PFAS

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c10109. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Semiconductor manufacturing is rapidly expanding alongside tightening environmental regulations and increasing public concern around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Because of their unique chemical properties, PFAS are used across numerous processes in semiconductor manufacturing. Given process complexity and lengthy development timelines for alternatives, eliminating PFAS use in this industry is not currently feasible. Developing practical technologies for PFAS waste management is therefore critical but uniquely challenging in semiconductor manufacturing due to the nature of waste streams (parts-per-billion PFAS concentrations, complex backgrounds including hundreds of chemicals, prevalence of ultrashort PFAS, total stream volumes up to 35,000 m³ per day per facility, and distribution across gas, liquid, and solid phases) and significant constraints on space and systems redesign. This review describes recent developments and key questions that must be addressed to develop impactful and commercially viable detection and abatement methods for PFAS waste management in semiconductor manufacturing. Integrating these technologies into compact, high-performance systems and testing them under realistic conditions (complex PFAS mixtures, high fluoride/ionic strength, pH 6-11, low contact time, process variability) through industrial collaborations is essential for scalable, cost-effective solutions. Research addressing semiconductor industry-specific PFAS waste is essential to enable environmental compliance while supporting the continued growth of semiconductor manufacturing.

PMID:41530997 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c10109

J Am Chem Soc. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c20085. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants in water that pose severe threats to environmental integrity and public health. Luminescent sensing using porous materials has emerged as a highly efficient strategy for daily recognition, owing to its high efficiency, simplicity, and sensitivity. However, systematic investigations into the pore structure-function relationship that govern PFAS detection remain largely lacking, which hindered the rational design of advanced PFAS sensors. Herein, a linker installation strategy is employed to precisely engineer the pore environments of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in a modular manner without compromising structural integrity for PFAS recognition in water. A library of 13 PCN-700 derivatives with systematically regulated pore volumes was constructed, revealing that enhanced pore accessibility directly boosts sensing performance. Notably, the amino groups in PCN-700 significantly improve the sensing sensitivity, achieving up to 3-fold higher quenching efficiencies through strengthened host-guest interactions. Further adjustment of functional group densities uncovers a trade-off between functional group loading and pore accessibility. By disentangling the respective contributions of pore volume modulation by various functional groups, the design principles are provided for the development of robust and high-performance MOF-based luminescent sensors to address PFAS monitoring challenges in water.

PMID:41531190 | DOI:10.1021/jacs.5c20085

Food Addit Contam Part B Surveill. 2026 Jan 14:1-11. doi: 10.1080/19393210.2025.2604018. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants linked to various health risks. This study assessed PFAS contamination in commonly consumed food items in Luxembourg and evaluated potential dietary exposure. Between 2022 and 2024, a number of 204 samples of animal- and non-animal origin were analysed. At least one regulated PFAS compound was quantified in 48 samples (23%). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulphonic acid (PFOS) were the most frequently quantified compounds, found in 34 and 25 samples, respectively. The highest levels occurred in wild boar (1.14 µg/kg) and egg samples (0.21 µg/kg), while plant-based foods showed generally lower levels. Two samples (plums and potatoes) exceeded the indicative PFOA level of 0.01 µg/kg outlined in Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/1431. PFAS intake from analysed commodities did not indicate a health risk for the general population, though hunters and frequent game (especially boar) consumers may experience elevated exposure.

PMID:41532235 | DOI:10.1080/19393210.2025.2604018

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c21690. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Both phosphate and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contaminants pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems, demanding urgent remediation strategies. Herein, this study proposed a sustainable approach that utilized droplet-microfluidics-assisted chemical cross-linking to graft waste PFAS onto monodisperse microspheres, converting it into a stable, high-performance, and eco-friendly phosphate adsorbent (PFAS-FMM). Importantly, the scalable droplet-microfluidic technology enabled precise control over microsphere dimensions (100-150 μm) and tailored core/shell architecture for effective cross-linker encapsulation. Meanwhile, unlike conventional cross-linking, the single-site grafting enabled by shell microcracks effectively avoided active-site masking and maximized amino group utilization by 4.29-fold, as evidenced by typical polyethylenimine (PEI)-based adsorbents. This structural advantage strengthened the electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding of the PFAS-FMM for phosphate adsorption. As a result, the optimized PFAS-FMM exhibited exceptional phosphate (50 mg P/L) adsorption capacity (Q_max of 252.5 mg/g PFAS) and satisfactory kinetics (equilibrium within 120 min). Meanwhile, it demonstrated tolerance to multiple competing anions and maintained an adsorption capacity of over 85% across five cycles. Crucially, microsphere encapsulation eliminated free PFAS leaching, avoiding risks of secondary environmental pollution and ecotoxicity. The application potential was also confirmed by the positive result of the overall sustainability footprint (OSF) (score of 87.5%). These findings provided inspiration for the synthesis of functional materials and presented a strategy for concurrent mitigation of dual aquatic pollutants via waste valorization.

PMID:41528011 | DOI:10.1021/acsami.5c21690

Anaesthesiologie. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1007/s00101-025-01636-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Volatile anesthetics represent a relevant yet largely avoidable source of greenhouse gas emissions in the healthcare system. In Germany, their use accounts for approximately 69 kt of CO₂ equivalents annually. While desflurane is used in only about 3% of inhalation anesthesia procedures, it is responsible for more than 50% of the associated emissions due to its extremely high global warming potential. Modelling studies indicate that complete substitution of desflurane with sevoflurane would reduce total emissions by approximately 53%; replacing isoflurane as well would increase the reduction to 65%. From a clinical perspective, desflurane offers no proven advantage over sevoflurane with respect to patient safety or postoperative outcomes. Isoflurane likewise shows no clinical superiority. This creates substantial scope for substitution without compromising quality of care. Under minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)-adjusted conditions, desflurane causes an approximately 34-fold higher global warming per anesthesia hour than sevoflurane. The contrast is even greater when compared to total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). Of particular relevance is the short-term climate impact. Due to its high radiative efficiency, desflurane exerts most of its warming effect within a few decades, precisely the critical period up to 2050. In addition, volatile anesthetics contribute to environmental contamination with persistent perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), posing potential long-term risks to ecosystems and human health. Eliminating desflurane requires no new infrastructure, is economically rational and can be implemented immediately. It hence represents a rare opportunity in the healthcare system to achieve rapid and substantial emission reductions through a simple clinical decision, while maintaining patient safety and quality of care.

PMID:41528435 | DOI:10.1007/s00101-025-01636-0

Anaesthesiologie. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1007/s00101-025-01635-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Volatile anesthetics represent a relevant yet largely avoidable source of greenhouse gas emissions in the healthcare system. In Germany, their use accounts for approximately 69 kt of CO₂ equivalents annually. While desflurane is used in only about 3% of inhalation anesthesia procedures, it is responsible for more than 50% of the associated emissions due to its extremely high global warming potential. Modelling studies indicate that complete substitution of desflurane with sevoflurane would reduce total emissions by approximately 53%; replacing isoflurane as well would increase the reduction to 65%. From a clinical perspective, desflurane offers no proven advantage over sevoflurane with respect to patient safety or postoperative outcomes. Isoflurane likewise shows no clinical superiority. This creates substantial scope for substitution without compromising quality of care. Under minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)-adjusted conditions, desflurane causes an approximately 34-fold higher global warming per anesthesia hour than sevoflurane. The contrast is even greater when compared to total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). Of particular relevance is the short-term climate impact. Due to its high radiative efficiency, desflurane exerts most of its warming effect within a few decades, precisely the critical period up to 2050. In addition, volatile anesthetics contribute to environmental contamination with persistent perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), posing potential long-term risks to ecosystems and human health. Eliminating desflurane requires no new infrastructure, is economically rational and can be implemented immediately. It hence represents a rare opportunity in the healthcare system to achieve rapid and substantial emission reductions through a simple clinical decision, while maintaining patient safety and quality of care.

PMID:41528436 | DOI:10.1007/s00101-025-01635-1

J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. 2026 Jan 13. doi: 10.1021/jasms.5c00298. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly water-, grease-, and heat-resistant compounds known as "forever chemicals" due to their resistance to degradation. Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are PFAS-containing firefighting foams and a known source of environmental PFAS contamination. Recent research characterizing PFAS contamination at historical AFFF usage sites has advanced our understanding of environmental fate and transport of water-soluble PFAS. However, emissions of volatile or semivolatile PFAS from AFFFs during their storage and application and from AFFF-contaminated sites remain largely uncharacterized, in part due to analytical method limitations. This work quantified fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) in the headspace above three AFFF formulations using two emerging analytical techniques: thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) and real-time iodide chemical ionization mass spectrometry (I-CIMS). Thermal desorption tube samples were collected for offline analysis via TD-GC/MS, while I-CIMS simultaneously sampled the headspace. Then, the FTOH headspace concentrations quantified by the two techniques were compared. In all three formulations, 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs were the most and second-most abundant, respectively. The FTOH concentrations quantified by TD-GC/MS ranged from 0.06 to 2.0 μg/m³, while those quantified by I-CIMS ranged from 0.13 to 4.4 μg/m³. The percent error between the two methods ranged from 10 to 102%. These results underscore the need for additional research exploring the factors that impact the quantitative accuracy of both methods.

PMID:41529184 | DOI:10.1021/jasms.5c00298

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 Jan 12;309:119725. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.119725. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cord serum are closely associated with birth outcomes. However, the associations vary inconsistently across different studies. To summarize the relationships between cord serum PFAS and birth outcomes, a meta-analysis was performed.

METHODS: The characteristics of the studies, β values and 95 % confidence intervals were extracted. A random effects model or a fixed effects model was selected for analysis based on the I² value. Subgroup analyses were applied to explore the sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS: We included 22 eligible studies in this meta-analysis. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in cord serum was positively related to gestational age (β = 0.10; 95 % CI: 0.00, 0.19; P < 0.05). Cord serum perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) was positively associated with birth length and head circumference, with corresponding values of 0.18 (95 % CI: 0.10, 0.26; P < 0.05) and 0.07 (95 %CI: 0.01, 0.14; P < 0.05), respectively. Cord serum perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFDA) was significantly associated with birth length (β = 0.15; 95 % CI: 0.04, 0.27; P < 0.05). Based on the subgroup analysis, it was found that the associations between PFOA exposure and birth weight, between PFNA and birth length, and between PFOS and head circumference were more pronounced at high dose levels.

CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates that PFAS concentrations in cord serum are significantly associated with gestational age, as well as neonatal head circumference and birth length. However, whether these findings might translate into an elevated risk of abnormal birth outcomes associated with PFAS concentration in cord serum warrants further investigation.

PMID:41529479 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.119725

Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2026 Jan 10:104938. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2026.104938. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants linked to various adverse health conditions, including immune dysregulation and inflammation, though cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the direct in vitro impact of long-chain/legacy PFOA and PFOS, byproduct NBP2, PFO4DA, and PFMOAA, and next generation HFPO-DA/"GenX" on THP-1 human monocyte function at the cellular level. While all PFAS activated THP-1 cells and altered immune function, it is important to note that they did so in very different and often contrasting ways. PFOS suppressed inflammatory cytokine release, while NBP2 and PFO4DA activated uncoordinated and simultaneous inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune responses. PFOA, HFPO-DA/"GenX", and PFMOAA increased markers of suppressive phenotypes often associated with tumor-associated macrophages. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that PFAS, even at non-lethal concentrations, can directly interfere with functional immune responses in cellular models by altering cytokine profiles and immune activation states.

PMID:41525833 | DOI:10.1016/j.etap.2026.104938

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2026 Jan 12. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c18730. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Phosphonium-based (R-P(R')₃⁺) metal halide semiconductors (MHS) emerged recently as a promising family of materials offering enhanced water and thermal stability over conventional ammonium-based (R-NH₃⁺) MHS. Despite this performance, there is a lack of systematic studies that elucidate the origin of these features as well as the underlying optoelectronic properties. We report here the synthesis of nine new 1D materials (L)PbX₃ (L = C4-P, C6-P, C6-N, P3-P, P4-P, X = I, Br), using custom-made organic ligands, namely, butyl(triethyl)phosphonium bromide (C4-P), hexyl(triethyl)phosphonium bromide (C6-P), benzyl(triethyl)phosphonium bromide (P3-P), benzyl(trimethyl)phosphonium bromide (P4-P), and hexyl(triethyl)ammonium bromide (C6-N). Some of the materials have been water-stable for 2 years so far, while the assembly of the isostructural (C6-N)PbBr₃ and (C6-P)PbBr₃ allowed us to directly identify the impact of a single atom (phosphorus versus nitrogen) on water stability. Notably, the C6-P analog remains water-stable for 2 years, whereas the C6-N analog dissolves in water. It was found that neither crystal packing nor the lack of hydrogen bond interactions with water is responsible for this record stability performance, challenging currently established claims on the origin of water stability in MHS. All materials feature broad light emission at RT, with (P3-P)PbBr₃ exhibiting a PLQY of 22.0% ascribed to permanent traps, while electrochemical studies uncovered for the first time the redox properties and their strong potential for the sensing of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water samples. Our work showcases the potential of these compounds for applications where thermal and water stabilities are interwoven, potentially rendering their (R-NH₃⁺)-based counterparts obsolete.

