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The differences in levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the hair of wild terrestrial mammals with various feeding behaviour
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Wild terrestrial mammals carry detectable PFAS contamination in their hair, with predatory species showing significantly higher concentrations than herbivores due to trophic biomagnification. Hair sampling is validated as a non-invasive biomonitoring tool, revealing that PFAS pollution pervades terrestrial food webs far beyond human and domestic animal populations.
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental pollutants found across various ecosystems. While human and domestic animal exposure to PFASs is well documented, data on wild terrestrial mammals remain scarce, particularly using hair sample analysis. This study aimed to assess the levels of selected 12 PFASs in the hair of different wild mammal species with varying feeding behaviours, using liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The mean concentrations (± SD) were observed for PFNA (0.309 ± 0.33 ng/g), PFOA (0.272 ± 0.52 ng/g),L-PFOS (0.154 ± 0.3 ng/g), PFBS (0.013 ± 0.04 ng/g), PFHxA (0.067 ± 0.06 ng/g), PFHpA (0.064 ± 0.1 ng/g), PFUnDA (0.088 ± 0.13 ng/g) and PFDoDA (0.083 ± 0.15 ng/g) while mean concentrations of PFHxS, B-PFOS, PFPeS and PFHpS were lower than limits of quantification (LOQ). The results also indicated that PFAS concentrations were generally higher in predatory species compared to herbivores (p < 0,05), likely due to biomagnification processes in food chains. This study supports the applicability of hair analysis as a non-invasive method for monitoring PFAS exposure in wild terrestrial mammals.
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