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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Pollution
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1467022
This article is part of the Research Topic Impacts of Emerging Contaminants and Their Ecotoxicological Consequences View all 8 articles

Trophic transfer of PFAS potentially threatens vulnerable Saunder's gull (Larus saundersi) via the food chain in the coastal wetlands of the Yellow Sea, China 1

Provisionally accepted
Dini Zhang Dini Zhang 1Wei Liu Wei Liu 1*Yu Xin Yu Xin 2Xiaoshou Liu Xiaoshou Liu 3Zhenhua Zhang Zhenhua Zhang 1Yan Liu Yan Liu 1
  • 1 Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
  • 2 Nantong Environmental Monitoring Centre of Jiangsu Province, Nantong, China
  • 3 Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been extensively documented as posing significant health risks to human populations. However, there is a lack of research of their impact on endangered species, which significantly affects the effectiveness of conservation efforts and maintenance of these populations. In this study, we examined the levels of PFAS pollution in adults and juveniles of the vulnerable Saunders's gull (Larus saundersi), along with their various food sources. Long-chain PFAS, predominantly composed of perfluorooctanoic acid (accounting for 51.4% of the total), were identified as the main pollutants in the gull, its food, and the environment. Saunders's gulls showed significant bioaccumulation and magnification of PFAS, with contamination levels significantly above those recorded in other species. Mean PFAS levels between juveniles (904.26 ng/g wet weight) and adults (407.40 ng/g wet weight) revealed a significant disparity, indicating that PFAS pollution may severely threaten these birds. Among the food sources analyzed, bivalves and polychaetes emerged as the primary contributors to PFAS contamination in Saunders's gulls, with high transfer efficiency. The fundamental cause of PFAS pollution in benthic organisms and the gulls appears to be baseline environmental pollution, which was highly consistent across all examined pollutant types. Moreover, chemical plants close to breeding areas may cause severe environmental pollution, threatening organisms at various trophic levels through the food web. We suggest enhancing the pollution monitoring of important biological habitats for timely prediction and early warning of chemical risks. Additionally, ecological restoration of key habitats should be strengthened to ensure the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation.

    Keywords: PFAS, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFCAs, perfluorocarboxylic acids, PFSAs, perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids, PFBA, perfluorobutanoic acid, PFBS, perfluoro-1-butane sulfonic acid, PFDA, perluorodecanoic acid, PFDoDA, perfluorododecanoic acid, PFDS, perfluoro-1-decanesulfonate

    Received: 19 Jul 2024; Accepted: 18 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Liu, Xin, Liu, Zhang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Wei Liu, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China

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