PMID:41526037 | DOI:10.1021/acsami.5c18730

Water Res. 2026 Jan 7;292:125350. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.125350. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The increasing detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including short-chain and emerging alternatives, raises concerns about basin-scale exposure and risk potential. Target-centric monitoring with limited analyte lists constrains source attribution and risk prioritization. To address these limitations, this study presents an integrated assessment of the Xiangjiang River Basin that combines suspect and non-target screening with targeted quantification, source apportionment, mass-loading analysis, and ecological risk prioritization. Suspect and non-target screening identified 88 PFAS (61 at Confidence Levels 1-3; 27 at Levels 4-5). In parallel, a targeted panel of 57 PFAS was quantified, of which 46 were detected in surface waters. Ambient concentrations at most sites were low (total PFAS 2.61-34.4 ng/L) and dominated by legacy PFAS; however, industrial hotspots showed elevated levels of replacements, exemplified by HFPO-DA reaching 933 ng/L in effluents. Positive Matrix Factorization attributed basin-wide contamination primarily to paper and fluorochemical industries. Furthermore, spatiotemporal analysis revealed that wet-season hydrology drives contaminant mobilization from source-proximal areas, enhancing downstream export. Importantly, the prioritization framework revealed distinct drivers for emerging replacements: 8:2 FTCA was identified as high priority (RI ≥ 0.1) driven by intrinsic toxicity coupled with measured exposure, whereas short-chain acids such as PFBA ranked highly primarily due to their environmental prevalence and mobility. These findings indicate that surveillance focused only on legacy PFAS underestimates basin-wide ecological pressure and support expanding regulatory monitoring to capture these diverse priority patterns associated with replacement chemistries.

PMID:41520549 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.125350

Water Res. 2026 Jan 5;292:125335. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.125335. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely recognized soil and groundwater contaminants of global concerns. Beyond directly compromising groundwater quality, PFAS may alter the fate and transport of coexisting contaminants, posing additional ecological and human health risks. In this study, we demonstrate that PFAS elevate the risk of colloid-facilitated contaminant transport in groundwater. Specifically, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), one of the most commonly detected PFAS in groundwater, increases the mobility of three soil colloids (Entisol, Inceptisol, and Mollisol), thereby promoting the transport of decabromodiphenyl ether associated with the colloids. In contrast, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), another commonly detected PFAS, has negligible impact on the co-transport of colloids and contaminants. Using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that despite the fact that PFOS and PFOA have very similar molecular structures, PFOS adsorbs more strongly to aquifer materials and forms aggregates on sand grains, thereby creating steric repulsion that inhibits the attachment of soil colloids. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized risk associated with PFAS, particularly near point sources and spill sites wherein PFAS concentrations are high, and underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the structure-activity relationships governing PFAS interfacial processes.

PMID:41520553 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.125335

Sci Total Environ. 2026 Jan 10:181371. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181371. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41521127 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181371

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 5;503:141055. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141055. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Plastics can adsorb both organic and inorganic contaminants from surrounding aquatic environments, with potential toxic effects on a wide range of species. In this study, polyethylene pellets were immersed along nine European river-to-sea continuums for one month. Adsorbed contaminants were characterized, and their toxicity assessed using DMSO extracts on the marine bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri and Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) embryos. A diverse array of organic pollutants was annotated, including plastic additives, pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Spatial trends were observed for trace elements, with higher zinc adsorption downstream, while iron was more concentrated upstream. Standardized bacterial toxicity tests revealed significant effects at 29 % of the sites, with estuarine and intermediate-salinity locations exhibiting higher toxicity than upstream sites. Redundancy analysis identified manganese, copper, zinc and iron as the primary contributors of the DMSO extracts toxicity, although iron was negatively correlated with toxic effects. Individual trace element concentrations in DMSO extracts remained below EC₅₀ values reported in the literature. Overall, this study demonstrates that caging polyethylene pellets could serve as effective passive sensors, enabling the monitoring of a wide range of environmental contaminants along river-to-sea gradients and highlighting spatial variations in both contaminant accumulation and toxicity.

PMID:41518798 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141055

Langmuir. 2026 Jan 10. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c05278. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Medical devices, including catheters, delivery systems, introducers, and balloons, used in minimally invasive procedures such as catheterization and angioplasty, are essential to modern healthcare. However, many of these materials rely on surface coatings containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are increasingly restricted due to their environmental persistence and potential toxicity. As regulatory pressures mount, there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives that maintain─or exceed─the performance of PFAS-based coatings, particularly in terms of hydrophilicity and lubricity. In this context, this study presents surface wettability in PFAS-free hydrophilic coatings for advances in Sustainable Surface Engineering, enhancing medical device coatings with an emphasis on surface functionality and environmental safety. By combining contact angle analysis with advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, a comprehensive physicochemical characterization of the materials treated with two distinct techniques, that is, plasma and acid etching-dip coating processes, is provided. The approach reveals the mechanisms by which surface energy and roughness influence hydrophilicity, enabling the rational design of PFAS-free coatings. Surface energies and depinning forces are quantitatively assessed to elucidate the interfacial interactions between material surfaces and liquids during use. A comparative analysis with commercial PFAS-based coatings is performed to establish correlations between the physicochemical properties of the materials. The findings reveal alternatives for PFAS-free hydrophilic coatings, identifying key parameters that drive surface performance without relying on fluorinated compounds. The results can contribute to the development of the next generation of environmentally responsible, highly hydrophilic coatings for medical device applications that enhance patient safety and comfort, aligning with global sustainability goals.

PMID:41518328 | DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c05278

Sci Total Environ. 2026 Jan 9;1014:181342. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181342. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Composting solid waste materials creates a nutrient-rich soil amendment and reduces the burden on landfills and incineration facilities. However, the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various waste-derived products used as soil amendments poses potentially significant risks to human health and the environment. This study aimed to establish baseline knowledge on the presence and level of 13 PFAS compounds across five commercial composts, three soil amendments, two biosolid-derived fertilizers, and five common food-contact paper products (K-O). The total concentration of 13 PFAS compounds (Ʃ13 PFAS) among the products was as follows: biosolid-based fertilizers (25.41 ± 12.98 μg/dry kg, n = 2) > compost (9.07 ± 12.22 μg/dry kg, n = 5) > soil amendments (1.99 ± 0.23 μg/dry kg, n = 3). The total concentration of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (ΣPFCAs) was higher than that of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (ΣPFSAs) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) across all product categories. Short-chain PFCAs, such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and long-chain PFCAs, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were prevalent in yard waste composts, while the long-chain PFSA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), was most prevalent in biosolid-based fertilizers. In food service paper products, the highest concentrations were observed for PFHxA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). This study emphasizes that besides waste products, conventional coating materials, such as food-contact paper products, which are frequently accepted without testing, represent a significant source of PFAS. These findings contribute to identifying potential contamination sources and informing science-based regulations aimed at improving compost quality and ensuring public safety. The insights provided here are expected to support environmental monitoring and policymaking efforts. Further large-scale surveys across diverse geographical areas should validate our findings. This work underscores an urgent need for stricter regulations and innovative solutions to mitigate PFAS contamination while advancing sustainable agriculture and circular waste management practices.

PMID:41518725 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181342

Sci Total Environ. 2026 Jan 9;1014:181360. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181360. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, rapid growth of the fluorinated chemical industry in Binh Duong (Vietnam) has led to notable per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) emissions into the local environment. These compounds are very stable, hard to biodegrade and pose risks to ecosystem and human health, especially when exposed to polluted water sources for a long time. This study focused on assessing the presence of eight main PFAS groups in twenty-eight surface water samples, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) equipped with an Acquity BEH C18 column. Seasonal variations and correlations with available physicochemical parameters were also performed via R language. The results showed that two dominant PFAS groups, perfluoroalkanesulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids (PFCAs) recorded the highest concentrations (27.42 and 22.77 ng/L in the dry season, respectively). Within the PFSAs group, the most frequently detected compounds were perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) with maximum concentrations recorded in individual samples of 26.74, 13.69, and 12.70 ng/L, respectively. In contrast, the remaining groups showed much lower levels: perfluoroalkanesulfonamides (FASAs) at 4.08 ng/L, telomer sulfonates (FTSs) at 4.20 ng/L, 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane sulfonate (F-53B) at 2.75 ng/L, and perfluorooctansulfonamidoacetic acids (FOSAAs) 0.29 ng/L; hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, also known as GenX), and sodium dodecafluoro-3H-4,8-dioxanonanoate (DONA) were not detected (<0.20 and <0.13 ng/L, respectively). Seasonal differences of these groups were also observed with PFAS concentrations varying significantly between the dry season (DS) and rainy season (RS), except for F-53B remained relatively stable. Furthermore, the correlation analysis results indicated a moderate correlation between PFCAs and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (r = 0.56; p < 0.05), weak correlations between FTSs and FASAs with iron (Fe) (r = 0.40 and 0.23, respectively; p < 0.01). In conclusion, these findings highlight the seasonal fluctuations and associations with water quality factors of PFAS in the study area, providing a useful reference for developing future pollution control and management plans.

PMID:41518729 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181360

J Chromatogr A. 2026 Jan 6;1768:466680. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2026.466680. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Fluorinated covalent organic frameworks (F-COFs) have attracted widespread attention, owing to their capacity to enhance the adsorption of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) through F-F affinity and the intrinsic adsorption properties of COFs. F-COFs were usually synthesized based on "de novo synthesis" with commercial fluorinated monomers. However, challenges still remain due to the limited availability of fluorinated monomers, harsh control of crystal growth, and difficult adjustment of surface fluorination. Post-synthetic surface engineering offers great potential for flexibly fabricating F-COFs with tailored functions by modifying functional moieties into the predefined frameworks. Herein, a post-synthetic strategy was pioneered for the fabrication of novel F-COFs with tunable fluorination degrees (noted as COF-V-x-F, x=0-1.0). The approach integrates two synergistic processes: aniline-modulated room-temperature synthesis of the COF-V precursor, and the flexible surface engineering on COF-V via click chemistry to realize controllable fluorination. Using this method, the optimal COF-V-0.33-F was achieved, which contains sufficient fluorinated groups for F-F affinity, high hydrophobicity, and strong molecular adsorption, thus enabling ultra-high PFAS uptake by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). A highly sensitive detection was achieved with limits of detection at 0.2-1.4 ng·L⁻¹ using COF-V-0.33-F fiber coupled with LC-MS/MS. Compared to the commercial PDMS, COF-V and amorphous COP-V-0.33-F, the designed COF-V-0.33-F fiber exhibited rather high extraction capacity with 2.7-65.8, 2.1-10.8, and 2.8-367.1 fold enhancement, respectively. The proposed method was successfully used for PFASs determination in tap, pond and river water. Seven trace PFASs were detected with satisfactory recoveries of 71.0%-117.9%, 75.7%-109.1% and 82.8%-118.2% at spiked concentrations of 20 ng/L, 200 ng/L and 2000 ng/L, respectively. This work posed a simple but powerful access to efficient synthesis of F-COFs with good crystallinity and flexible adjustment of fluorination.

PMID:41518766 | DOI:10.1016/j.chroma.2026.466680

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 5;503:141055. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141055. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Plastics can adsorb both organic and inorganic contaminants from surrounding aquatic environments, with potential toxic effects on a wide range of species. In this study, polyethylene pellets were immersed along nine European river-to-sea continuums for one month. Adsorbed contaminants were characterized, and their toxicity assessed using DMSO extracts on the marine bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri and Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) embryos. A diverse array of organic pollutants was annotated, including plastic additives, pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Spatial trends were observed for trace elements, with higher zinc adsorption downstream, while iron was more concentrated upstream. Standardized bacterial toxicity tests revealed significant effects at 29 % of the sites, with estuarine and intermediate-salinity locations exhibiting higher toxicity than upstream sites. Redundancy analysis identified manganese, copper, zinc and iron as the primary contributors of the DMSO extracts toxicity, although iron was negatively correlated with toxic effects. Individual trace element concentrations in DMSO extracts remained below EC₅₀ values reported in the literature. Overall, this study demonstrates that caging polyethylene pellets could serve as effective passive sensors, enabling the monitoring of a wide range of environmental contaminants along river-to-sea gradients and highlighting spatial variations in both contaminant accumulation and toxicity.

PMID:41518798 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141055

Environ Pollut. 2026 Jan 8:127662. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127662. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We quantified twenty-four poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)-including perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs), perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), emerging PFAS as well as PFAS precursors-in tissue samples of minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Eden's whale (Balaenoptera edeni), and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) from the East China Sea. Median long-chain PFCA concentrations (0.16-5.24 ng/g ww) significantly exceeded short-chain homolog levels (0.04-0.19 ng/g ww) across whale tissues. As the alternative of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), moreover, 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA) was ubiquitous in whales (median: 0.42 ng/g ww), regardless of tissue types. Tissue-specific accumulation analysis showed that the distribution pattern of 6:2 Cl-PFESA resembled that of PFOS whereas the tissue distribution patterns were different between short-chain and long-chain PFCAs. In order to examine the species-specific accumulation, we also compared the results found in whales by this study with the results observed in finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri) by our previous study. Interestingly, fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylates (FTUCAs) were detected in all whales but absence in finless porpoises; conversely, varied 6:2 Cl-PFESA/PFOS concentration ratios in tissues were also found among all species with the maximum value at 1.12 in sperm whale. Therefore, marine monitoring of PFAS relying on a single bioindicator species can be biased, and our results indicated high accumulation patterns of long-chain PFCAs and 6:2 Cl-PFESA in those species living in offshore with whales as bioindicators.

PMID:41519192 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127662

Foods. 2025 Dec 24;15(1):58. doi: 10.3390/foods15010058.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have emerged as contaminants of global concern due to their persistence and potential health risks. PFASs pose potential pollution risks in mango cultivation and production. This study investigated pollution characteristics and conducted a comprehensive risk assessment of PFASs in soil-mango systems within the Nanfan District of Hainan, China. The results revealed that total PFAS concentrations in soil ranged from 0.18 to 1.07 ng/g, with PFHpA and PFHxA accounting for 24.9% and 21.0%, respectively. Total PFAS concentrations in mangoes ranged from 0.0019 to 0.0201 ng/g wet weight, where PFHxA and PFHpA accounted for 44.02% and 30.28%, respectively. For all PFASs, the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in mangoes was <1, indicating limited transfer from soil to fruits. Regarding PFAS contamination sources, long-range atmospheric transport may serve as the primary pathway for PFAS contamination in soil and mangoes. Risk assessments indicated minimal ecological and dietary exposure risks, with soil ecological risk quotients (RQs) below 0.01 and edible exposure RQs below 1. This study highlights the unique contribution of short-chain PFAS to the quality and safety of tropical agricultural products and provides critical data for the safety regulation of PFASs in soil-fruit systems.

