Mixture effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on embryonic and larval Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Toxics
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminants originating from many everyday products. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two PFAS that are commonly found at high concentrations in aquatic environments. Both chemicals have previously been shown to be toxic to fish, as well as having complex and largely uncharacterized mixture effects. However, limited information is available on marine and estuarine species. In this study, embryonic and larval sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) were exposed to several PFAS mixtures to assess lethal and sublethal effects. PFOS alone was acutely toxic to larvae, with a 96 h LC50 of 1.97 mg/L (1.64–2.16). PFOS + PFOA resulted in a larval LC50 of 3.10 (2.62–3.79) mg/L, suggesting an antagonistic effect. These observations were supported by significant reductions in malondialdehyde (105% ± 3.25) and increases in reduced glutathione concentrations (43.8% ± 1.78) in PFOS + PFOA exposures compared to PFOS-only treatments, indicating reduced oxidative stress. While PFOA reduced PFOS-induced mortality (97.0% ± 3.03), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) did not. PFOS alone did not affect expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (pparα) but significantly upregulated apolipoprotein A4 (apoa4) (112.4% ± 17.8), a downstream product of pparα, while none of the other individually tested PFAS affected apoa4 expression. These findings suggest that there are antagonistic interactions between PFOA and PFOS that may reduce mixture toxicity in larval sheepshead minnows through reduced oxidative stress. Elucidating mechanisms of toxicity and interactions between PFAS will aid environmental regulation and management of these ubiquitous pollutants.
Suggested Citation
Tanabe, P., Key, P.B., Chung, K.W., Pisarski, E.C., Reiner, J.L., E., R.A., Magnuson, J.T., DeLorenzo, M.E., 2024, Mixture effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on embryonic and larval Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus): Toxics, v. 12, no. 1, 91, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010091.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Mixture effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on embryonic and larval Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) |
| Series title | Toxics |
| DOI | 10.3390/toxics12010091 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication Date | January 20, 2024 |
| Year Published | 2024 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Contributing office(s) | Columbia Environmental Research Center |
| Description | 91, 15 p. |