Critical Evaluation and Meta-Analysis of Ecotoxicological Data on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in
Lixi Wang1, Tong Yang2, Xinglu Liu2
1Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Despite the increasing concern regarding the ecological risks posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a lack of comprehensive understanding of their actual ecotoxicity remains. Through a meticulous examination of 91 peer-reviewed studies investigating effects at a population level and constructing probabilistic species sensitivity distributions (PSSDs), we present a state-of-the-science hazard assessment of PFAS in freshwater species. Using data subsets containing suboptimal data led to an overestimation of the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) of PFAS. We report PNECs of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) in freshwater to be 4.8-2000 μg/L and 0.4-8.9 μg/L, respectively, derived from high-quality data. Statistical analyses revealed that both functional groups and carbon chain length significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the variations in toxicity observed among different PFAS. This study underscores the importance of obtaining high-quality PFAS ecotoxicity data to comprehend associated hazards. The PNECs of PFAS derived in this study are higher compared to those of micro/nanoplastics and persistent organic pollutants. Our research offers valuable insights into prioritizing the regulation of more toxic PFAS.
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