Evaluation of Published Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) Data for Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Across Aquatic Species

Abstract

Perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals of concern across the globe, and some of the PFAS chemicals are known to be bioaccumulative in aquatic species. A literature search for bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for PFASs has been done and data for 22 taxonomic classes were assembled. The assembled data were evaluated for quality, and for gaps and limitations in bioaccumulation information for PFAS universe of chemicals.In general, carbonyl and sulfonyl PFAS classes are relatively data rich while phosphate, fluorotelomer and ether PFAS classes are data limited for fish and nonexistent for most This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Accepted Articleother taxonomic classes. Taxonomic classes with the most measurements were, in descending order, Teleostei (fish), Bivalvia, and Malacostraca. For fish, median whole body log BAFs (L/kg-ww) for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were 3.47 (sd=0.78, n=105) and 2.16 (sd=0.85, n=48) using all measurements, respectively. In comparison to freshwater species, data are limited for marine species and further research is needed to determine if BAFs for freshwater and marine species should be the same or different. BAFs for some PFASs appear consistent with BCFs developed with laboratory experiments, in which values decline with increasing concentrations in water.

Bioaccumulation, Biodistribution, Toxicology and Biomonitoring of Organofluorine Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

“…On the other hand, in the same study, BCF values were higher in bivalves' soft tissues (max BCF value found in golden freshwater clam for PFHxS of 2781 L/kg) than in crustaceans (max BCF value found in paddle crab for PFHpA of 1523 L/kg) and gastropods (max BCF value found in golden applesnail for PFHxS of 1606 L/kg) [99]. These reported bioaccumulative potential data are coherent with the evidence emerged in the recent review of Burkhard [25] where differences in BFC values between different PFCs, aquatic organisms and tissues are reported.…”

“…Many studies show that in strongly anthropized environments the above cited empirical descriptors meet the criteria to define PFCs as bioaccumulative substances [25,77] although, for specific substances such as PFOA, values of BCF and BAF are not always above the bioaccumulative threshold [71]. Since any of the bioaccumulative factors is determined based on a specific organism/tissue and can be evaluated in various geographical areas, it is important to analyse data from different studies to define the bioaccumulative potential of a specific polyfluorinated organic substance.…”

“…For the determination of PFAS in aquatic organisms, several studies have been carried out and more sensitive, rapid, and robust extraction and analytical methods have been recently developed [20][21][22][23][24]. Moreover, literature on PFAS environmental impact is continuously foraged by new research on their bioconcentration [25], health effects [26], human exposure, and legal regulation [8]. The purpose of this review is to provide an organized overview of the impact of PFAS, with a specific focus on aquatic biota, evaluated through studies on biomonitoring, determination of contamination and biodistribution profile, evaluation of their bioaccumulative potential, assessment of biomolecular effects caused by these pollutants, and their aquatic half-life.…”

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in US Ambient Surface Waters: A Review of Occurrence in Aquatic Environments and Comparison to Global Concentrations

“…Searches for such literature were conducted by developing a series of search terms related to the chemicals analyzed (e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonate or PFOS and its salts), water body type sampled (e.g., ambient water bodies such as rivers, streams, wetlands, or lakes), and location of sampled water body (which was specific to the United States). Databases searched were Science Direct, Google Scholar, and the USEPA's ECOTOX Database (which includes ambient water concentrations for calculation of bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors such as those in Burkhard [2021]). In addition, it should be noted that many US states have conducted monitoring of PFOS.…”

Occurrence, Profile, and Potential Risks of Novel and Legacy Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Bullfrogs: Pilot Study in an Intensive Aquaculture Region, China

“…Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were used to investigate the accumulation of PFASs in bullfrogs, which represents chemical uptake from water. BAF is defined as the ratio of the concentrations of PFASs in biota and concentrations in water (Chevreuil, 2010;Wilkinson et al, 2018;Burkhard, 2021). The field-based BAF was calculated as follows: BAF C organism /C water The intake of PFASs from bullfrog was identified as important exposure for human.…”