Temporal Shifts in Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in North Atlantic Pilot Whales Indicate Large Contribution of Atmospheric Precursors.

ABSTRACT: Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent, bioaccumulative anthropogenic compounds associated with adverse health impacts on humans and wildlife. PFAS production changed in North America and Europe around the year 2000, but impacts on wildlife appear to vary across species and location. Unlike other mammal species, cetaceans lack the enzyme for transforming an important intermediate precursor (perfluorooctane sulfonamide: FOSA), into a prevalent compound in most wildlife (perfluorooctanesulfonate: PFOS). Thus, their tissue burden differentiates these two compounds while other mammals contain PFOS from both direct exposure and precursor degradation. Here we report temporal trends in 15 PFASs measured in muscle from juvenile male North Atlantic pilot whales (Globicephala mel

SUBMITTER: Dassuncao C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7784705 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature