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PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFBS, ADONA and GenX: Toxicological Profile for Freshwater Ecosystems
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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.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a diverse group of chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products due to their unique physicochemical properties. This review critically examines the ecotoxicological profiles of six key PFAS—PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFBS, GenX, and ADONA—focusing on their effects on standard aquatic model organisms (Daphnia magna, Raphidocelis subcapitata, and Aliivibrio fischeri). The data highlight that legacy compounds such as PFOA and PFOS generally show greater toxicity, particularly with reproductive and growth endpoints in D. magna and growth inhibition in R. subcapitata, at lower concentrations compared to their short-chain analogues (PFBA, PFBS). GenX and ADONA, introduced as replacements for long-chain PFAS, have been the subject of far fewer studies. Available data, mainly from regulatory sources, suggest lower acute and chronic toxicity for these alternatives under standard test conditions. However, the lack of comprehensive data—especially regarding sub-lethal, chronic, and mixture effects—precludes firm conclusions about their environmental safety. The findings underscore the need for further ecotoxicological research on emerging PFAS and call for integrating bioassays with chemical analyses to better assess risks associated with PFAS mixtures in aquatic ecosystems.
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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.
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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.
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This study developed novel enzymatic approaches for PET degradation, engineering PETase variants with improved thermal stability and hydrolysis efficiency. The engineered enzymes demonstrate significantly faster PET breakdown than wild-type PETase, advancing the development of biological PET recycling processes.
Occurrence and Toxicity Mechanisms of Perfluorononanoic Acid, Perfluorodecanoic Acid, and Perfluoroundecanoic Acid in Fish: A Review
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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.
Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Do They Matter to Aquatic Ecosystems?
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This review examines PFAS, the persistent 'forever chemicals' widely used in consumer products, and their growing threat to aquatic ecosystems. Evidence indicates that PFAS accumulate in aquatic organisms, disrupt hormones, and can alter how other pollutants behave in the environment. The research is relevant to microplastic concerns because PFAS are commonly found in plastic products and can leach from microplastics into water.
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