Dietary accumulation of perfluorinated acids in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Perfluorinated acids (PFAs) recently have emerged as persistent global contaminants after their detection in wildlife and humans from various geographic locations. The highest concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate are characteristically observed in high trophic level organisms, indicating that PFAs may have a significant bioaccumulation potential. To examine this phenomenon quantitatively, we exposed juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) simultaneously to a homologous series of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates and sulfonates for 34 d in the diet, followed by a 41-d depuration period. Carcass and liver concentrations were determined by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and kinetic rates were calculated to determine compound-specific bioaccumulation parameters. Depuration rate constants ranged from 0.02 to 0.23/d, and decreased as the length of the fluorinated chain increased. Assimilation efficiency was greater than 50% for all test compounds, indicating efficient absorption from food. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) ranged from 0.038 to 1.0 and increased with length of the perfluorinated chain; however, BAFs were not statistically greater than 1 for any PFA. Sulfonates bioaccumulated to a greater extent than carboxylates of equivalent perfluoroalkyl chain length, indicating that hydrophobicity is not the sole determinant of PFA accumulation potential and that the acid function must be considered. Dietary exposure will not result in biomagnification of PFAs in juvenile trout, but extrapolation of these bioaccumulation parameters to larger fish and homeothermic organisms should not be performed.