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Invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) as sentinels for PFAS biomonitoring in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Lauren E Blackman1, Qaim Mehdi1, Alina Timshina2
1Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|April 7, 2026
Summary
Burmese pythons in Florida
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Wildlife Biology
Background:
- The Florida Everglades is a World Heritage Site facing chemical contamination.
- Invasive Burmese pythons are apex predators that bioaccumulate environmental pollutants.
- Sampling invasive pythons for chemical analysis reduces stress on native species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in invasive Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades.
- To determine if PFAS concentrations differ based on python location or sex.
- To evaluate pythons as sentinels for ecosystem chemical contamination.
Main Methods:
- Livers from 67 Burmese pythons were analyzed for 30 PFAS using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
- Python samples were collected from the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
- PFAS concentrations were compared between eastern and western sampling locations and by sex.
Main Results:
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid was the most frequently detected PFAS.
- Median total PFAS concentration in python livers was 111 ng/g dw, exceeding that of native alligators.
- Male pythons had significantly higher total PFAS concentrations than females, suggesting potential maternal transfer in females.
Conclusions:
- Burmese pythons are effective sentinels for monitoring PFAS contamination in the Everglades ecosystem.
- PFAS levels in pythons indicate bioaccumulation and potential ecosystem-wide exposure.
- Observed sex-based differences in PFAS levels warrant further investigation into transfer mechanisms.
