Targeted and Non-Targeted Analyses of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Domestic & Wild Animals

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic, fluorinated chemicals that have been widely used for various industrial, commercial, and consumer applications for over 70 years. PFAS contain strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make them uniquely hydrophobic and oleophobic, as well as resistant to thermal and chemical degradation. These properties have allowed PFAS to become ubiquitous in the environment, which provides various opportunities for human and animal PFAS exposure through drinking water, food and food packaging, dust inhalation, and more. PFAS pose a significant threat to human and animal health; however, very little is known about the accumulation and transfer of these chemicals in other terrestrial mammals. This work aims to expand the current understanding of PFAS exposure pathways and potential health consequences for domestic and wild terrestrial mammals.