Occurrence and maternal transfer of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pregnant sharks from Florida coastal waters
By Qaim Mehdi, Thomas D. Sinkway, Lauren E. Blackman, Adriana L. Iorfida, Avery M. Pittman, Corinna Sutterer, Hailey L. Hinchliffe, Kira A. Zautcke, Meg E. Morrow, Neel Shah, Ines A. Chambrier-Athias, Karly E. Cohen, Gareth J. Fraser, Douglas H. Adams, and John A. Bowden
Environ. Sci. Technol.
July 17, 2025
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c03114
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely detected in various environmental media, attracting significant research and regulatory attention. This preliminary study investigated the occurrence and maternal transfer of PFAS in pregnant sharks (n = 6) from Florida’s coastal waters, encompassing a combined 101 embryos examined. Liver and muscle samples were collected from both adult mothers and embryos, with additional uterine fluid obtained from two species. The highest ∑PFAS concentration among the shark embryos was found in the liver of bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo, 4.15 ± 0.16 ng/g ww, n = 8), followed by the great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran, 1.60 ± 1.07 ng/g ww, n = 57), Atlantic sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, 1.41 ± 0.38 ng/g ww, n = 2), and the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier, 0.20 ± 0.20 ng/g ww, n = 34). The maternal transfer assessment revealed that perfluorooctanesulfonate and long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (C12–C14) accumulated in embryonic tissues of sharks, highlighting that these chemicals were transferred efficiently during gestation. Spearman’s rank correlations showed a significant positive relationship between the maternal transfer ratio and the protein–water partition coefficient in select species, suggesting that the protein binding affinity of PFAS may enhance their transfer efficiency across the placental membrane.
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