Acute and Chronic Effects of Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS) on the Mallard and Northern Bobwhite Quail

Abstract

Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) can be a final degradation product of perfluorobutane sulfonyl fluoride (PBSF)-based chemicals. Surfactants based on this chemistry are potential replacements for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)-related products and have many potential applications in industrial and commercial processes and applications. To evaluate the potential hazard that PFBS may pose to avian species, acute dietary studies with juvenile mallards and northern bobwhite quail, as well as a quail dietary chronic study of reproduction were conducted. In the acute studies, 10-day-old mallards and quail were exposed to nominal dietary concentrations of 1,000, 1,780, 3,160, 5,620 or 10,000 mg PFBS/kg feed, wet weight (ww) for 5 days and the birds were then fed an untreated diet and observed for up to 17 days. No treatment-related mortalities were observed in the study up to 10,000 mg PFBS/kg, ww feed. Body weight gains of quail exposed to 5620 or 10,000 mg PFBS/kg feed were statistically less than that of unexposed controls. Weight gain of mallards exposed to 10,000 mg PFBS/kg feed was statistically less than that of controls. There were no statistically significant effects on feed consumption of either species. In the acute studies, no observed adverse effect concentration (NOAEC) for mallards and quail were 5620 and 3160 mg PFBS/kg, ww feed, respectively. In a reproduction study, adult quail were exposed to nominal dietary concentrations of 100, 300, or 900 mg PFBS/kg, ww feed for up to 21 weeks. There were no treatment-related mortalities or effects on body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, histopathology measures, or reproductive parameters evaluated in the study when compared to the control group. Concentrations of PFBS in blood serum, liver, and eggs were dose-dependent but were less than the administered dose, indicating biodiminution. Based on the results from the quail reproduction study, the dietary NOAEC was 900 mg PFBS/kg, ww feed (equivalent to an ADI of 87.8 mg PFBS/kg bw/d).

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and related fluorochemicals in chicken egg in China

“…The results showed that around 100% of the PFOS in the egg was distributed in egg yolk and PFOS was not detected in egg white (<0.08 ng/g, w/w). Our results were consistent with another study which reported that approximately 98% of the PFOS measured in eggs was found in the yolk, whereas less than 1% was measured in the albumen and egg membrane [31] . The results of these two studies suggest that most of the PFOS transferred to bird eggs partitions to the yolk, but more studies on other species are needed to confirm this finding.…”

“…Consumption of tainted foodstuffs might be one of the possible sources of contamination. Besides, a recent study reported that food-packaging processes might contribute PFC contamination to food [31] . Conceivably, surfactant in the packaging of chicken feed might contaminate chicken feed with PFCs, and the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs may have resulted in the relatively high PFOS concentrations that were detected in the chicken eggs.…”

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in sediments from South Bohai coastal watersheds, China

“…PFAS are ubiquitous in river water, oceans, sediment, soil, and tissues of wildlife and humans (Ahrens et al, 2010a;Higgins et al, 2005;Wang et al, 2013;Giesy and Kannan, 2001;Bao et al, 2010a;Kannan et al, 2001Kannan et al, , 2002a. They are potentially harmful to fresh water and marine mammals (Ishibashi et al, 2008) and have potential adverse effects in wildlife species (Hoff et al, 2005;Fair et al, 2012;Beach et al, 2005;Newsted et al, 2005Newsted et al, , 2008Giesy et al, 2009).…”

Per- and polyfluorinated substances in the Nordic Countries

“…The results however, demonstrated significantly altered heart rates in the embryos as well as malformations of their heads after exposure to PFBS (Hagenaars et al, 2011b). In juvenile mallards and northern bobwhite quail, PFBS was found to affect the body weight gains of quail exposed to 5,620 or 10,000 mg PFBS/kg feed, which were statistically less than that of unexposed controls (Newsted et al, 2008).…”