Polyfluoroalkyl Compounds in Free-Ranging Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs) have been used for decades in industrial and commercial products and are now detected worldwide. Concentrations of two major PFA groups, carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and sulfonic acids (PFSAs), were assessed in plasma of bottlenose dolphins from the Gulf of Mexico (Sarasota Bay, FL) and the Atlantic Ocean (Delaware Bay, NJ, Charleston, SC, Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL, and Bermuda). Eight PFAs were detected in the plasma of all dolphins. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the predominant compound at all locations (range from 49 ng/g wet weight (w.w.) in dolphins from Bermuda to 1171 ng/g w.w. in plasma of animals from Charleston). Sum of PFA concentrations were significantly higher in animals from Charleston compared to IRL, Sarasota Bay, and Bermuda. Concentrations of several PFAs were negatively associated with age in animals from IRL and Charleston. No differences between gender were observed for all compounds at all locations. An increase in PFA concentrations was associated with a decrease of blubber thickness in animals from Sarasota Bay and IRL. Fluorotelomer 8:2 and 10:2 unsaturated carboxylic acids (FTUCAs), known degradation products of fluorotelomer alcohols and suspected precursors to PFCAs, were detected for the first time at low concentrations in plasma of dolphins.