Developmental toxicity of perfluorodecanoic acid in C57BL/6N mice

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) is a representative of the perfluorinated carboxylic acids used as commercial wetting agents and flame retardants. Signs of PFDA toxicity have been reported to resemble those seen after exposure to TCDD. To determine if PFDA exhibits teratogenic effects similar to those of TCDD or is a developmental toxin, time-mated C57BL/6N mice were administered PFDA by gavage in corn oil (10 ml/kg) on gestation days (gd) 10-13 or gd 6-15 at levels of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16.0, or 32.0 mg/kg/day or 0, 0.03, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, 6.4, or 12.8 mg/kg/day, respectively. Dams were killed on gd 18 and maternal and fetal toxicity was assessed. Fetuses were examined for external, visceral, or skeletal malformations. Maternal body weight gain (corrected for the weight of the gravid uterus) was significantly reduced as a result of PFDA treatment at 6.4 and 12.8 mg/kg/day (gd 6-15) and 16.0 and 32.0 mg/kg/day (gd 10-13). Fetal viability was decreased only in those groups showing extensive maternal body weight loss. Fetal body weights were significantly reduced at levels as low as 0.1 mg/kg/day (gd 6-15) and 0.5 mg/kg/day (gd 10-13). No hydronephrosis, cleft palate, or edema was observed nor were any other soft tissue or skeletal malformations detected. Thus, PFDA does not produce malformations in C57BL/6N mice, and the developmental toxicity observed (increased fetal mortality and decreased live fetal body weight) was seen only at doses that were maternally toxic.