PMID:41517124 | PMC:PMC12785708 | DOI:10.3390/foods15010058

Environ Res. 2026 Jan 8:123732. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.123732. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants with potential neurotoxic effects, but evidence on short-chain and emerging PFASs remains scarce. To examine associations between prenatal PFAS exposure, particularly short-chain and emerging compounds, and cognitive outcomes in 2.5-year-old children, considering sex-specific effects and the potential mediating role of maternal thyroid hormones (THs).

METHODS: In 202 mother-child pairs from the Wuxi Birth Cohort (2019-2021), 23 PFASs and maternal THs were measured in serum. Child cognition was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition. Statistical models including linear regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to examine both linear and non-linear associations between prenatal exposure to individual and combined PFASs and offspring neurodevelopment. Mediation analysis was conducted to investigate whether maternal thyroid function mediated these associations.

RESULTS: Higher maternal PFBA (short-chain) levels were significantly associated with lower verbal comprehension index scores in boys [β = -2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): -4.05, -0.20]. Elevated maternal levels of the short-chain PFAS PFHxS were significantly associated with lower working memory index scores (β = -3.90, 95% CI: -7.48, -0.32), with similar adverse associations also observed for long-chain PFASs such as PFOA (β = -5.20, 95% CI: -10.20, -0.20) and PFOS (β = -2.03, 95% CI: -3.50, -0.55). Notably, RCS models revealed several short-chain PFASs, including PFHxA and PFPeA, showed significant nonlinear associations with cognitive outcomes such as working memory index (WMI)and visual spatial index. In contrast, PFAS mixtures showed no significant effects. Although several PFASs was associated with maternal thyroid hormone levels, mediation was not supported.

CONCLUSION: Prenatal exposure to specific short and long chain PFASs may impair early cognitive development, with sex-specific and nonlinear patterns. These findings highlight the need for further research and regulation of emerging PFASs.

PMID:41519285 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.123732

Res Sq [Preprint]. 2025 Dec 12:rs.3.rs-8097114. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8097114/v1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND The purpose was to test the hypothesis that exposures to organochlorine compounds are associated with body weight increases in a dietary intervention study. METHODS In the DioGenes trial, adults with obesity who had at first lost at least 8% of their body weight then completed at least 26 weeks on a specific diet. Concentrations of major organochlorine compounds were assessed in plasma samples obtained at study baseline. RESULTS A total of 372 participants with complete data were examined for plasma concentrations of major organochlorine compounds. A doubling in total-PCB in plasma was associated with an increase in weight (in kg) at 26 weeks by 0.43 (0.04;0.83), independent of diet group and sex. Associations for most individual organochlorines were in the same direction, though mostly not statistically significant, especially after adjustment. However, p,p' -DDE showed opposite effects. Adjustment for exposure to perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) only minimally affected the findings. CONCLUSIONS Elevated plasma concentrations of some organochlorine compounds were weakly associated with increased weight gain, although most individual associations did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for PFAS exposure. However, p,p'-DDE concentrations showed a clear association with lowered body weight. Overall, the halogenated pollutants examined are likely to contribute to the obesity pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The original RCT is with ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00390637.

PMID:41510295 | PMC:PMC12776442 | DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8097114/v1

Langmuir. 2026 Jan 9. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04205. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are organic materials that are extensively used in various industries due to stability, hydrophobicity, and other physicochemical properties. Their highly chemically stable structure and resistance to degradation make them ubiquitous in the environment and cause adverse health effects upon bioaccumulation. The inefficiency of conventional wastewater treatment in degrading this permanent chemical leads to the use of advanced oxidation processes for the degradation/mineralization. In this article, we have discussed the recent advances of PFAS degradation by piezocatalysis, one of the widely studied advanced oxidation processes in recent years. The key mechanism of piezocatalytic reactive oxygen species generation and destruction of the PFAS chain by C-F bond cleavage is discussed herein. The enhancement of the degradation efficiency by modulating the piezocrystal synthesis techniques and composite formation has also been discussed. Furthermore, the review identified the challenges in piezocatalytic PFAS degradation, such as low degradation efficiency, limited scalability, and minimal defluorination, which are the main drawbacks in real-world applications. Future research direction by forming co-catalysts and integrating other catalytic modalities like photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and tribocatalysis for the synergistic degradation efficiency has also been discussed. This article delves into piezoelectric materials-based mechanical stress-assisted (piezodynamic) PFAS degradation and the mechanistic pathway, which may serve the new generation of researchers and stakeholders who are working with environmental remediation and sustainable degradation of PFAS from water.

PMID:41510978 | DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04205

Chemosphere. 2026 Jan 8;395:144824. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144824. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in food and food contact materials (FCMs) worldwide, causing concerns for human exposure through diet. In this study, we have developed and validated a new method for analysis of 73 PFAS from 15 different classes in paper and plastic FCMs. The method was based on methanolic extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and was validated at three spiking levels with five replicates per level. Acceptable recoveries and repeatability were achieved for 96-100 % of analytes between various spiking levels and food packaging materials. We further applied the validated method to test 66 paper and plastic food packaging materials that were in direct contact with the previously tested food samples of chicken, pork, beef and catfish purchased from grocery stores in the US. Nine PFAS were detected in the samples: 8:2 FTSA, 6:2 diPAP, 8:2 diPAP, diSAmPAP, PFBA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFBS and PFOS with ∑PFAS concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 16.3 ng/g. At least one PFAS was detected in 64 % of the samples. The most frequently detected PFAS was 6:2 diPAP found in 61 % of samples, across all material types in concentrations 0.09-10.3 ng/g. Results suggest no evidence of PFAS transfer from FCMs tested in this study to packaged food tested in our previous study.

PMID:41512439 | DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144824

Anal Chim Acta. 2026 Jan 22;1384:344940. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2025.344940. Epub 2025 Nov 27.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of increasing concern due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and association with adverse health outcomes. The growing need for large-scale monitoring and long-term exposure assessment studies necessitates the development of high-throughput, sustainable analytical methodologies. In this work, a solid-phase microextraction-microfluidic open interface-mass spectrometry (SPME-MOI-MS) platform was developed for the rapid screening of 18 PFAS compounds in human plasma. By bypassing the liquid chromatography separation, the method achieves high-throughput performance with an average analysis time of 3.7 min per sample. A novel SPME coating, comprising hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced mixed-mode weak anion exchange sorbent (HLB-WAX) particles embedded in a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) binder, enabled efficient extraction and effective cleanup of complex biological matrices, facilitating direct MS analysis. The method demonstrated excellent linearity (1-100 ng/mL) and low limits of detection (0.11-0.86 ng/mL) across target PFAS compounds. For practical application, PFOA and PFNA were detected in human plasma samples during these initial investigations, demonstrating the potential of the SPME-MOI-MS approach for large-scale PFAS biomonitoring and exposure assessment.

PMID:41513343 | DOI:10.1016/j.aca.2025.344940

Cell Death Discov. 2026 Jan 9;12(1):10. doi: 10.1038/s41420-025-02863-5.

ABSTRACT

Emerging evidence revealed an association between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure and reduced bone mass density, leading to osteoporosis disease. This confirms the bone as a target tissue for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, it is still unclear during which phase, proliferation or differentiation, PFOA exerts the most significant harm on osteoblasts, the cells responsible for secreting bone matrix. To tackle the intriguing question of how PFOA treatment affects the process, this study investigated the impact of different concentrations of PFOA on 2D and 3D human fetal osteoblast (hFOB1.19) cell line cultures representing the proliferation and differentiation phases, respectively. In 2D cultures, a 6-day PFOA exposure impaired antioxidant defense without directly altering osteogenesis or calcium deposition. In 3D spheroids, PFOA disrupted spheroid morphology and the deposition of the organic component of extracellular matrix (ECM) in a time-dependent manner. Given the relevance of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in bone remodeling, we further assessed cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) levels. In 2D cultures, 10 µM PFOA reduced CB1 protein levels in parallel with decreased collagen levels. Conversely, in 3D spheroids, exposure to 100 µM PFOA for 2 days significantly increased CB1 levels while reducing the levels of degraded collagen. These findings emphasize the non-monotonic, phase- and time-dependent effects of PFOA on osteoblast function and ECM deposition, underscoring the need for further research into its long-term impact on bone homeostasis and human health induced by this emerging concern contaminant.

PMID:41513615 | PMC:PMC12789562 | DOI:10.1038/s41420-025-02863-5

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2026 Jan 9:e25896. doi: 10.1002/anie.202525896. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Efficient, scalable, and well-understood methods for degrading per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are essential for limiting their numerous negative human health and environmental effects. Electrochemical methods are promising for PFAS degradation but are currently not yet well developed for use in non-aqueous conditions relevant for PFAS sorbent regeneration without resorting to specialized electrode materials. Herein, we report the mediated electrochemical conversion of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates to carboxylates using commercial Pt electrodes in acetonitrile. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was converted primarily to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) alongside several shorter-chain carboxylates through a proposed radical desulfonation and hydroxide coupling process explored in a detailed mechanistic study. Following the near-complete conversion of PFOS to perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, all species are mineralized to fluoride and non-fluorinated carbon byproducts using established low-temperature DMSO/NaOH conditions. HPLC-MS, ion chromatography, and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods determined a significant loss in fluorine and carbon balance after electrochemistry, which we attribute to the production of volatile byproducts. This degradation approach provides new insights into PFAS degradation mechanisms under highly oxidative, non-aqueous conditions and highlights the potential for organic electrochemistry to address environmental challenges by promoting controlled and selective destruction pathways for common organic pollutants.

PMID:41508990 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202525896

Environ Health. 2026 Jan 9. doi: 10.1186/s12940-025-01257-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Policy-relevant spatial determinants of human exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a broad class of persistent environmental contaminants affecting pregnancy and child development, remain poorly understood because of the diversity of exposure sources. This is especially true for modern, dense urban settings, which contain less well-studied built environment-related sources, including transportation-related ground and airborne contamination.

METHODS: We link high-resolution spatiotemporal urban land use data to longitudinal residential histories to assess determinants of individual-level blood plasma PFAS exposures in two geographically- and demographically- diverse cohorts of pregnant women in urban Singapore (n = 784 in 2009-2011; n = 384 in 2015-2017). Longitudinal repeated measures allow us to rule out socio-behavioral factors (e.g., residential segregation) as alternative explanations. Actual land use occupancies were ground-truthed through automated extraction of Google Street View data.

FINDINGS: Adjusting for known predictors and within-neighborhood unobserved spatial heterogeneity, a standard deviation (SD) increase (∼10,000m[Formula: see text]) in transport facility exposure was linked to 0.11 (1.78 ng/mL), 0.16, 0.11 SD increases in residents' perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) concentrations, respectively, in the 2009 cohort. Dose-response analyses suggested that associations strengthened when transport facilities exceeded 10,000 m[Formula: see text], with residents living near ≥12,000 m[Formula: see text] exhibiting 7.3 ng/mL higher plasma PFBS (p = 0.04), consistent with footprints from large bus depots rather than smaller petrol kiosks. Associations with different PFAS congeners were replicated in the 2015 cohort. No other land use type showed similarly consistent findings.

INTERPRETATIONS: Transport facilities are prevalent near residences in urban settings and may be potential sources of PFAS emissions from automotive-related lubricants, parts, and materials. Our findings that exposure was robustly associated with individual-level concentration, over and above behavioral and other factors, highlight the importance of monitoring these and other urban sources of exposure.

PMID:41514348 | DOI:10.1186/s12940-025-01257-5

Aquat Toxicol. 2025 Dec 28;291:107700. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107700. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Understanding how submerge-emerge alternation influences the fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in wetland plants is crucial for ecological risk assessment and optimizing phytoremediation under fluctuating hydrological regimes. This study simulated the alternation scenario (ASE), comparing it with continued submergence (CS) and continued emergence (CE) to investigate alternation's regulatory effect on PFAS fate, considering plant growth, physiology, and metabolic profiles. Results showed that ASE inhibited PFAS accumulation in roots, while enhancing their translocation and accumulation in leaves. Specifically, the average PFAS amount in ASE roots (14.96 μg) was lower than that in CS (19.14 μg) and CE (17.28 μg), whereas in ASE leaves, they were 1.25 and 1.23 times higher than in CS and CE, respectively. Among individual PFASs, PFBA, 6:2 FTS, and PFOS exhibited pronounced bioaccumulation under ASE treatment, whereas PFOA preferentially accumulated under CS and CE treatments. Physiological analysis indicated that ASE stimulated plant growth (higher biomass and growth rate) and root development (e.g., longer root length and increased number of root tips), accompanied by elevated levels of H₂O₂, malondialdehyde, and chlorophyll, suggesting enhanced photosynthesis and transpiration. In the rhizosphere, ASE markedly increased the secretion of flavonoids and organic acids, while reducing the exudation of lipids and amino acids. The KEGG analysis further revealed upregulation of sphingolipid metabolism and fatty acid degradation pathways under ASE treatment, which were implicated in membrane integrity, protein functionality, and ion channel regulation. Collectively, these findings suggest that ASE mitigated PFAS accumulation in roots by enhancing membrane selectivity and activating rhizosphere defense mechanisms, while elevated oxidative stress and transpiration likely promoted PFAS translocation to leaves. This study provides novel insights into PFAS behavior in fluctuating hydrological environments and informs phytoremediation strategies.

