single NPS and combined NPS + PFOS not only induced the changes of the composition of extracellular polymers (EPSs) and π bond structure of the protein in EPSs, but also decreased the activity of hydrolase in EPSs and surface charge of EPSs. Compared to single NPS exposure, NPS + PFOS-exposed thermophilic bacteria was less permeable to a semi-membrane permeable dye and produced less reactive oxygen species, but were still significantly higher than control group. In short, the main mechanisms of single NPS and combined NPS + PFOS were both to increase cell permeability and to induce oxidative stress. The addition of PFOS alleviated the toxic effect of NPS, but did not change its mechanism of toxicity.

Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and exposures to PBDEs, OH-PBDEs, PCBs, and PFASs in a diverse, overweight population of pregnant women

Exposures to persistent organohalogen chemicals during pregnancy are associated with adverse health effects. Low-income, minority women with pre-existing co-morbidities may be particularly vulnerable to these exposures, but have historically been understudied. We aimed to characterize exposures to multiple chemical classes among a sample of ethnically diverse, lower income, overweight or obese pregnant women. Serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in 98 pregnant women (California; 2011-2013). Aggregate exposures were evaluated using correlational clustering, a "chemical burden" score, and PCA. Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and individual and aggregate exposures were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. Clustering and PCA both produced four groupings: (PC1) PBDEs/OH-PBDEs, (PC2) PCBs, (PC3) PFNA/PFOA/PFDeA, (PC4) PFHxS/PFOS. Race/ethnicity and prepregnancy BMI were associated with PBDEs, OH-PBDEs and PC1. Maternal age was associated with PCBs and PC2. Parity was associated with PBDEs, OH-PBDEs and PC2. Poverty was negatively associated with PCBs, whereas food insecurity was positively associated with PFOS. We observed variations in sociodemographic profiles of exposures by chemical class and weak across-class correlations. These findings have implications for epidemiologic studies of chemical mixtures and for exposure reduction strategies.

Effect of long- and short-chain perfluorinated compounds on cultured thyroid cells viability and response to TSH

PURPOSE

Perfluorinated chemicals are widespread pollutants persistent in the environment with links to some major health issues. The two main compounds, perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoro-alkyl sulphonate (PFOS), were recently classified as carcinogenetic and thus their use has been restricted. Short-chain PFCs were recently developed as an alternative, but no data regarding the possible endocrine toxicities of these compounds are available. Aim of this study was to investigate whether short-chain PFCs could jeopardize thyroid cell viability and/or interfere with the functional effect TSH.

METHODS

Fisher rat thyroid line-5 (FRTL-5) was treated with increasing concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), pentafluoropropionic anhydride (PFPA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) to evaluate modifications in cell viability and TSH-stimulated cAMP production.

RESULTS

Neither long nor short-chain PFCs affected cell viability (apart from PFOS 100 µM), or interfered with cAMP production.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study demonstrate for the first time that short-chain PFCs have no acute cytotoxic effect on thyroid cells in vitro and that cAMP production is not modulated by any of the tested PFCs.

Seminal plasma metabolites mediate the associations of multiple environmental pollutants with semen quality in Chinese men

Environmental exposure to arsenic, phthalate esters (PAEs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) has been associated with human semen quality. However, the epidemiological "black-box" of these associations remains poorly uncovered. In this study, based on the association analysis between arsenic, PAE and PFC exposure and semen quality parameters (i.e., semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm count, progressive motility, total motility and normal morphology) in a Chinese male population, we explored the seminal plasma metabolic signatures that may mediate the exposure-outcome relations by using the meet-in-metabolite-analysis (MIMA) approach. As a result, a negative association was found between DMA and sperm concentration, whereas MEHP and PFHxS were positively associated with sperm count and concentration, respectively. Metabolomics analysis revealed that sixteen and twenty-two seminal plasma metabolites were related to sperm concentration and count, respectively, and they are mainly involved in fatty acid, lipid and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, it was further indicated that eicosatetraenoate, carnitines and DHA may impact the inverse association between DMA and sperm concentration, while eicosatetraenoate, carnitines, DHA, PGB2 and tocotrienol are possible mediators of the positive association between PFHxS and sperm concentration. As these metabolic biomarkers are relevant to antioxidation and fatty acid β-oxidation, we suggest that redox balance and energy generation shifts in seminal plasma are involved in the association of human semen quality with environmental DMA and PFHxS exposure.

Perfluorinated compounds in poultry products from the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions in China

Chicken, duck, egg, and duck egg samples from the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions in China were analyzed for 17 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). The concentrations of PFCs in chicken and duck livers ranged from <LOD to 35.53 μg/kg and 40.41 μg/kg, respectively, which is higher than in other tissues. PFDA was the predominant PFC in live with mean concentrations of 2.09 μg/kg and 1.73 μg/kg in chicken and duck livers, respectively. The mean ∑PFCs concentrations were 1.87 μg/kg and 1.88 μg/kg in chicken and duck eggs, respectively. The mean PFC concentrations were also similar in the subcutaneous fat of both chicken and duck. The total PFC concentrations in chicken and ducks ranged from <LOD to 54.63 μg/kg and 10.21 μg/kg. The current concentration levels of PFCs would not cause health risks to adults even with the frequent consumption of poultry products. However, the higher concentrations of PFCs in chicken and chicken eggs might cause health risks in children.

