Are there risks induced by novel and legacy poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in coastal aquaculture base in South China?

By Qiongping Sun, Ran Bi, Tieyu Wang, Chuanghong Su, Zhenwei Chen, Jieyi Diao, Zhao Zheng, and Wenhua Liu
Sci Total Environ
June 1, 2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146539

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have raised great attention as emerging contaminants due to their persistent and bioaccumulative characteristics. Following the global actions to limit perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts, chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B), as an alternative perfluorochemical, has been a focus during this period. In this study, PFASs in coastal seawater, sediment, and seaweed from the significant aquaculture bases of Porphyra haitanensis in the southeast of China were investigated. Their bioaccumulation and ecological risk were elucidated and associated human exposures to PFASs with consumption of aquatic products for rural and urban groups were calculated. The total PFASs levels in seawater and sediment were 21.52-241.86 ng/L and 4.55-26.54 ng/g·dw, respectively. F-53B was found frequently and has relative high concentration in seawater (ND-2.13 ng/L). The Porphyra haitanensis and Siganus fuscescens were also analyzed, with PFASs concentrations ranging from 10.45 to 29.98 ng/g·dw and 7.17 to 25.43 ng/g·dw, respectively. The total logarithm BAF of F-53B and PFOS in two kinds of detected seafoods were within 0-2.94 and 2.01-3.25, these values did not vary in different sites. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFASs through aquatic products consumption in rural and urban residents were 0.03-26.50 ng/kg bw/day and 0.17-37.01 ng/kg bw/day, respectively, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese residents. The total EDI of PFASs via Porphyra haitanensis and Siganus fuscescens in different groups were significantly lower than the suggested tolerable daily intake (PFOS, 150 ng/kg bw/day; PFOA, 1500 ng/kg bw/day), which indicates that PFASs did not induce health risks to the residents living around these aquaculture bases.

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