PMID:41506190 | DOI:10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107700

Environ Sci Process Impacts. 2026 Jan 8. doi: 10.1039/d5em00847f. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The goals of this study were to measure sorption kinetics, solid-water partitioning (log K_d values) as a function of pH, and percent desorption for a diverse set of PFASs on four highly abundant soil and aquifer minerals. We found that PFAS sorption was relatively fast on all four minerals and that overall log K_d values were higher for ferrihydrite and montmorillonite than for goethite and kaolinite, possibly driven by differences in surface area. We also found that log K_d values on ferrihydrite and goethite were dependent on pH levels and the length of the perfluoroalkyl chain. Significant differences in log K_d values between the iron oxide minerals were explained by differences in their respective point-of-zero-charge, and changes in PFAS speciation as a function of pH amplified those differences. Despite the relatively high log K_d values of the iron oxide minerals reflecting relatively high affinity for PFASs, facile desorption from the iron oxides suggests that PFAS sorption is driven by relatively weak electrostatic interactions. The log K_d values on montmorillonite and kaolinite were not significantly dependent on pH levels, but were dependent on the length of the perfluoroalkyl chain. Less facile desorption from the silica clay minerals suggests that PFAS sorption is driven by relatively strong hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Together, our data make practical contributions to support site characterization and remediation efforts, while also contributing key insights into the fundamental sorption processes.

PMID:41504115 | DOI:10.1039/d5em00847f

Environ Pollut. 2026 Jan 6:127644. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127644. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Previous research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and blood lipids in the elderly is limited, and the mechanisms by which PFAS affect lipid levels remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between PFAS exposure and blood lipid levels in the elderly and to construct Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOP) using toxicological databases. The study included 753 individuals aged 65 and above from a rural area in Northwest China. Serum concentrations of 32 PFAS were measured, and 16 of them were included in the statistical analysis. Linear regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used to examine the associations between PFAS exposure and blood lipid levels. Additionally, Bayesian kernel machine regression was applied to assess the mixture effects of PFAS exposure. The results showed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was significantly positively correlated with total cholesterol (β = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.92), while perfluoro-2-propoxypropanoic acid (HFPO-DA) was negatively associated with total cholesterol (β = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.50, -0.20). Through AOP network analysis, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) was identified as a key molecular target through which these two PFAS exposure may influence lipid levels. These findings provide new evidence for understanding the impact of PFAS on blood lipid levels in the elderly population.

PMID:41506612 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127644

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 2;502:141023. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141023. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Foam fractionation is a cost-effective separation method that utilizes air bubbles and co-surfactants to remove and concentrate PFAS in small volumes of foam. Co-surfactants with a positive charge, such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), have been shown to remove both long- and short-chain PFAS from water due to their ability to interact with negatively charged PFAS, however, there are concerns over the use of CTAB due to its toxicity. To address this issue, we evaluated the foam fractionation performance of several co-surfactants and identified a cationic surfactant, shea butteramidopropyltrimonium chloride (SBATC), that is derived from shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) as an alternative to CTAB. Surface tension data confirmed accumulation of cationic shea co-surfactant at the air-water interface. Subsequent laboratory-scale foam fractionation experiments demonstrated rapid removal of both long- and short-chain PFAS with SBATC, and greater PFAS foam enrichment compared to CTAB. Cytotoxicity studies performed with petroleum-based and shea-derived co-surfactants using human intestine and zebra fish cell lines demonstrated that shea-derived co-surfactants are lower toxicity alternatives for foam fractionation applications.

PMID:41499881 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141023

Clin Nutr. 2025 Dec 29;57:106555. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2025.106555. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The non-degradable poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are 'Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals' (EDCs), a group of chemicals that interfere with endocrine processes in the human body and potentially have adverse effects on several developmental domains in children. Particularly when PFAS exposure occurs during susceptive periods, including 'the first 1000 days' of life. Human milk is an important PFAS exposure pathway. In contrast to breastfeeding, PFAS have been thought to negatively influence growth, body composition development and metabolic health. However, exact mechanisms are not yet unraveled. Potential pathways might be via appetite regulating hormones (ARHs) and eating behavior. We, therefore, investigated the influence of feeding type (exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), exclusive formula feeding (EFF) or mixed feeding (mix)) on plasma ARHs and eating behavior and also the associations between plasma PFAS levels, ARHs and eating behavior, in infants during the first 2 years of life.

METHODS: This study was embedded in the Sophia Pluto study. We conducted longitudinal follow-up in 371 healthy term-born infants (150 EBF, 97 EFF and 124 mix) during the first 2 years of life. At age 3 months and 2 years, we studied eating behavior via the Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ) and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), respectively. At these timepoints, fasting blood samples were collected in which plasma levels of 5 individual PFAS and 9 ARHs were determined. The associations of plasma PFAS levels and feeding type with ARHs and eating behavior were studied using multiple regression models, corrected for known confounders, such as sex and fat mass SDS.

RESULTS: At age 3 months plasma ARH levels differed between children that were EBF, EFF and mix. With EBF-infants having the highest levels of peptide YY (PYY) and the lowest of insulin, amylin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). These differences disappeared at age 2 years. Higher plasma PFAS levels, corrected for feeding type, at age 3 months were associated with higher adiponectin and lower leptin levels and at age 2 years with lower leptin and insulin levels. When studying eating behavior, we did neither find any differences between EBF, EFF and mix infants at age 3 months nor at age 2 years. At age 3 months, plasma PFAS levels were inversely associated with "food responsiveness", and positively with "slowness in eating". At age 2 years, plasma PFAS levels, corrected for feeding type, were inversely associated with all "food approach" subscales.

CONCLUSION: Our findings could indicate that PFAS exposure does not compromise breastfeeding's health benefits on metabolic health and insulin sensitivity until age 2 years and that PFAS exposure probably effects eating behavior via other pathways than ARHs alone, which warrants further research.

PMID:41499922 | DOI:10.1016/j.clnu.2025.106555

Nat Chem. 2026 Jan 7. doi: 10.1038/s41557-025-02044-y. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41501554 | DOI:10.1038/s41557-025-02044-y

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 3;502:141033. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141033. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have garnered worldwide concern owing to their pervasive environmental persistence and deleterious effects on aquatic resources. Membrane separation technologies, particularly nanofiltration (NF) membranes and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, have potential in PFAS removal, but the multi-factor coupling effects of these technologies still lack systematic research. This study developed sparrow search algorithm (SSA) and AdaBoost algorithms optimized kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) model to analyze the performance of 24 types of RO and NF membranes for removing 17 different PFAS from contaminated water. Based on the PFAS removal mechanism of RO and NF membranes and the operating conditions, twelve characteristic variables were selected as model inputs. Compared with the partial least squares, ridge regression, random forest, gradient-boosting, XGBoost, support vector machine, and BP neural network, the baseline KELM model delivered competitive accuracy (R²=0.56, RMSE=10.31). After SSA-AdaBoost optimization, predictive performance rose significantly (R²=0.85, RMSE=5.04). SHapley Additive exPlanations algorithm and partial dependence plots were applied to investigated the feature importance and the coupling effect of characteristic variables on the membrane removal of different PFAS. The results identified PFAS molecular weight, pH, and membrane pore size as the three dominant factors governing rejection. Optimum performance could be attained when the membrane exhibited a pore size < 0.4 nm, zeta potential ≈ -28 mV, surface roughness > 82 nm, and contact angle > 28°. By integrating these quantitative relationships, the study delivers a data-driven theoretical framework for tuning NF/RO membranes to optimize PFAS separation efficiency.

PMID:41499873 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141033

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 1;502:141017. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.141017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants with exceptional stability and significant ecological risk. However, their distribution and accumulation in soil-crop systems, especially for the replacement compound GenX, remain poorly characterized. Here, rice (Oryza sativa, Nipponbare) was cultivated for five months in paddy soils amended with PFOA, PFOS, and GenX to map fate, bioaccumulation, and toxic responses across the soil-crop system and to derive soil safety thresholds protective of human health. PFAS exposure (10-100 μg/g) altered plant morphology and development and induced dose-linear oxidative stress (SOD, POD, CAT, MDA, H₂O₂, protein). Compound-specific translocation emerged: short-chain GenX showed greater upward transport and endosperm accumulation, whereas long-chain PFOA/PFOS were more root-retained (endosperm accumulation in total plant: PFOA 8.973-10.440 %, PFOS 9.951-12.800 %, GenX 10.286-20.773 %). Overall toxic potency ranked PFOA ≥ PFOS > GenX. Based on measured plant uptake, we propose provisional exposure safety thresholds for rice cultivation of 3.157 ng/g (PFOA), 2.327 ng/g (PFOS), and 21.220 ng/g (GenX). This growth-cycle assessment provides an integrated evidence base for PFAS ecological risk evaluation and delivers actionable guidance to safeguard food security.

PMID:41499869 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.141017

Environ Int. 2025 Dec 19;207:110011. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.110011. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been suggested to impact offspring neurodevelopment. However, epidemiological evidence remains limited and inconclusive, particularly as few studies have considered the longitudinal course of neurodevelopment.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify neurodevelopmental trajectories in children aged 6 to 24 months and to assess the individual and mixture effects of PFAS exposure on these trajectories.

METHODS: In the Shanghai Birth Cohort, ten PFAS were measured in maternal serum during early pregnancy. Child neurodevelopment at 6, 12, and 24 months was assessed using standardized scales. Latent class mixed models and linear mixed-effects models were used to derive neurodevelopmental trajectory groups and individual slopes, respectively. Associations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixtures with slopes were evaluated using linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and quantile g-computation (qgcomp), overall and by child sex.

RESULTS: We analyzed 2,181 mother-child pairs with prenatal PFAS exposure and neurodevelopmental assessments. In the communication, motor, and cognition domains, children showed three distinct neurodevelopmental trajectories from 6 to 24 months: stable, increasing, and catch-up groups. Using neurodevelopmental trajectories, we quantified each individual's slope in each domain. PFUnDA, PFDA, and PFNA were consistently associated with reduced developmental slopes across all three domains, with PFUnDA showing the highest effects: -0.082 (-0.124, -0.041) for communication, -0.064 (-0.106, -0.022) for motor, and -0.132 (-0.173, -0.091) for cognition. Both the BKMR and qgcomp models revealed significant mixture effects of PFAS mixtures on developmental slopes of communication and cognition, highlighting the predominant contribution of PFUnDA, with posterior inclusion probabilities of 0.810 and 0.975, respectively. Associations were evident among girls but not among boys.

CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exposure to PFAS was significantly associated with slower neurodevelopmental progression from 6 to 24 months, particularly in girls, highlighting a potential public health concern.

PMID:41496223 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2025.110011

Environ Int. 2025 Dec 19;207:110014. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.110014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent synthetic chemicals, showing global presence in environment and human populations. Despite accumulating evidence implicating PFASs in liver toxicity, epidemiological data linking PFAS exposure to liver cancer risk remain limited, particularly regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms in humans. In this case-control study, we quantified concentrations of nine PFASs and performed nontargeted metabolomics in serum samples from 116 newly diagnosed liver cancer cases and 400 matched controls. Advanced supervised machine learning models were employed to identify PFAS exposure-associated metabolic features, followed by pathway enrichment and mediation analyses to elucidate biological mechanisms. Higher human serum levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoate, perfluorodecanoate, perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluoroether sulfonic acid were significantly correlated with the increased liver cancer risk. Weighted quantile sum index for the PFAS mixture was significantly correlated with an elevated liver cancer risk, with PFOA identified as the dominant contributor to this association. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) approach based on metabolomic variables achieved the greatest predictive accuracy. Disruptions in methionine metabolism and phospholipid biosynthesis were identified as significant mediators in the association between serum PFAS levels and liver cancer risk, as revealed by LASSO modeling and mediation analyses. To our awareness, this study first demonstrates that multiple PFAS exposure may promote liver carcinogenesis through perturbations in amino acid and membrane lipid metabolism in humans.

PMID:41496226 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2025.110014

Environ Int. 2025 Dec 20;207:110012. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.110012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Studies on birds breeding in highly urbanized environments have reported high plasma levels of a range of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Exposure of birds to these organohalogens may disrupt hormone regulation and energy metabolism, potentially leading to adverse effects on reproduction and health. While the sources and pathways of exposure to certain of these organohalogens have been documented in several bird populations, little information is available on the exposure-related effects on hormones involved in energy metabolism and their cascading effects on metabolism and energy expenditure. This study aimed to assess the linkages between plasma concentrations of PFAS and HFRs, and thyroid hormones, glucocorticoids, as well as other markers of energy metabolism in nesting ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) for which foraging movements were tracked for three years in the Montreal area (QC, Canada). Plasma HFR and PFAS concentrations did not vary with foraging habitat use patterns, suggesting diffuse urban sources. Plasma HFR and PFAS concentrations were associated with sex-specific hormonal and metabolic responses. Specifically, lipid-derived β-hydroxybutyrate levels in plasma of males significantly decreased with increasing PFAS concentrations, whereas this relationship was positive in females. Furthermore, triiodothyronine (T₃) and β-hydroxybutyrate levels in males and corticosterone in females both significantly increased with those of HFRs. Results suggest that gulls breeding in densely populated urban environments that are highly exposed to organohalogens may experience perturbations of key hormones involved in energy metabolism leading to metabolic effects.

PMID:41496224 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2025.110012

Environ Int. 2026 Jan 5;207:110046. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110046. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Contact-based exposure estimation paired with empirically evaluated toxicokinetic (TK) modeling can complement direct measurements of serum concentrations for characterizing individual exposures and provide a proxy for risk assessment. This study examined whether a mother-child dyad TK model paired with PFAS exposure estimates provide reasonable predictions of serum PFAS concentrations for children. A previously published mother-child dyad TK model was used to estimate the child serum concentrations. We modified the model by updating with recent TK parameter estimates. Background intake rates via food, indoor dust, and indoor air were from published studies. Estimation of child serum PFOA concentrations in PFOA-contaminated regions additionally considered exposure to contaminated drinking water and outdoor air. TK-modeled serum concentrations were then compared with measured serum concentrations from child cohorts for four PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA) from other published studies. Individual serum PFOA measurements from the C8 Health Study were compared with modeled serum concentrations using the modified and other published TK models. Modeled child PFAS serum concentrations using the modified dyad TK model were in good accordance with measured serum concentrations. The median model predictions of serum PFOA were highly correlated with the median of measured values and the percentage of TK-modeled serum PFOA within 2-fold and 10-fold of measured values was 34% and 94%, respectively, which was similar or higher than the estimates from the other TK models. The modified dyad TK model can provide reasonable estimates of dynamic serum PFAS concentrations for children when only environmental doses are available.

