Exposure assessment of PFAS-contaminated sites using avian eggs as a biomonitoring tool: a frame of reference and a case study in the Po River valley (Northern Italy)
By Michelangelo Morganti, Stefano Polesello, Simona Pascariello, Claudia Ferrario, Diego Rubolini, Sara Valsecchi, and Marco Parolini
Integr Environ Assess Manag
March 30, 2021
DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4417
For many years, eggs of diverse bird species have been used as monitoring tools in studies investigating PFAS contamination, especially in marine and remote areas. Avian eggs are a suitable monitoring matrix because they are relatively easy to collect and their yolks store diverse maternally-transferred PFAS. Moreover, the concentrations of PFAS detected in the eggs are a good proxy of maternal exposure, and allow the assessment of the potential risk for birds. These features support the use of avian eggs as a key monitoring tool in exposure assessment of PFAS-contaminated sites. We first review the recent application of avian eggs in PFAS monitoring in environmental risk assessment schemes, highlighting strengths and limitations and suggesting which criteria should be considered when selecting a proper study species and structuring the sampling and analytical protocol. Eventually, we report findings from a field study realized in 2020 near a perfluoropolymer factory site in the upper Po plain (Northern Italy), revealing unprecedented contamination level of PFOA and C6O4 in three species of wild passerines. In a future, long-term monitoring of PFAS contamination using avian eggs should be maintained, to provide crucial information on the temporal trend of fluorochemical production and waste disposal, while facilitating early identification of emerging PFAS as well as the quantification of their biomagnification across the trophic web. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Location:
Topics: