UPTAKE AND EFFECTS OF PFAS ON ANIMAL SPECIES IN SALTMARSH ECOSYSTEMS

PFAS exposure can have negative health impacts on many terrestrial, aquatic, and marine species, but data specifically on saltmarsh species are lacking. To address this gap, we examined the uptake and effects of two PFAS compounds, PFOA and PFOS, on hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria), mud snails (Tritia obsoleta), amphipods (Leptocheirus plumulosus), grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), and sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) in simulated marsh ecosystems (mesocosms) also filled with marsh sediment, seawater, and smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Each mesocosm remained as a control or was dosed with 7 mg/L PFOA, 70 mg/L PFOA, 0.55 mg/L PFOS, 5.5 mg/L PFOS, or a combination of 0.55 mg/L PFOS and 7 mg/L PFOA for a total of four mesocosms per treatment. Low PFOA (7 mg/L) and PFOS (0.55 mg/L) doses were chosen to correspond with the EPA’s acute saltwater aquatic life benchmarks meant to protect saltwater species. Following 32 days of exposure, there was significant PFAS uptake for all species with amphipods having the largest PFOA tissue concentrations and sheepshead having the largest PFOS concentrations. PFAS treatment was also shown to have a significant, negative effect on grass shrimp, clam, and amphipod survival, but not sheepshead or mud snail survival. At the EPA’s acute saltwater aquatic life benchmark for PFOA, only the survival of amphipods was reduced, while no species’ survival was impacted at the PFOS benchmark level. While more research is warranted, the uptake and effects of PFAS varied based on PFAS compound and species.

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Raven Ferguson, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (raven.ferguson@noaa.gov)

Authors:

Raven Ferguson, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education  (raven.ferguson@noaa.gov)

Paul Pennington, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (paul.pennington@noaa.gov)

Peter Key, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (pete.key@noaa.gov)

Ed Wirth, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (ed.wirth@noaa.gov)

Katy Chung, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (katy.chung@noaa.gov)

Emily Pisarski, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (emily.pisarski@noaa.gov)

Summer Crescent, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education  (summer.martinez-crescent@noaa.gov)

Philip Tanabe, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (philip.tanabe@noaa.gov)

Marie DeLorenzo, NOAA NOS NCCOS  (marie.delorenzo@noaa.gov)