PMID:41496242 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110046

Clin Nutr. 2025 Dec 29;57:106555. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2025.106555. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The non-degradable poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are 'Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals' (EDCs), a group of chemicals that interfere with endocrine processes in the human body and potentially have adverse effects on several developmental domains in children. Particularly when PFAS exposure occurs during susceptive periods, including 'the first 1000 days' of life. Human milk is an important PFAS exposure pathway. In contrast to breastfeeding, PFAS have been thought to negatively influence growth, body composition development and metabolic health. However, exact mechanisms are not yet unraveled. Potential pathways might be via appetite regulating hormones (ARHs) and eating behavior. We, therefore, investigated the influence of feeding type (exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), exclusive formula feeding (EFF) or mixed feeding (mix)) on plasma ARHs and eating behavior and also the associations between plasma PFAS levels, ARHs and eating behavior, in infants during the first 2 years of life.

METHODS: This study was embedded in the Sophia Pluto study. We conducted longitudinal follow-up in 371 healthy term-born infants (150 EBF, 97 EFF and 124 mix) during the first 2 years of life. At age 3 months and 2 years, we studied eating behavior via the Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ) and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), respectively. At these timepoints, fasting blood samples were collected in which plasma levels of 5 individual PFAS and 9 ARHs were determined. The associations of plasma PFAS levels and feeding type with ARHs and eating behavior were studied using multiple regression models, corrected for known confounders, such as sex and fat mass SDS.

RESULTS: At age 3 months plasma ARH levels differed between children that were EBF, EFF and mix. With EBF-infants having the highest levels of peptide YY (PYY) and the lowest of insulin, amylin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). These differences disappeared at age 2 years. Higher plasma PFAS levels, corrected for feeding type, at age 3 months were associated with higher adiponectin and lower leptin levels and at age 2 years with lower leptin and insulin levels. When studying eating behavior, we did neither find any differences between EBF, EFF and mix infants at age 3 months nor at age 2 years. At age 3 months, plasma PFAS levels were inversely associated with "food responsiveness", and positively with "slowness in eating". At age 2 years, plasma PFAS levels, corrected for feeding type, were inversely associated with all "food approach" subscales.

CONCLUSION: Our findings could indicate that PFAS exposure does not compromise breastfeeding's health benefits on metabolic health and insulin sensitivity until age 2 years and that PFAS exposure probably effects eating behavior via other pathways than ARHs alone, which warrants further research.

PMID:41499922 | DOI:10.1016/j.clnu.2025.106555

Water Res. 2025 Dec 29;292:125291. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125291. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as highly recalcitrant pollutants, tend to accumulate in sludge, posing challenges for subsequent treatment and resource recovery. Sludge alkaline fermentation (SAF) produces sludge alkaline fermentation liquid (SAFL) with potential for circular-economy reuse, while simultaneously transferring PFASs from the solid phase into SAFL, thereby creating a trade-off between resource recovery and contamination. Coagulation is a critical step in SAFL separation, yet the fate of PFASs during this process remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the performance of polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and polyferric sulfate (PFS) in removing nine representative legacy and emerging PFASs from SAFL. High removal efficiencies were achieved across PFASs with varying chain lengths and headgroups, with long-chain PFASs (C ≥ 8) reaching up to 74% and emerging short-chain PFASs (C < 8) up to 55%. Spectroscopic analysis indicated that the hydrophobic interaction between PFASs and the Al/Fe based hydrolysates were the primary driving force for the direct removal of PFASs by coagulants. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in SAFL played a facilitating role in PFASs removal, with proteins identified as the key contributors. DOM analysis revealed that additional coagulants facilitated the removal of protein-like substance and hydrophobic macromolecules that have strong affinities for PFASs. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that Al/Fe-based hydrolysates increased electrostatic attraction and binding free energy, thereby increasing protein compactness and promoting co-precipitation removal of PFASs. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing coagulation strategies in practical applications to effectively mitigate ecological risks in DOM-rich water contaminated with PFASs.

PMID:41499833 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125291

Water Res. 2026 Jan 2;292:125324. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.125324. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Anion exchange resin (AER) adsorption is an effective technology for removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. However, conventional AERs exhibit poor adsorption selectivity, and the adsorption differences among different amine functional groups for low-concentration PFAS in drinking water remain unclear. In this study, multiple AERs with different amine groups were synthesized, and the structure-selectivity relationship of AERs for PFAS adsorption was revealed through competitive adsorption experiments. It was found that AERs with hydrophobic long alkyl chains, strong-base quaternary amine groups, and gel-type pore structures demonstrated higher adsorption selectivity for PFAS. Furthermore, the removal efficiency of low-concentration PFAS in drinking water by AERs was highly correlated with adsorption selectivity. Based on these findings, a synthesized gel-type strong-base AER with long alkyl chains (Gel(12-1-1)) was selected as the optimal AER, and its adsorption performance for PFAS in drinking water was evaluated through rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs). During the treatment of 180,000 bed volumes (BV), the effluent concentrations of PFBS, PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and GenX consistently remained below 10 ng/L. If targeting the U.S. drinking water regulatory limit of 4 ng/L for PFOS and PFOA, the commercial resin PFA694E could only treat 42,000 BV of water, whereas Gel(12-1-1) could treat 97,000 BV, demonstrating a significant advantage. This study not only provides an efficient and practical material for PFAS adsorption from drinking water, but also establishes a theoretical basis for the selective and ultimate removal of low-concentration PFAS.

PMID:41499835 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.125324

Water Res. 2026 Jan 1;292:125315. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125315. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Short-chain legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have attracted global attention. However, little is known about their presence in marine bay food webs. Here, we investigated the occurrence, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer and sources of 21 legacy and 18 emerging PFAS in Liaodong Bay, China. Concentrations of Σ₃₉PFAS were in the ranges of 28.55-104.63 ng/L in seawater, 26.98-144.72 ng/g dw in sediment, and 7.12-118.06 ng/g ww in marine organisms. PFAS in seawater and biota were dominated by short-chain PFAS (C ≤ 6), while in sediment were dominated by long-chain PFAS (C ≥ 7), with perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA), and N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (N-EtFOSA) being the main compounds, respectively. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential varied among PFAS classes and biota species. The highest biota-seawater accumulation factor (BAF) of 6:2 chlorinated perfluoropolyether sulfonic acids (6:2 Cl-PFESA, F-53B) in Nereis succinea and biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) of 7:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (7:3 FTCA) in Platycephalus indicus were observed. FBSA, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, GenX), and perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) had the highest biomagnification factors (BMF) in the predator-prey interactions of Asterias amurensis-Mactra veneriformis, Odontamblyopus rubicundus-Bullacta exarata, and Portunus trituberculatus-Mactra veneriformis, respectively. Trophic magnification factors (TMF) in the marine bay food web differed among PFAS. FBSA, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed trophic magnification, while 8:2 FTCA and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) exhibited trophic dilution. Source apportionment analysis indicated a variety of sources for PFAS in biota, primarily deriving from industrial processes, commercial products and firefighting activities in the Liaodong Bay. The results of this study provide important information for evaluating the ecological risks of PFAS in marine bay ecosystems.

PMID:41494428 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125315

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 Jan 5;309:119675. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.119675. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous forever chemicals linked to reproductive toxicity, yet their interactions with CYP19A1 (aromatase)-the rate-limiting enzyme converting androgens to estrogens-remain poorly characterized. To address this gap, we developed a pharmacophore-based virtual screening framework to systematically assess CYP19A1 binding potential across 10,946 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) -cataloged PFAS. From the PFOS-CYP19A1 docking complex, we generated 10 pharmacophore models, of which three high-performance models were selected through rigorous validation (AUC > 0.848, MCC 0.257-0.294). Subsequent virtual screening revealed that 90.1 % of PFAS (9861 compounds) exhibited measurable CYP19A1 binding potential, with 7078 high-confidence compounds matching all three models. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that PFHxS maintained superior binding stability compared to PFOA, attributable to sulfonate groups forming stronger hydrogen bonds than carboxylates. Notably, cellular thermal shift assays experimentally confirmed direct PFHxS-CYP19A1 binding, demonstrating significant thermal stabilization. Collectively, these findings reveal that CYP19A1 binding represents a class-wide PFAS property rather than being confined to legacy compounds, thereby challenging current chemical-by-chemical regulatory paradigms and providing mechanistic support for group-based PFAS regulation in reproductive toxicology risk assessment.

PMID:41494372 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.119675

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 28;502:140957. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140957. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroether Carboxylic Acids (PFECAs), which are substitutes for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have been widely detected in various environmental matrices. PFECAs exhibit higher accumulation in plant leaves. Spatial heterogeneity of many contaminants in leaves can lead to varied ecological risks. However, the distribution patterns and metabolic impacts of PFECAs remain poorly understood in plants. In this study, an integrated approach employing desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI), transcriptomics, metabolomics and molecular docking was used to investigate the spatially resolved distribution and metabolic effects of two PFECAs (HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA) in wheat. PFECAs, especially HFPO-DA, were observed to accumulate predominantly in the leaf margins. Significant spatial variations in gene expression and metabolite profiles were identified between the inner and outer regions of leaves. Notably, genes associated with photosynthesis were significantly downregulated in the leaf margins compared to the central tissue. Exposure to PFECAs also resulted in decreased chlorophyll content in leaves. Differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) associated with oxidative stress were observed to exhibit abnormal regulation at the leaf margins. Molecular docking simulations revealed that PFECAs preferentially bound to key proteins, such as ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase (FNR) in the photosynthetic electron transport chains and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) in chlorophyll biosynthesis. These interactions likely disrupted photosynthetic function and chlorophyll synthesis, ultimately contributing to leaf yellowing in the leaf margins. These findings provide important insights into the spatially explicit toxicological mechanisms of PFECAs in wheat and establish a foundation for future research on spatial toxicology of PFAS in plants.

PMID:41494340 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140957

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Jan 5. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c13478. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The widespread use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has raised serious environmental and public health concerns, driving the urgent need for effective and scalable removal technologies. In this study, we present a surfactant-assisted ultrafiltration (UF) strategy for enhanced PFAS separation through leveraging in situ assembly of PFAS molecules with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The addition of CTAB (0.14 mM) induces the formation of nanoscale complexes or micelles with PFAS, thus promoting their effective retention by UF membranes (99.1% for 0.14 mM CTAB vs 30.3% without CTAB). Moreover, both experimental and modeling results reveal a concentration polarization effect that leads to the accumulation of CTAB on the membrane surface. As such, even when the bulk concentration of CTAB is below its critical micelle concentration, localized micelle formation occurs near the membrane interface, enabling effective retention of PFAS. Notably, the CTAB-enhanced UF process is also effective in retaining other PFAS species, especially long-chain compounds such as PFHxA. Further experiments indicate that compared with electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions between PFOA and CTAB play a more dominant role in forming micelles, thereby governing the subsequent retention by UF membranes. This study offers mechanistic insights into surfactant-mediated PFAS removal and presents a scalable, low-pressure membrane strategy for the effective treatment of PFAS-contaminated water.

PMID:41489990 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c13478

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 5;502:141040. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141040. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) are among the most frequently detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment owing to their prevalence and high stability, raising serious concerns regarding their toxicity and long-term persistence. This study proposes a promising approach for the degradation of PFOS and PFBS using a mechanochemical degradation (MCD) technique, employing tourmaline (TM). A comprehensive suite of characterization techniques - including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction - was used to elucidate the degradation pathways and structural transformations of PFOS and PFBS. The results showed that after just 6 h of milling, PFOS and PFBS were effectively degraded by 96 % and 97 %, respectively, accompanied by significant mineralization, as evidenced by total organic carbon (TOC) reductions of 91 % for PFOS and 82 % for PFBS. Under mechanical stress, TM generates piezo-electrons and forms oxygen vacancies in its metal-oxides, both of which enhance PFAS degradation. Additionally, TM induced a significant breakdown of the C-S/C-C bonds and the immobilization of the released fluoride as stable inorganic species. These findings demonstrate the dual functionality of TM as both an electron generator and a fluoride scavenger, supporting its potential as a sustainable reagent for PFAS remediation via MCD.

PMID:41494337 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141040

Environ Geochem Health. 2026 Jan 5;48(2):83. doi: 10.1007/s10653-025-02939-2.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have aroused increasing concern in diverse environmental media owing to their ubiquitous occurrence. Understanding the relationships between various PFAS and relevant geographical areas necessitates an analysis of their spatiotemporal distribution and potential risk across different water systems. This study systematically analyzed the monitoring data of twelve PFAS in wastewater, surface water, and groundwater over the past two decades. The results indicated that wastewater treatment plants were a critical node for PFAS entering the environment, and their effluents led to similar PFAS distributions in surface and groundwater. Among the three water environments, perfluorobutyric acid, perfluorobutane sulfonate, and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exhibited consistently higher average concentrations. Of these, PFBA displayed the highest cross-media mean concentration, reaching 4666.92 ng/L. Linear mixed effects models revealed that concentrations of most PFAS have exhibited an increasing trend over time in wastewater, surface water, and groundwater. However, perfluoroundecanoic acid and perfluorododecanoic acid in wastewater treatment plant influent, and PFOS in surface water, trended downward. PFAS concentrations exhibited spatial heterogeneity, with higher levels in coastal areas, particularly in Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces. PFAS profiles varied by city, dominated by PFOA and short-chain PFAS, and related to fluorine chemical plant distribution. PFOS and PFOA had the lowest predicted no-effect concentrations (1330 and 3730 ng/L), indicating "medium" to "high" ecological risks in cities like Fuxin and Zibo. Under high drinking water exposure, these two compounds may pose adverse effects on human health. This study provided a basis for the control and management of regional PFAS pollution. It was suggested to develop a cross-media, multi-level monitoring and assessment system targeting key PFAS compounds.