Occurrences, levels and risk assessment studies of emerging pollutants (pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl and endocrine disrupting compounds) in fish samples from Kalk Bay harbour, South Africa

A comprehensive analysis of 15 target chemical compounds (pharmaceuticals and personal care product, perfluoroalkyl compounds and industrial chemicals) were carried out to determine their concentrations in selected commercially exploited, wild caught small and medium sized pelagic fish species and their organs (Thyrsites atun (snoek), Sarda orientalis (bonito), Pachymetopon blochii (panga) and Pterogymnus laniarius (hottentot)) obtained from Kalk Bay harbour, Cape Town. Solid phase extraction (SPE) method based on Oasis HLB cartridges were used to concentrate and clean-up the samples. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of these chemical compounds revealed the simultaneous presence of at least 12 compounds in different parts of the selected fish species in nanogram-per-gram dry weight (ng/g dw) concentrations. The results revealed that perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid and perfluoroheptanoic acid were the most predominant among the perfluorinated compounds and ranged between: (20.13-179.2 ng/g), (21.22-114.0 ng/g) and (40.06-138.3 ng/g). Also, diclofenac had the highest concentration in these edible fish species out of all the pharmaceuticals detected (range: 551.8-1812 ng/g). The risk assessment values were above 0.5 and 1.0 for acute and chronic risk respectively which shows that these chemicals have a high health risk to the pelagic fish, aquatic organisms and to humans who consume them. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a precautionary approach and the adequate regulation of the use and disposal of synthetic chemicals that persist in aquatic/marine environment in this province and other parts of South Africa, to prevent impacts on the sustainability of our marine environment, livelihood and lives.

Evaluation of the airborne pollution by emerging contaminants using bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) tree leaves as biosamplers

In this work, an analytical method has been applied to biomonitor airborne emerging pollutants in urban areas using bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) tree leaves, which is an evergreen species widely extended in the Mediterranean region, as biosampler. Leaves, from trees located in 20 different locations from Seville City (South of Spain) were sampled during one year period. Sampling sites were located in six highly populated areas, in seven lowly populated areas, in six urban parks and in one industrial area. Fifteen of the target compounds were detected in the analysed samples. The highest concentrations corresponded to plasticizers (up to 852ng/g dry matter (dm)) and surfactants (up to 752ng/gdm), especially di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and nonylphenol. Spatial distribution allowed assessing the influence of populated areas in the concentration of some of the studied compounds, such as plasticizers and perfluorinated compounds, and the influence of industrial areas, in the concentration of surfactants. No clear influence of the climatic conditions (temperature, solar radiation and rainfall) on the concentrations of studied compounds was observed. This fact could be due to the presence of diffuse sources of these compounds. In the case of the brominated flame retardant, the measured concentrations could be related with two fire episodes in the vicinity, but until now it has not been possible to rigorously demonstrate a causal relationship. This fact could reveal the suitability and valuable use of Citrus aurantium tree leaves for biomonitoring atmospheric pollutants, especially from unexpected emissions in atmospheric pollution episodes.

Occurrence of perfluorinated compounds in agricultural environment, vegetables, and fruits in regions influenced by a fluorine-chemical industrial park in China

The occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in vegetables and fruits, as well as agricultural environment, was investigated in the downstream regions of Changshu fluorine-chemical industrial park (CFCIP) in China. Twenty-one PFCs were analyzed in irrigation water, agricultural soil, typical vegetables, and fruits, with the maximum total PFC concentrations of 369.9 ng/L, 64.7 ng/g dw, 11.5 ng/g ww, and 10.5 ng/g ww, respectively. Short-chained perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), and perfluorohexanoic acid were the dominant PFCs in terms of their concentrations and detection frequency. PFCs in irrigation water and agricultural soils showed a decreasing trend with increasing distance from CFCIP, while this pattern was not observed in agricultural products. The predominant compounds varied in different vegetables and fruits. Simultaneous bioaccumulation of PFBA and PFOA was found in melons and solanaceous species and pears. Leafy vegetables and grapes exhibited high bioaccumulation of PFOA and PFBA, respectively. Health risk assessment by calculating estimated daily intake showed that no direct risk was caused by the consumption of vegetables and fruits for the residents in the investigated regions. However, the tolerable weekly intake of PFOA exceeded the established thresholds for the adult residents. A comprehensive health assessment of the dietary exposure of PFCs, including all exposure pathways, in fluorine-chemical industrial park-impacted regions is needed.