We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Disparities in Per‐ and Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Tolerance and Life History Traits in Simocephalus serrulatus Populations
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared PFAS tolerance in two populations of the water flea Simocephalus serrulatus with different contamination histories, finding that sensitivity to PFOS and PFHxS differed between populations and that the historically exposed population showed greater mortality during chronic exposure. These findings reveal potential fitness costs from PFAS exposure and highlight the importance of accounting for population-level differences when assessing ecological impacts.
ABSTRACT Per‐ and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are nearly ubiquitous contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, causing a litany of toxic effects. Moving forward, understanding the impact of toxic stress and its resulting evolutionary pressures will be crucial to determine how PFAS are altering ecosystems. We assessed the effects of three common PFAS, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), on two populations of the daphnid Simocephalus serrulatus with different exposure histories. We found that sensitivity to PFOS and PFHxS differed in the two populations. In addition, we found base‐line differences between the populations in development, body size, and reproduction. In particular, the population from the site with a legacy of PFAS exposure showed greater mortality during our chronic experiment. In addition to being the first study to report PFAS toxicity data for this cosmopolitan zooplankton species, these findings show the possible fitness costs associated with populations exposed to PFAS. These findings also highlight the need for considering species, and population‐level differences in tolerance when evaluating the effects of PFAS on ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Toxicity of microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in sentinel freshwater models, Daphnia, Zebrafish and unicellular green algae: A systemic review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed 68 studies on how microplastics and PFAS ("forever chemicals") affect freshwater organisms like Daphnia, zebrafish, and algae, finding that both contaminants are more toxic at chronic low doses than in short-term exposures, and that combining them tends to amplify harm — while noting almost no research has studied them together.
PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFBS, ADONA and GenX: Toxicological Profile for Freshwater Ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
This review evaluates the aquatic toxicity of six PFAS compounds — PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFBS, GenX, and ADONA — against standard freshwater organisms, finding that legacy long-chain PFAS (PFOA, PFOS) are generally more toxic than newer short-chain replacements, though data gaps on chronic and mixture effects prevent firm safety conclusions about the alternatives.
Toxicity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Their Substitutes to Terrestrial and Aquatic Invertebrates—A Review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their chemical substitutes accumulate and cause toxicity in terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, highlighting concerns about reproductive, developmental, and neurotoxic effects in organisms that form the base of food chains.
Combined toxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics on the sentinel species Daphnia magna: Implications for freshwater ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
This study tested how PFAS chemicals (common industrial pollutants) and PET microplastics affect water fleas, both alone and together. The combination caused worse developmental and reproductive problems than either pollutant alone, and organisms with prior chemical exposure history responded differently, showing that microplastics can amplify the harm of other environmental contaminants in ways that are difficult to predict.
Occurrence and Toxicity Mechanisms of Perfluorononanoic Acid, Perfluorodecanoic Acid, and Perfluoroundecanoic Acid in Fish: A Review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the environmental fate and toxicity of three long-chain PFAS compounds (PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA) in fish, finding through computational gene ontology analysis that these chemicals disrupt insulin signaling, immune pathways, and growth hormone systems, with longer-chain variants likely posing greater toxicity despite less study.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.