PMID:41491125 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-025-02939-2

Toxicol Lett. 2026 Jan 3;416:111817. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2025.111817. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used chemicals known for their persistence, bioaccumulation, and adverse health effects, particularly on the immune system. Epidemiological studies link PFAS exposure to immunosuppression, with increased infection susceptibility and reduced vaccine efficacy. In this paper, we describe the workflow we used to establish an integrated testing strategy (ITS) combining in vitro and in silico methods to model PFAS inhibition of antibody production and to define a tolerable daily intake. This strategy was based on data generated within an EFSA-sponsored project. Using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the effects of PFAS on antibody production were assessed. Mathematical models were then applied to determine PFAS free concentrations in vitro, while Physiologically Based Kinetics (PBK) modeling enabled quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) to translate in vitro effects into external doses. In addition, the Universal Immune System Simulator was used to predict immune-related outcomes and threshold doses for sensitive populations. Following this strategy, we were able to demonstrate that the oral equivalent effect doses derived through QIVIVE were similar to, or lower than, the tolerable weekly intake established by EFSA for PFAS, indicating that our approach is conservative. We demonstrate the possibility of using alternative methods for studying PFAS toxicity, offering insights into their dynamics and kinetics without animal testing. The strategy provides a promising framework for assessing other chemicals, advancing toxicology toward more human-relevant and ethical practices.

PMID:41490601 | DOI:10.1016/j.toxlet.2025.111817

Biosci Microbiota Food Health. 2026;45(1):58-65. doi: 10.12938/bmfh.2025-025. Epub 2025 Oct 3.

ABSTRACT

Soybean-related pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is a food allergy triggered by birch or alder pollen-specific immunoglobulin E, which cross-reacts with soybean proteins homologous to pollen proteins. Although soybean-related PFAS generally causes mild symptoms, some individuals develop severe symptoms, including anaphylaxis, especially after consuming soymilk. This study attempted to reduce the risk of allergy by fermenting soymilk with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (YIT 9029, LcS). The levels of Gly m 4, which causes soybean-related PFAS, in soymilk and fermented soymilk were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blotting. Reactions to soymilk and fermented soymilk were evaluated in patients with soybean-related PFAS using skin prick tests to compare allergic risks. Gly m 4 levels in the soluble fraction of fermented soymilk were significantly lower than those in soymilk. The reduction in Gly m 4 levels was associated with alterations in the fermentation process, including pH reduction. Additionally, compared with soymilk, fermented soymilk reduced skin prick test reactions in patients with soybean-related PFAS. In conclusion, fermenting soymilk with LcS reduced soluble Gly m 4 levels and alleviated allergic reactions associated with soybean-related PFAS. This study demonstrates the potential of fermented soymilk as a safe and effective alternative for individuals with soybean-related PFAS.

PMID:41492374 | PMC:PMC12765538 | DOI:10.12938/bmfh.2025-025

iScience. 2025 Nov 19;28(12):114145. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114145. eCollection 2025 Dec 19.

ABSTRACT

Although per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been linked to endometriosis, this association remains controversial, and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to investigate this relationship and explore its molecular basis. Using cross-sectional data from NHANES, we analyzed serum PFAS in 1,069 women (20-50 years), applying WQS and BKMR models to assess mixture effects. Network toxicology (protein-protein interaction, pathway enrichment), molecular docking, and external validation were also used. Results showed PFAS mixtures were positively associated with endometriosis (adjusted OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08-1.39), with PFOA and PFOS as main contributors. Mechanistic analysis revealed 129 overlapping genes involved in steroid hormone signaling, inflammatory responses, and the PI3K-Akt pathway, along with potential disruptions in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. This work provides epidemiological and mechanistic evidence that PFAS mixtures may promote endometriosis via endocrine disruption and inflammatory activation, highlighting the need for further research into their gynecological health effects.

PMID:41492385 | PMC:PMC12765064 | DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2025.114145

Sci Total Environ. 2026 Jan 5;1013:181327. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181327. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Column experiments have been widely applied to investigate the transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the soils and derive soil-water adsorption coefficient (K_d). However, the impacts of molecule and soil properties on K_d, especially their integrated effects, remain unknown. Therefore, K_d values of 13 PFAS in 10 soils were measured using miscible-displacement column experiments, and the quantitative relationships of K_d with both molecule and soil properties were investigated using machine learning (ML) techniques including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest regression (RFR) and support vector regression (SVR). The result shows that <8C PFAS often present symmetric breakthrough curves, while >8C PFAS usually exhibit asymmetric breakthrough profiles. K_d values of a PFAS for different soils lie within a range of 2 to 3 orders of magnitude, while K_d of different PFAS for a soil can vary to 5 orders of magnitude. Compound-specific MLR suggests that higher content of minerals in soil significantly increased K_d of <6C PFAS, whereas organic matter mainly enhanced K_d of >6C PFAS. The ML analyses on the integrated effect of molecule and soil properties indicate that molecular volume and dipole moment of the molecules play vital roles together with minerals and organic matter of the soils in affecting K_d. ML techniques well describe the nonlinearity of PFAS transport in soils and provide powerful tools for accurate prediction.

PMID:41494264 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181327

iScience. 2025 Nov 19;28(12):114145. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114145. eCollection 2025 Dec 19.

ABSTRACT

Although per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been linked to endometriosis, this association remains controversial, and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to investigate this relationship and explore its molecular basis. Using cross-sectional data from NHANES, we analyzed serum PFAS in 1,069 women (20-50 years), applying WQS and BKMR models to assess mixture effects. Network toxicology (protein-protein interaction, pathway enrichment), molecular docking, and external validation were also used. Results showed PFAS mixtures were positively associated with endometriosis (adjusted OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08-1.39), with PFOA and PFOS as main contributors. Mechanistic analysis revealed 129 overlapping genes involved in steroid hormone signaling, inflammatory responses, and the PI3K-Akt pathway, along with potential disruptions in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. This work provides epidemiological and mechanistic evidence that PFAS mixtures may promote endometriosis via endocrine disruption and inflammatory activation, highlighting the need for further research into their gynecological health effects.

PMID:41492385 | PMC:PMC12765064 | DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2025.114145

Nanoscale. 2026 Jan 5. doi: 10.1039/d5nr03744a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as versatile platforms for the efficient removal of iodide and fluoride contaminants (inorganic fluoride (F^-) and organic perfluorinated anions (PFAS)) from aqueous solutions, addressing critical environmental challenges associated with nuclear waste and groundwater pollution. This review highlights recent advances in MOF design strategies, including tailored metal nodes (e.g., Zr-, Ce-, Al-based), functionalized organic ligands (e.g., amino groups, N-rich linkers), and composite structures (e.g., MOF/carbon, MOF/polymer), which enhance adsorption capacity and selectivity. The removal mechanism of iodide typically involves electrostatic attraction, π-complexation, and redox interactions, among which the adsorption capacity of MOFs can reach 2500 mg g^-1; while for the removal of fluoride, it usually involves Lewis acid-base coordination, ligand exchange, and ion exchange. Here, the adsorption capacity of MOFs for fluoride ions exceeds 200 mg g^-1, and for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), it reaches up to 3060 mg g^-1. Although the material has a good adsorption performance, it still faces challenges in terms of chemical stability, cycling stability and selectivity under harsh conditions. To address these issues, future research should prioritize low-cost, high-efficiency and sustainable synthesis to promote the practical application of water remediation. However, large-scale implementation remains constrained by techno-economic barriers.

PMID:41489611 | DOI:10.1039/d5nr03744a

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2025 Dec 5:vgaf286. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgaf286. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely used as surfactants and repellents across industries such as textiles, personal care products, and nonstick cookware. In India, rapid industrialization and urbanization have increased PFAS usage, raising concerns about environmental contamination. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are persistent, bioaccumulative, and have been detected in multi-environmental matrices including humans. This widespread contamination poses health risks to millions through water and food chains. Because PFAS usually occur as complex mixtures, comprehensive toxicity assessments addressing mixtures rather than individual compounds are urgently needed. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an established model for rapid toxicity screening and provides predictive insights into human health risks. This study evaluates developmental effects of two PFAS mixtures on zebrafish embryos and larvae: a 2-compound mixture (2-mix) consisting of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, and a 24-compound mixture (24-mix) including long- and short-chain PFAS and their precursors. Developmental endpoints monitored were survival, hatching success, heart rate, and deformities. Morphometric analyses of head, eye, yolk sac, and pericardial areas were conducted with ImageJ. Oxidative stress was assessed via reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantification, and histopathology evaluated tissue alterations. Results revealed significant developmental toxicity, with the 24-mix causing delayed hatching, growth inhibition, blood accumulation, and reduced heart rate, whereas the 2-mix showed milder effects. Elevated ROS levels indicated oxidative stress in both groups, and histopathology confirmed damage to the eye, brain, and muscles. These findings demonstrate that prolonged exposure to environmentally relevant PFAS concentrations can induce significant biological effects. This study provides critical insights into PFAS mixture toxicity, informing risk assessments and guiding regulatory policy development to protect public health.

PMID:41489615 | DOI:10.1093/etojnl/vgaf286

RSC Adv. 2026 Jan 2;16(1):28-33. doi: 10.1039/d5ra07284k. eCollection 2025 Dec 22.

ABSTRACT

The photochemical transformation of polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) leads to structural unzipping to give rise to fluoride and further degradation products depending on (i) the type of photocatalyst as well as on (ii) microporous coatings or reaction environments. Here, a substantial increase in photocatalyst performance is observed by coating graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with an intrinsically microporous polymer (PIM-1) to enhance interaction with heptadecafluoro-1-nonanol (as a PFAS model).

PMID:41488512 | PMC:PMC12757717 | DOI:10.1039/d5ra07284k

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Jan 1;502:140979. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140979. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent severe congenital malformations whose environmental determinants remain incompletely understood. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent environmental contaminants capable of crossing the placental barrier during critical developmental windows, have been linked to various adverse birth outcomes, yet their association with NTDs remains unclear. We combined population-based, animal, and cellular approaches to establish associations and explore relevant mechanisms. In a case-control study of 271 NTD and 391 controls, placental PFAS concentrations were significantly elevated (41.29 vs. 22.36 ng/g, P < 0.001). High exposure was associated with markedly increased NTD risk (OR=14.13, 95 % CI: 4.39-45.49). Three mixture modeling approaches (BKMR, WQS, Qgcomp) consistently identified PFOS, PFDA, and PFHxS as dominant contributors, with weights of 35 %, 14 %, and 12 %, respectively. To validate causality, we exposed pregnant mice to this human-relevant PFAS mixture, which induced dose-dependent NTD phenotypes in the high-dose group (16.18 % vs. 2.67 %) accompanied by embryonic iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and dysregulation of ferroptosis and autophagy pathways, suggesting these pathways mediate PFAS developmental toxicity. Mechanistic validation in hPSCs confirmed that PFAS exposure reduced viability and suppressed GPX4 while increasing lipid peroxidation. Critically, pharmacological interventions revealed distinct rescue mechanisms. Ferrostatin-1 restored GPX4/SLC7A11 expression and reduced lipid peroxidation, while chloroquine blocked LC3B activation, prevented NCOA4-mediated ferritin degradation, and attenuated iron release, demonstrating that PFAS-induced ferroptosis operates through an autophagy-mediated mechanism wherein excessive autophagy promotes ferritinophagy and subsequent iron-driven cell death. This study identifies PFOS, PFDA, and PFHxS as potential developmental toxicants and highlight ferroptosis and autophagy as potential therapeutic targets, suggesting the need for further evaluation of PFAS regulation to protect prenatal health.

PMID:41485332 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140979

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 28;502:140959. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140959. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Exposure to per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) is associated with adverse maternal and infant health effects, particularly undesirable birth outcomes. Whether PFAS affects neurodevelopmental trajectories remains unknown. This longitudinal study enrolled 114 mother-infant pairs, analyzing longitudinally collected human milk and infant fecal samples at 0.5, 1, and 3 months postpartum. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires Third Edition and the Social-Emotional at 6 months of age. Increasing concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), 2-(N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) acetic acid and PFAS mixture overall in human milk were associated with significantly lower scores in communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social domains. Moreover, long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and PFOS disrupted the establishment of the early infant gut microbiome, resulting in increased relative abundances of Klebsiella variicola, Enterococcus faecium, Clostridium perfringens, and Veillonella atypica. During this developmental period, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), PFOS, and its substitute perfluoro2-((6-chlorohexyl) oxy) ethane sulfonic acid also decreased the abundance of Bifidobacterium breve and Streptococcus. Mediation analysis further revealed that Clostridium perfringens mediated 13 % of ΣPFAS exposure's effect on fine motor and Streptococcus mediated 11 % of PFOS exposure's effect on gross motor deficits. These findings establish gut microbiota as a mechanistic link between lactational PFAS exposure and neurodevelopmental delays, identifying the microbiota as a potential therapeutic target.

