Determination of 56 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in top predators and their prey from Northern Europe by LC-MS/MS

Anthropogenic Drivers of Variation in Concentrations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Otters (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales

“… 58 ] A European study on PFAS concentrations in apex predators found buzzards ( Buteo buteo ), which typically feed on terrestrial prey, to be the least contaminated when compared to Eurasian otters and marine apex mammals [harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ), gray seals ( Halichoerus grypus ), and harbor porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena )] from the same countries. 32 Differences in the top predator accumulation of PFOS between freshwater, marine, and terrestrial systems are likely to reflect a complex suite of factors, including proximity to sources, differing food webs, and species specific differences in bioaccumulation and metabolism. 5 Recent research suggests that freshwater predators may have some of the highest concentrations 32 and although terrestrial species living in close proximity to sources can show very high concentrations, 63 PFASs are highly soluble and therefore the predominant exposure pathway into the environment is via water.…”

“… 32 Differences in the top predator accumulation of PFOS between freshwater, marine, and terrestrial systems are likely to reflect a complex suite of factors, including proximity to sources, differing food webs, and species specific differences in bioaccumulation and metabolism. 5 Recent research suggests that freshwater predators may have some of the highest concentrations 32 and although terrestrial species living in close proximity to sources can show very high concentrations, 63 PFASs are highly soluble and therefore the predominant exposure pathway into the environment is via water. 17 Concentrations in freshwater species may be high relative to those in marine systems due to their closer proximity to a range of sources, including effluent, leachate, and runoff.…”

“… 30 , 31 Their wide distribution across Europe, Asia, and northern Africa makes them a good candidate as a sentinel for contaminants across countries and continents. 32 Within Britain, otters are the top predator of freshwater ecosystems and are, therefore, likely to be a good indicator of exposure to contamination via the manufacture, use, and disposal of PFAS-containing products.…”

Development and application of an LC-MS method to the determination of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking, sea and surface water samples

“…8 PFAS can be bioaccumulated and biomagnied through the food chain. [9][10][11][12] PFAS are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and organisms globally, and have been detected in air, soil, plants and biota. [13][14][15] Several studies on their toxicity have demonstrated that exposure to PFAS can result in neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity.…”

Current progress in the environmental analysis of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

“…Up to this day there are nearly 5000 PFAS that are broadly used in several industrial and commercial applications 12 . Currently, targeted methodologies only cover a small fraction of the existing PFAS, while the vast majority of the PFAS precursors remains unknown 13 . Establishing analytical approaches that employ untargeted screening to elucidate and, ultimately, identify unknown PFAS are a necessary step toward the understanding of the full scale environmental risk and hazardous potential of these contaminants.…”