Fate and effects of poly‐ and perfluoroalkyl substances in the aquatic environment: A review

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and chemistry Vol. 33; no. 9; pp. 1921 - 1929
• Main Authors: Ahrens, Lutz, Bundschuh, Mirco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensacola, FL Pergamon 01.09.2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; SETAC
• Subjects: adverse effects; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Alkanesulfonic Acids - analysis; Alkanesulfonic Acids - toxicity; analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Analytisk kemi; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Annan kemi; Anthropogenic factors; Applied ecology; Aquatic ecology; Aquatic environment; atmospheric deposition; Bioaccumulation; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Caprylates; Caprylates - analysis; Caprylates - toxicity; Chemical compounds; Degradation; Degradation products; Ecosystem structure; ecosystems; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects; Emissions; Environmental perception; Environmental Sciences; Fate; fauna; Flora; Fluorocarbons; Fluorocarbons - analysis; Fluorocarbons - toxicity; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Miljövetenskap; Multiple stressors; Organic Chemistry; Organisk kemi; Other Chemistry Topics; Partitioning; Perfluoroalkyls; perfluorocarbons; Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); PFA; Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs); Precursors; risk; Risk assessment; Sewage treatment; Sewage treatment plants; Side effects; Species interaction; Sulfonates; Toxicity; Wastewater treatment plants; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water treatment plants; Multiple stressors; Ecotoxicology; Organic perhalocompound; Pollutant behavior; Toxicity; Effects Fate; Review; Sulfonate; Persistent organic pollutant; Freshwater environment; Anionic surfactant; Aquatic environment; Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs); environment; Carboxylic acid; Aquatic; Species interaction; Fluorine Organic compounds; Biological accumulation; Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); Interspecific relation; Effects; Fate
• ISSN: 0730-7268; 1552-8618; 1552-8618
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.2663

Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are distributed ubiquitously in the aquatic environment, which raises concern for the flora and fauna in hydrosystems. The present critical review focuses on the fate and adverse effects of PFASs in the aquatic environment. The PFASs are continuously emitted into the environment from point and nonpoint sources such as sewage treatment plants and atmospheric deposition, respectively. Although concentrations of single substances may be too low to cause adverse effects, their mixtures can be of significant environmental concern. The production of C₈‐based PFASs (i.e., perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS] and perfluorooctanoate [PFOA]) is largely phased out; however, the emissions of other PFASs, in particular short‐chain PFASs and PFAS precursors, are increasing. The PFAS precursors can finally degrade to persistent degradation products, which are, in particular, perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs). In the environment, PFSAs and PFCAs are subject to partitioning processes, whereby short‐chain PFSAs and PFCAs are mainly distributed in the water phase, whereas long‐chain PFSAs and PFCAs tend to bind to particles and have a substantial bioaccumulation potential. However, there are fundamental knowledge gaps about the interactive toxicity of PFAS precursors and their persistent degradation products but also interactions with other natural and anthropogenic stressors. Moreover, because of the continuous emission of PFASs, further information about their ecotoxicological potential among multiple generations, species interactions, and mixture toxicity seems fundamental to reliably assess the risks for PFASs to affect ecosystem structure and function in the aquatic environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014; 33:1921–1929. © 2014 SETAC