PMID:41485339 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140959

Bioresour Technol. 2026 Jan 2;444:133926. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2026.133926. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of PFAS on nitrogen removal efficiency and the dynamics of microbial communities during wastewater treatment using a sequencing batch biofilm reactor. Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were employed as representative PFAS, with concentrations varying from 0 to 10 and 100 μg/L at three distinct stages. The results showed that, under 100 μg/LPFAS exposure, the removal efficiencies of ammonium nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand, and nitrate nitrogen decreased by 28 %, 10 %, and 1 %, respectively. PICRUSt2-predicted gene abundances suggested that PFAS introduction promoted nitrification while inhibiting ammonia assimilation, with denitrification levels remaining relatively stable. The stress-induced secretion of extracellular polymeric substances highlighted the potential of microbial communities to tolerate PFAS toxicity. Biotransformation accounted for 13.8 % removal of PFHxA and 14.9 % removal of GenX. This work lays a foundation and offers new perspectives for addressing emerging pollutants in nitrogenous wastewater treatment.

PMID:41485735 | DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2026.133926

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 24;502:140894. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140894. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Industrial and agricultural expansion has led to widespread release of emerging contaminants (ECs) into aquatic ecosystems, posing substantial risks to environment and human health. This study investigated the fate, ecological risk, and prioritization of phthalate esters (PAEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), antibiotics, and pesticides in sediments of the Pengxi River in China's Three Gorges Reservoir. Sediment samples from ten sites along the river's upstream-downstream gradient were analyzed as follow: PAEs by GC-MS, and PFAS, antibiotics, and pesticides by LC-MS. Ecological risk was assessed using Risk Quotients (RQ) and a multidimensional Toxicological Prioritization Index (ToxPi) integrating persistence, bioaccumulation potential, (eco)toxicity, concentration, detection frequency, and experimental uncertainty. Total extractable concentrations spanned three orders of magnitude, with PAEs being the most prevalent (133-993 ng∙g^-1; mean: 466 ng·g⁻¹), substantially higher than antibiotics (4.32-12.4 ng∙g^-1; mean: 7.8 ng·g⁻¹), PFAS (0.37-1.41 ng∙g^-1; mean: 0.65 ng·g⁻¹), and pesticides (0.186-2.01 ng∙g^-1; mean: 0.47 ng·g⁻¹). ToxPi analysis identified PAEs as the highest-priority contaminants due to their elevated concentrations, persistence, and toxicity, followed by PFAS and antibiotics, whereas pesticides posed the lowest risk in this specific study. In contrast, the concentration-based RQ method, which relies solely on concentration and ecotoxicity, identified only a few PAEs and pesticides as medium-to-high risk. Consequently, the traditional RQ approach underestimated risks of PFAS and antibiotics. The study demonstrates ToxPi's exceptional performance in integrating multifaceted data for evidence-based prioritization. These findings provide a scalable framework for risk assessment in other comparable riverine systems and offer actionable insights to guide regulatory strategies targeting PAEs and PFAS.

PMID:41485340 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140894

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 29;502:140991. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140991. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Prenatal PFAS exposure was associated with adverse birth outcomes (e.g., preterm birth, low birth weight, and small for gestational age), and catch-up growth (CUG) is critical for them to regain normal growth trajectories. However, the impact of prenatal PFAS exposure on CUG remains unclear. We enrolled 430 children born with adverse outcomes and monitored their length and weight at 42 days and 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 months to evaluate the associations between maternal PFAS levels and CUG. We identified positive associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and CUG in length (L-CUG) and weight (W-CUG), particularly after 12 months, using both single-contaminant and mixture exposure models. For example, elevated odds ratio (OR) of W-CUG at 18 months were associated with perfluorooctane sulfonate (OR = 1.7), perfluorononanoic acid (OR = 1.9) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS, OR = 1.7) exposure. Similarly, PFHxS exposure was associated with accelerated L-CUG at 36 months (OR = 3.1). PFAS mixture also showed positive associations with both L-CUG (OR = 2.1) and W-CUG (OR = 2.8) at 18 months. Longitudinal analyses further confirmed these associations, particularly for W-CUG, and excluding exclusively breastfed children yielded consistent results, supporting the robustness of the findings. Additionally, PFAS exposure was associated with longitudinal growth measures, corresponding to 9.8 %-19.2 % increases in weight, BMI, and their Z-scores. This is the first study to report that prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with accelerated CUG in children born with adverse outcomes, highlighting its critical role in early-life growth and subsequent health outcomes.

PMID:41483521 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140991

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 24;502:140934. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140934. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly integrated into Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research; however, the field remains fragmented with substantial variation in modeling objectives. This review provides one of the most comprehensive and detailed syntheses to date of AI/ML methods across the PFAS contamination management pipeline, comparing input features, dataset structure and scale, algorithmic choices, performance metrics, and interpretability strategies reported from 2019 to 2025. At the molecular level, advances in ML-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling, physics-informed descriptors, graph learning, transfer learning, and generative modeling for PFAS classification, toxicity screening, and chemical-space expansion are summarized. For PFAS detection and non-target identification, ML frameworks for spectral interpretation are evaluated. In source allocation, supervised and unsupervised models applied to concentration profiles across water, groundwater, and sediments, are compared, highlighting how model design depends on the availability of labeled data. ML-driven PFAS occurrence and risk prediction across diverse aqueous matrices are reviewed, including multilabel, multistage, and semi-supervised frameworks that capture cross-PFAS dependencies. PFAS removal processes are also assessed in terms of the ML models used for predicting removal efficiencies, interpreting mechanistic behavior, and optimizing operational conditions. Across all domains, tree-based ensembles, and neural networks achieve superior performance, while uncertainty quantification, classifier chains, transfer learning, and generative models address challenges related to sparse labels, chemical diversity, and analytical limitations. This review offers a practical reference for researchers and regulators and identifies priority directions for developing robust, and generalizable AI/ML frameworks to support PFAS contamination management.

PMID:41483514 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140934

Curr Res Insect Sci. 2025 Dec 3;9:100120. doi: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100120. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been commonly used over several decades for a variety of products and are very persistent in the environment. However, not much is known about their direct effects on aquatic invertebrates and their ecosystems. We examined the survival, behavior, development, and predation susceptibility of mosquito larvae Culex quinquefasciatus exposed to concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) ranging from 0.02 to 453.7 µg/L. PFOS exposure resulted in reduced larval survival, with a 48 hour LC50 (concentration with 50 % mortality) of 255.99 µg/L. PFOS exposure also resulted in reduced developmental success and slower maturation to adulthood (and thus slower emergence from the water) compared to control larvae. PFOS also resulted in delays in reaction to prodding stimuli, which were meant to simulate a predator attack, and longer reactions to prodding. Larvae exposed to PFOS also spent more time at the bottom of the water column, rather than at the surface where respiration takes place. Effects of larval mosquito PFOS exposure on predation by unexposed damselfly naiads (genus Ischnura) were not detected. Overall, this research suggests that PFOS impacts mosquito larvae survival, behavior, development, and adult emergence, which could have important implications for food webs or public health given the role of mosquitos as disease vectors.

PMID:41480189 | PMC:PMC12754225 | DOI:10.1016/j.cris.2025.100120

Sci Total Environ. 2026 Jan 1;1010:181050. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181050. Epub 2026 Jan 1.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in landfill leachate are a major concern due to their persistence, potential health and environmental impacts, and significant loading contribution to receiving wastewater treatment facilities, highlighting the critical need for effective treatment strategies. This study evaluates the effectiveness of five series of foam fractionation (FF) experiments in removing PFAS from landfill leachate and compares the performance of key operational parameters. Longer residence times generally improved the removal efficiencies of both long-chain and short-chain PFAS compounds. Baseline removal of short-chain PFAS (e.g., PFBS, PFHxA, PFBA) was modest, ranging from 10 to 40 %, but increased substantially with cationic surfactants such as CTAB or proprietary blends, achieving 50-90 % removal for select compounds. Long-chain PFAS (e.g., PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS) achieved high removal (>97-99 %) even without surfactant addition, reaching non-detect levels through proper optimization of residence time and FF staging. For the specific leachate tested, a 45-min residence time was found to be sufficient to achieve near-complete removal of long-chain PFAS compounds, whereas longer contact times (>100 min) led to decreased foam stability and diminished performance. Substituting ozone for air further enhanced overall PFAS removal (e.g., PFOS >95 % under comparable conditions) and improved foam stability, although at the expense of greater safety requirements, higher cost, and added operational complexity. Re-foaming primary foamate further concentrated PFAS by 93-143× and reduced treated volume by up to 180×, supporting efficient integration with volume-limited emerging destruction technologies such as supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) and electro-oxidation (EO). These results underscore the importance of customizing operational parameters, prioritizing residence time, surfactant dosage and type, carrier gas, and system configuration, through site-specific piloting to maximize PFAS removal efficiency and foamate production for downstream destruction. Future research should further explore the potential impacts and toxicity of co-surfactants in downstream biological treatment processes to ensure comprehensive and sustainable PFAS remediation strategies.

PMID:41482491 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181050

Magn Reson (Gott). 2025 Nov 24;6(2):273-279. doi: 10.5194/mr-6-273-2025. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Long-lived states (LLSs) have lifetimes $T_{\mathrm{LLS}}$ that exceed longitudinal spin-lattice relaxation times $T_1$ . In this study, lifetimes $T_{\mathrm{LLS}}$ (¹⁹F) have been measured in three different achiral per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) containing two or three consecutive CF₂ groups. In a static magnetic field $B_0=11.7$ T, the lifetimes $T_{\mathrm{LLS}}$ (¹⁹F) exceed the longitudinal relaxation times $T_1{(}^{19}$ F) by about a factor of 2. The lifetimes $T_{\mathrm{LLS}}$ (¹⁹F) can be strongly affected by binding to macromolecules, a feature that can be exploited for the screening of fluorinated drugs. Both $T_{\mathrm{LLS}}$ (¹⁹F) and $T_1$ (¹⁹F) should be longer at lower fields where relaxation due to the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) of ¹⁹F is less effective, which is demonstrated here by running experiments at two fields of 11.7 and 7 T.

PMID:41476696 | PMC:PMC12753152 | DOI:10.5194/mr-6-273-2025

Acc Mater Res. 2025 Nov 25;6(12):1451-1461. doi: 10.1021/accountsmr.5c00150. eCollection 2025 Dec 26.

ABSTRACT

Nanocellulose in anionic and cationic form can be extracted from biomass using a top-down approach, and the surface chemistry can be tuned to have selective interactions toward water pollutants under aqueous conditions. The versatility of the surface functionalization potential of nanocellulose and its processability into membranes, hydrogel beads, 3D printed filters, electrospun webs, etc., have resulted in promising performance in water treatment. Nanocellulose interactions with pollutants and adsorption can involve multiple mechanisms such as electrostatic interactions, complexation, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, precipitation, or nucleation and growth depending on time scales. This is, however, not fully understood, predominantly due to challenges related to characterization under aqueous conditions. In this context, we explored liquid phase atomic force microscopy (AFM), colloidal probe force spectroscopy, and in situ synchrotron scattering methods as advanced characterization tools to extract reliable information on interactions of nanocellulose with metal ions, dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, humic acid, nitrates, PFAS, microplastics, proteins, bacteria, etc., under aqueous conditions. AFM provides information on structure and nanomechanics data on length scales of 1 nm to microns as well as molecular level interactions, whereas scattering methods can detect structures in the range of 1 Å-100 nm. This Account summarizes the research using these techniques under in operando conditions to understand reactions and interactions under aqueous conditions for nanocellulose based systems in the context of water treatment. The use of these techniques to understand the adsorption process, membrane structure, and interactions in wet environments, as well as the synthesis of water treatment materials in aqueous media, is included in this Account. In addition to our work, other relevant reports in the literature are also summarized to demonstrate the possibilities and challenges in this approach. Literature review showed only 6 studies on using AFM/force spectroscopy (4 from our group) and only 3 studies (from our group) on scattering methods on nanocellulose in water treatment, which indicates the challenges and limitations of this approach and also the need for expanding this field. Our works in this field have demonstrated that the advanced characterization methodologies discussed here, viz., atomic force microscopy and X-ray scattering, have significant potential to provide information on nano, molecular, and atomic scales. It is worth mentioning that in order to compensate for the interference with water, which can reduce the accuracy of the data, careful tailoring of experimental design and method development is needed. We also infer that these methodologies and tools, developed to evaluate how the nanocellulose surface interacts/reacts with other hybrid components, biomolecules, and pollutants, can be extended to understand materials and devices (e.g., biomedical implants, conductive material, catalysts, sensors, etc.) driven by surface charge under in situ and in operando conditions.

PMID:41476784 | PMC:PMC12752729 | DOI:10.1021/accountsmr.5c00150

Water Res. 2025 Dec 27;292:125289. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125289. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic chemicals known for their exceptional stability and persistence in the environment. Their widespread presence in water systems poses health risks and is difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. To address this challenge, we developed thin-film composite (TFC) hollow fiber nanofiltration (NF) membranes with enhanced PFAS rejection. The membranes were fabricated through an in-situ vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization (IP), enabling the formation of a defect-free selective layer. By incorporating sodium bicarbonate into the aqueous phase during IP, we created nanovoid-containing polyamide layer, which reduced crosslinking density, increased carboxyl group density, and enlarged effective pore size. The resulting crumpled membrane exhibited nearly doubled water permeance from ∼ 18.3 to ∼ 34.1 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1 while maintaining high rejection of Na₂SO₄ (> 97%). Furthermore, the enhanced negative surface charge contributed significantly to PFASs rejection, achieving ∼ 98% removal efficiency. We also evaluated the effects of pH, calcium ions (Ca²⁺), and natural organic matter on the removal of both short- and long-chain PFASs. The optimized membrane demonstrated superior antifouling performance and maintained highly stable PFAS rejection over long-term operation. This study offers a straightforward and effective strategy for developing high-performance TFC hollow fiber NF membranes for sustainable water treatment.

