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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Laboratory Estimation of Net Trophic Transfer Efficiencies of PCB Congeners to Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush from Its Prey
Published on: August 29, 2014
Mechanistic shift of bioaccumulation from exposure-controlled to trophic-driven for per- and polyfluoroalkyl
Yanan Li1, Yitao Pan2, Yi Luo3
1Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Security, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China; School of Resources and Environment, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Coordinated Management and Control for Environmental Quality, Taiyuan 030024, China.
Abstract:
Emerging global pollutants such as perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs) pose increasing stress to estuary-bay-coastal ecosystems, yet the mechanisms governing spatial variability in Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) bioaccumulation remain poorly understood. Here, PFAS characteristics were compared across 342 aquatic species spanning 30°N-40°N in China, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to identify dominant drivers at a broad spatial scale. This study provided the first attempt to integrate geographical, ecological, and anthropogenic gradients to elucidate large-scale variability in PFAS bioaccumulation mechanisms. Mean ΣPFAS concentrations (ng/g dw) in organisms decreased by more than two orders of magnitude from estuary to open sea-estuary (2138.9) > Laizhou Bay (146.2) > Bohai Sea (22.9) > Yellow Sea (13.1) > Northern East China Sea (10.5)-demonstrating a sharp decreasing trend with increasing distance from the estuary. Demersal species exhibited higher ΣPFAS burdens than pelagic organisms, reflecting differences in ecological niche, feeding habits, prey source, body morphology and exposure routes (aqueous, sedimentary, dietary). The relative proportions of HFPO-TrA, PFMOAA, and PFOA declined seaward, while C9-C14PFCAs and PFOS increased correspondingly. PFMOAA showed non-canonical accumulation pattern deviated from chain-length-dependent trend. Bioaccumulation potential strengthened with trophic position for long-chain PFAS, whereas short-chain analogues exhibited an attenuation trend from benthic invertebrates transferred to fishes. SEM results revealed a mechanistic transition from exposure-controlled accumulation in estuary to trophic-driven magnification in offshore regions. The elevated dietary risks associated with seafood consumption, particularly within estuary-bay areas, highlight the urgent need for monitoring and targeted management of emerging PFECAs in marine ecosystems.
