Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have captured worldwide attention due to their persistent and bioaccumulative characteristics. The bullfrog is a highly nutritious and edible aquatic product, but the PFAS accumulation characteristics of bullfrogs had not been paid attention. The present study analyzed the PFAS concentrations in different tissues of cultured bullfrogs and relevant water and sediments collected from the aquaculture region in the coastal area of South China. Results showed that total PFAS concentrations were 50.26–364.25 ng/L in water, with a mean of 135.58 ng/L; concentrations in effluent water were significantly higher than those in influent water, which means bullfrog farming could increase contaminants into the surroundings. The total PFAS concentrations varied from 2.89 to 162.26 ng/g·dw in sediment. The distribution profile of PFASs in sediment was similar to that of water, with short chain playing a significant role. Total PFASs in bullfrog tissues were 3.36–84.07 ng/g·dw, with the highest values in the digestive system (intestines and stomach). As for one novel PFAS alternative, chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) was found at high detectable levels in all habitat samples and had a higher value of logarithmic bioaccumulation factors. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) for residents in the study area was generally higher than that in other regions; however, the hazard ratios (HRs) for most detected PFASs were far below the safety threshold value “1.” These results suggest that frequent consumption of these bullfrogs would basically not cause severe health effects on local residents in terms of PFASs.
Highlights
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are recognized as emerging contaminants capturing worldwide attention (Pan et al, 2018; Long et al, 2021; Troger et al, 2021)
All mass-labeled internal standards and native standards were purchased from Wellington Laboratories (Guelph, ON, Canada), including perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorodecane sulfonate (PFDS), PFBA, perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), PFHxA, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoate carboxylate (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA), perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA), perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA), and perfluorooctadecanoic acid (PFODA)
Short-chain polyfluoroalkyl substances were found in high concentration among most water samples, reaching 97%, while long-chain polyfluoroalkyl substances only accounted for 3%
Summary
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are recognized as emerging contaminants capturing worldwide attention (Pan et al, 2018; Long et al, 2021; Troger et al, 2021) They are primarily transported in the environment and spread around the globe due to their persistent and bioaccumulative characteristics (Conder et al, 2008; Simon et al, 2019). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate carboxylate (PFOA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), as well as their salts, are listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention (UNEP, 2009; Stockholm Convention, 2017) They are still used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, semi-conductors, pulp, paper, fabric, and clothing, and have been widely utilized in electrochemical fluorination and telomerization in China (Buck et al, 2011). The alternative perfluorochemicals have been detected ubiquitously in the environment matrix recently, and even higher than traditional PFASs, especially in areas with high-intensive anthropogenic activities (Yamazaki et al, 2019; Brase et al, 2021; Sun et al, 2021)
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