Abstract
This review is a survey of recent advances in studies concerning the impact of poly- and perfluorinated organic compounds in aquatic organisms. After a brief introduction on poly- and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) features, an overview of recent monitoring studies is reported illustrating ranges of recorded concentrations in water, sediments, and species. Besides presenting general concepts defining bioaccumulative potential and its indicators, the biodistribution of PFCs is described taking in consideration different tissues/organs of the investigated species as well as differences between studies in the wild or under controlled laboratory conditions. The potential use of species as bioindicators for biomonitoring studies are discussed and data are summarized in a table reporting the number of monitored PFCs and their total concentration as a function of investigated species. Moreover, biomolecular effects on taxonomically different species are illustrated. In the final paragraph, main findings have been summarized and possible solutions to environmental threats posed by PFCs in the aquatic environment are discussed.
Highlights
The peculiar physicochemical properties of fluorinated organic molecules have opened the way to their large diffusion since the second half of the last century [1]
We will use the acronym PFCs referring to poly- and perfluorinated compounds where the fluorine atoms are located in different parts of the considered molecule, while the term PFAS will be used to indicate a subclass of PFCs consisting only of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances
The purpose of this review is to provide an organized overview of the impact of PFAS, with a specific focus on aquatic biota, evaluated through studies on biomonitoring, determination of contamination and biodistribution profile, evaluation of their bioaccumulative potential, assessment of biomolecular effects caused by these pollutants, and their aquatic half-life
Summary
The peculiar physicochemical properties of fluorinated organic molecules have opened the way to their large diffusion since the second half of the last century [1]. The half-life of 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) (a fluorinated compound alternative to PFOS) ranged around 10 days in zebrafish larvae indicating a high persistence potential in aquatic organisms [70]. From BCF which requires controlled conditions and excludes the contribution of dietary intake, the BAF expresses the bioaccumulation of a substance in an organism through all possible routes of exposure, including diet, where the dietary uptake is governed by the kinetic constant kDietary. It is important to remark that, measured through the same items (see Equations (2) and (4)) BAF and BCF cannot be determined in the same experiment since BCF excludes dietary intake of the investigated chemicals (i.e., animals are fed with uncontaminated food) while BAF considers dietary intake whether it is known under controlled conditions ([Substance]Diet ) or unknown (in the field measurements). With regard to BMF or TMF, values greater than 1 are considered significantly high [71]
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