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Impacts of divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) on PFAS bioaccumulation in freshwater macroinvertebrates representing different foraging modes
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"Forever chemicals" (PFAS) build up more in bottom-dwelling creatures like worms that eat sediment directly, compared to snails or shellfish, and this buildup gets worse when water has higher levels of calcium and magnesium (minerals common in "hard water"). Since these small creatures are food for fish that people eat, this research helps scientists understand how water chemistry and the animals at the bottom of the food chain can influence how much PFAS makes its way up toward our dinner plates.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have extensively contaminated freshwater aquatic ecosystems where they can be transported in water and partition to sediment and biota. In this paper, three freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates with different foraging modes were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of eight perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCA), three perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSA), and three fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS) at varying divalent cation concentrations of magnesium (Mg2+) and calcium (Ca2+). Divalent cations can impact PFAS partitioning to solids, especially to sediments, at higher concentrations. Sediment dwelling worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), epibenthic grazing snails (Physella acuta), and sediment-dwelling filter-feeding bivalves (Elliptio complanata) were selected due to their unique foraging modes. Microcosms were composed of synthetic sediment, culture water, macroinvertebrates, and PFAS and consisted of a 28-day exposure period. L. variegatus had significantly higher PFAS bioaccumulation than P. acuta and E. complanata, likely due to higher levels of interactions with and ingestion of the contaminated sediment. "High Mg2+" (7.5 mM Mg2+) and "High Ca2+" (7.5 mM Ca2+) conditions generally had statistically higher bioaccumulation factors (BAF) than the "Reference Condition" (0.2 mM Ca2+ and 0.2 mM Mg2+) for PFAS with perfluorinated chain lengths greater than eight carbons. Long-chain PFAS dominated the PFAS profiles of the macroinvertebrates for all groups of compounds studied (PFCA, PFSA, and FTS). These results indicate that the study organism has the greatest impact on bioaccumulation, although divalent cation concentration had observable impacts between organisms depending on the environmental conditions. Elevated cation concentrations in the microcosms led to significantly greater bioaccumulation in the test organisms compared to the experimental reference conditions for long-chain PFAS.
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Microplastic co-exposure increases PFAS bioaccumulation without universally amplifying toxicity in aquatic organisms: A multi-endpoint meta-analysis
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Scientists found that microplastics and "forever chemicals" (PFAS) often build up together in water animals, with microplastics helping PFAS accumulate more in their bodies. But this didn't always mean worse health effects: some issues like nerve damage and digestion problems got worse, while others like reproduction and hormone effects didn't change, showing that risk depends on the specific chemical and situation, not one blanket rule.
Bioaccumulation and dietary bioaccessibility of microplastics composition and cocontaminants in Mediterranean mussels
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Researchers studied how Mediterranean mussels accumulate microplastics and co-contaminants like PFAS ("forever chemicals"), then tested how much transfers to humans during digestion. While mussels accumulated fewer PFAS when microplastics were present, the human digestion simulation showed that microplastics actually increased how much PFAS the body could absorb. This means eating microplastic-contaminated seafood could increase human exposure to harmful chemicals beyond what the contamination levels alone would suggest.
The magnetic removal of PFAS from water − from molecules to microplastics
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Scientists have developed tiny magnetic particles that can grab onto "forever chemicals" (PFAS) and even microplastics in water, then be pulled out with a magnet, removing up to 95% of contamination. This matters because PFAS are linked to health problems like cancer and hormone disruption, and current water treatment struggles to filter them out, especially at low levels; this reusable magnetic approach worked in real-world settings like drinking water, river water, and wastewater, suggesting a practical path toward cleaner water for communities dealing with PFAS pollution.
Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl substances on polyamide microplastics: Effect of sorbent and influence of environmental factors
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Researchers studied how perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of persistent industrial chemicals, bind to polyamide microplastics in water. They found that smaller microplastic particles absorbed dramatically more PFAS than larger ones, and that water chemistry conditions like pH and salinity influenced the process. The findings suggest microplastics can concentrate harmful chemicals and potentially increase human and wildlife exposure to PFAS in contaminated environments.
Adsorption of PFAS onto secondary microplastics: A mechanistic study
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Researchers studied how PFAS (toxic "forever chemicals") attach to microplastics that form when PET water bottles break down in the environment. They found that PFAS bonds to these microplastic surfaces within hours in both fresh and salt water, meaning microplastics can act as carriers for these harmful chemicals. This is concerning because people may be exposed to both microplastics and the dangerous chemicals hitchhiking on them through contaminated water.
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