Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
07:41
Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems
Published on: July 30, 2019
8.1K
An Ecosystem-Scale Model of PFAS Dynamics in Stream-to-Riparian Food Webs
Kaitlyn S Campbell1, Jeff S Wesner2, David M Walters3
1Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|April 3, 2026
Summary
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminate aquatic ecosystems. This study models PFAS transfer through aquatic insect food webs, revealing complex bioaccumulation and trophic transfer dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Ecotoxicology
- Ecosystem Modeling
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants.
- PFAS are known to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms and transfer through food webs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an ecosystem-scale model for assessing PFAS partitioning and trophic transfer.
- To investigate PFAS bioaccumulation in aquatic insects and biomagnification to riparian spiders.
- To understand the role of aquatic insects in PFAS trophodynamics.
Main Methods:
- Collected data across five streams in a mildly impacted watershed.
- Developed an ecosystem-scale model to assess Σ₁₂PFAS partitioning, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer.
- Analyzed PFAS concentrations in surface water, particulates, larval and adult aquatic insects, and spiders.
Main Results:
- Partitioning from water to particulates showed the greatest PFAS enrichment.
- Concentrations increased from particulates to larval insects, and larval to adult insects, but decreased from adult insects to spiders.
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) was the dominant PFAS compound, with concentrations increasing from surface water to adult aquatic insects.
- Significant variation in PFAS concentrations, body burdens, and bioamplification factors was observed among different aquatic insect taxa.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a robust modeling framework for PFAS trophodynamics in aquatic-terrestrial food webs.
- Biological controls and context dependency influence PFAS transfer at ecosystem interfaces.
- Aquatic insects play a crucial role in the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of PFAS.
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