Combined screening and retroactive data mining for emerging perfluoroethers in wildlife and pets in the Cape Fear region of North Carolina

Abstract

The recent application of non-targeted analysis (NTA) techniques in environmental monitoring has revealed numerous novel fluorinated species in surface water, wildlife, and humans in the Cape Fear River (CFR) region of North Carolina. In this study, we have re-examined archived alligator, striped bass, horse, and dog serum as well as archived seabird tissue data from previously reported exposure studies in order to extend the panel of detected novel PFAS. In this study, the compounds CF3-(OCF2)x-COOH, x = 6, 7, 8 (Abbreviated PFO6TeDA, PFO7HxDA, PFO8OcDA, respectively), and 6H-Perfluoro-3-oxa,4-methylhexanesulfonic acid (Nafion byproduct 6) were detected for the first time in environmental tissues even though these analytes were not previously detected in the CFR. Analytical standards were available for PFO6TeDA and Nafion Byproduct 6, and therefore, were quantitated in investigated tissues. PFO7HxDA and PFO8OcDA had no available standards and were semi-quantitated using NTA techniques. Of note, PFO6TeDA, PFO7HxDA, and PFO8OcDA were observed in alligator, bass, and seabird but not horse and dog. PFO6TeDA was detected at the highest frequency in all investigated tissues with PFO7HxDA and PFO8OcDA detected at lower frequencies. No Nafion Byproduct 6 values are reported in serum due to poor analytical reproducibility of the measurements. Seabird tissue to blood ratios suggests PFO6TeDA is highest in the heart, kidney, and liver and lowest in the brain. Overall, additional studies are needed to fully understand the potential impact of these additional novel PFAS on both wildlife and humans in the CFR region.