PMID:41478173 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125289

Metabol Open. 2025 Sep 11;28:100395. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2025.100395. eCollection 2025 Dec.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in various manufacturing processes due to their exceptional chemical stability and hydrophobic properties. However, these substances tend to bioaccumulate in the environment and human tissues, posing significant health risks, including endocrine disruption, immune system impairment, and an increased risk of diabetes. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, may potentially attenuate the adverse effects of PFAS on glucose metabolism. Therefore, we utilized data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which includes measurements of vitamin E content in a subset of participants, to explore the relationship between PFAS exposures, vitamin E levels, and diabetes risk. Our analysis revealed significant variations in PFAS concentrations across different demographic groups, with males and older individuals exhibiting higher PFAS levels. Elevated PFAS concentrations were associated with an increased risk of diabetes, while vitamin E (specifically alpha-tocopherol) exhibited significant interaction effects with PFAS, modulating blood glucose levels. These findings provide compelling evidence linking PFAS exposures to diabetes risk and highlight the potential moderating role of vitamin E in mitigating PFAS-induced metabolic disturbances. Future research should focus on elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms through which PFAS exert their adverse effects and vitamin E exerts its protective actions, as well as conducting longitudinal studies to establish causality and further explore the complex interplay between PFAS exposures, antioxidant status, and metabolic health.

PMID:41476453 | PMC:PMC12750083 | DOI:10.1016/j.metop.2025.100395

Acc Mater Res. 2025 Nov 25;6(12):1451-1461. doi: 10.1021/accountsmr.5c00150. eCollection 2025 Dec 26.

ABSTRACT

Nanocellulose in anionic and cationic form can be extracted from biomass using a top-down approach, and the surface chemistry can be tuned to have selective interactions toward water pollutants under aqueous conditions. The versatility of the surface functionalization potential of nanocellulose and its processability into membranes, hydrogel beads, 3D printed filters, electrospun webs, etc., have resulted in promising performance in water treatment. Nanocellulose interactions with pollutants and adsorption can involve multiple mechanisms such as electrostatic interactions, complexation, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, precipitation, or nucleation and growth depending on time scales. This is, however, not fully understood, predominantly due to challenges related to characterization under aqueous conditions. In this context, we explored liquid phase atomic force microscopy (AFM), colloidal probe force spectroscopy, and in situ synchrotron scattering methods as advanced characterization tools to extract reliable information on interactions of nanocellulose with metal ions, dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, humic acid, nitrates, PFAS, microplastics, proteins, bacteria, etc., under aqueous conditions. AFM provides information on structure and nanomechanics data on length scales of 1 nm to microns as well as molecular level interactions, whereas scattering methods can detect structures in the range of 1 Å-100 nm. This Account summarizes the research using these techniques under in operando conditions to understand reactions and interactions under aqueous conditions for nanocellulose based systems in the context of water treatment. The use of these techniques to understand the adsorption process, membrane structure, and interactions in wet environments, as well as the synthesis of water treatment materials in aqueous media, is included in this Account. In addition to our work, other relevant reports in the literature are also summarized to demonstrate the possibilities and challenges in this approach. Literature review showed only 6 studies on using AFM/force spectroscopy (4 from our group) and only 3 studies (from our group) on scattering methods on nanocellulose in water treatment, which indicates the challenges and limitations of this approach and also the need for expanding this field. Our works in this field have demonstrated that the advanced characterization methodologies discussed here, viz., atomic force microscopy and X-ray scattering, have significant potential to provide information on nano, molecular, and atomic scales. It is worth mentioning that in order to compensate for the interference with water, which can reduce the accuracy of the data, careful tailoring of experimental design and method development is needed. We also infer that these methodologies and tools, developed to evaluate how the nanocellulose surface interacts/reacts with other hybrid components, biomolecules, and pollutants, can be extended to understand materials and devices (e.g., biomedical implants, conductive material, catalysts, sensors, etc.) driven by surface charge under in situ and in operando conditions.

PMID:41476784 | PMC:PMC12752729 | DOI:10.1021/accountsmr.5c00150

Metabol Open. 2025 Sep 11;28:100395. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2025.100395. eCollection 2025 Dec.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in various manufacturing processes due to their exceptional chemical stability and hydrophobic properties. However, these substances tend to bioaccumulate in the environment and human tissues, posing significant health risks, including endocrine disruption, immune system impairment, and an increased risk of diabetes. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, may potentially attenuate the adverse effects of PFAS on glucose metabolism. Therefore, we utilized data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which includes measurements of vitamin E content in a subset of participants, to explore the relationship between PFAS exposures, vitamin E levels, and diabetes risk. Our analysis revealed significant variations in PFAS concentrations across different demographic groups, with males and older individuals exhibiting higher PFAS levels. Elevated PFAS concentrations were associated with an increased risk of diabetes, while vitamin E (specifically alpha-tocopherol) exhibited significant interaction effects with PFAS, modulating blood glucose levels. These findings provide compelling evidence linking PFAS exposures to diabetes risk and highlight the potential moderating role of vitamin E in mitigating PFAS-induced metabolic disturbances. Future research should focus on elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms through which PFAS exert their adverse effects and vitamin E exerts its protective actions, as well as conducting longitudinal studies to establish causality and further explore the complex interplay between PFAS exposures, antioxidant status, and metabolic health.

PMID:41476453 | PMC:PMC12750083 | DOI:10.1016/j.metop.2025.100395

Inorg Chem. 2026 Jan 12;65(1):716-726. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c04981. Epub 2025 Dec 30.

ABSTRACT

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as a group of fluorinated persistent organic pollutants, have posed serious environmental and health risks. At present, the development of rapid and sensitive detection technologies for PFASs is of great significance for ensuring human health and sustainable environmental development. In this work, the metal-organic cage NH₂-Zr-MOC was synthesized via the solvothermal method and then functionalized through in situ encapsulation and postsynthetic modification, yielding the fluorinated and amide-functionalized Zr-MOC-NH-CO-F5 and the pH-sensitive RGH@NH₂-Zr-MOC composites. Both composites were used to construct fluorescence sensors, which produced distinct fluorescence enhancement signals depending on different PFAS species due to their varying adsorption affinities. On this basis, a three-channel fluorescent sensor array was constructed, which facilitated precise identification and highly sensitive detection of three PFASs by means of pattern recognition at a concentration of 2 μM, with the lowest detection limit (LOD) for a single PFAS as low as 22 nM. Moreover, the array could effectively identify PFASs in tap water and lake water with high accuracy, reaching 92.5%. Further investigation demonstrated that the synergistic effects of electrostatic attraction, intermolecular interactions, Lewis acid-base coordination, and F-F affinity restricted the conformational rotation of the composites, ultimately contributing to the enhanced fluorescence intensity.

PMID:41469891 | DOI:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c04981

Sensors (Basel). 2025 Dec 17;25(24):7653. doi: 10.3390/s25247653.

ABSTRACT

Electron transport in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is highly sensitive to interactions with their local environment, making them promising candidates for sensing applications. Specifically, this could allow detection of electrochemically and optically inert compounds that typically require complex and expensive analytical techniques. In this study, we examine how single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) respond to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). To improve sensitivity, we employ a single/few-CNT device setup where a small number of SWCNTs were aligned across nanogaps between gold electrodes with the dielectrophoresis method. This structure addresses the challenges of large CNT networks, such as inter-CNT interactions, drift, and degradation, resulting in improved stability for practical applications. Results showed that device resistance drops as a function of PFOA concentrations. Additionally, positive gate voltage enhances sensitivity by attracting negatively charged PFOA molecules to the SWCNT surface. Specifically, we report that the sensitivity increases by nearly an order of magnitude under a 0.3 V gate bias. Impedance spectroscopy reveals distinct amplitude and phase signatures, enabling selective detection of PFOA among different analytes. Applying gate voltage further enhances sensor selectivity, highlighting the potential of gated SWCNT devices for accurate and selective environmental monitoring. The device demonstrates promising performance as a robust platform for creating single/few-CNT nanosensors for detecting electrochemically and optically inert substances like PFAS molecules.

PMID:41471648 | PMC:PMC12736847 | DOI:10.3390/s25247653

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Jan 13;60(1):1087-1100. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c08686. Epub 2025 Dec 30.

ABSTRACT

Traditional and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread in coastal environments influenced by intense anthropogenic activity. However, their spatiotemporal dynamics in response to seasonal oceanographic processes remains insufficiently understood. By integrating basic hydrological and biogeochemical data, this study systematically compares the occurrence and behavior of traditional and emerging PFAS in full-depth seawater and surface sediments across the coastal East China Sea (ECS) during summer and winter. Waterborne PFAS consistently exhibited nearshore-to-offshore decreasing gradients and surface enrichment in both seasons, highlighting persistent terrestrial inputs. Notably, summer concentrations were generally lower, with weaker negative correlations with salinity, likely due to enhanced freshwater discharge during the wet season, which diluted and dispersed PFAS more effectively. Seasonal reversal of coastal currents driven by the monsoon further modulated the contaminant transport pathways. In contrast, sediment PFAS concentrations were generally higher in the summer, which can be attributed to stronger vertical mixing in the winter that facilitates the remobilization of contaminants. Enhanced sediment resuspension during the winter also promoted greater partitioning of PFAS, especially hydrophilic short-chain compounds, into the aqueous phase. These findings offer valuable insights into the seasonal variability and environmental behavior of PFAS in coastal marine systems.

PMID:41472436 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c08686

Toxicol Rep. 2025 Jul 30;15:102095. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.102095. eCollection 2025 Dec.

ABSTRACT

Winter gloves are often treated with fluoroacrylic surface coatings containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to enhance water resistance. Concern over exposure to water-soluble PFAS, those with the greatest toxicological and regulatory relevance, has grown, particularly for children, who may experience higher relative body burdens due to lower body weight and frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors. In this study, we characterized the PFAS content and migration potential of winter gloves and conducted a screening-level risk assessment of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) glove exposures in children aged 2-6, considering both hand-to-mouth transfer and dermal absorption. Experimental data were generated through total fluorine analysis, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), and leachate testing of individual glove components across eight glove brands. Three fluorotelomer compounds were detected above the limits of detection in 6 out of 173 components, spanning 3 of the 8 brands. No PFAS were detected in leachate samples, suggesting negligible migration under simulated use conditions. The calculated oral, dermal, and cumulative hazard indices, based on conservative, low-exposure scenarios using estimated concentrations below the detection limit, were all well below 0.001. This study contributes to the evidence base for PFAS risk assessment in consumer products and demonstrates that detectable PFAS residues do not necessarily translate to meaningful exposure or health risk. These findings support the use of risk-based regulatory approaches that incorporate realistic exposure scenarios in the evaluation of PFAS in treated textiles.

PMID:41472785 | PMC:PMC12745961 | DOI:10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.102095

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Jan 13;60(1):1207-1217. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c11716. Epub 2025 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

Physiologically relevant partition coefficients between an aqueous phase (plasma), lipids (cell membrane), and proteins are lacking for many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Biomimetic chromatography utilizes immobilized artificial membrane (IAM), human serum albumin (HSA), and alpha-1-glycoprotein (AGP) stationary phases to determine partition coefficients. A rapid-gradient biomimetic approach was used to determine partition coefficients for 81 target PFAS and 37 suspect PFAS in a 3M aqueous film forming foam. PFAS were categorized as acids, bases, or neutrals and used to interpret lipophilic contributions to binding on IAM, HSA, and AGP columns. Partition coefficients on the IAM membrane (log K_IAM: 1.4 to 7.9; median 3.4) and AGP protein (log k_AGP: -1.9 to 0.72; median 0.31) increased linearly with increasing fluorinated chain length, while those for HSA protein (log K_HSA: 0.45 to 5.1; median 4.3) reached a plateau at a specific chain length (∼C6-C8). Zwitterionic PFAS at pH 7.4 exhibited lower affinities for both the IAM membrane and HSA protein, which are likely due to the smaller fraction of the charged species at pH 7.4. The partition coefficients (CHI log D [chromatographic log D derived from the Chromatographic Hydrophobicity Index scaled to the octanol/water partition coefficient, log D]), log K_IAM, log K_HSA, and log k_AGP) expand our understanding of how PFAS behave in the body and provide a foundation for future toxicokinetic modeling.The rapid-gradient approach offers a novel method for measuring partition coefficients for PFAS in complex mixtures.

PMID:41473938 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c11716

Water Res. 2025 Dec 26;291:125284. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125284. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in complex wastewater are highly persistent due to the strength of the C-F bonds and the presence of coexisting organic and inorganic constituents, which strongly inhibit their degradation performance. In this study, a synergistic plasma-ferrate process was developed to achieve efficient PFAS removal in both synthetic and real landfill leachate wastewater. Under optimized conditions (discharge power of 150 W, ferrate dosage of 2.1 mg/L and pH 9), the process achieved PFOA degradation efficiencies up to 95% and a reduced energy consumption (EE/O ≈ 95 kWh/m³). The enhanced performance arises from a combination of factors: first, plasma-generated electrons and reactive species activate ferrate to form high-valent iron species (Fe(IV)/Fe(V)), substantially increasing oxidative capacity; second, plasma directly produces e_aq⁻ and H•, which dominate the reductive defluorination of PFAS; third, ferrate selectively oxidizes and coagulates background organic matter, reducing the quenching of e_aq⁻ and improving the reduction of PFAS. This multi-faceted synergy enables PFAS degradation in real wastewater to approach the efficiency observed in synthetic wastewater (>90%). Compared with other ferrate-based advanced oxidation processes, the required ferrate dosage is markedly lower (only a few mg/L versus tens of mg/L typically reported). Overall, the plasma-ferrate synergistic process offers a promising, energy-efficient, and scalable approach for treating PFAS-contaminated complex wastewater, overcoming matrix interference, and enabling high degradation performance with minimal chemical consumption.

PMID:41475233 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125284

Life (Basel). 2025 Dec 16;15(12):1923. doi: 10.3390/life15121923.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the associations between serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), estradiol, and progesterone, in U.S. women. Approach and Results: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018. The study included 612 women aged ≥18 years with available PFAS and sex hormone measurements. Serum concentrations of four major PFASs (linear perfluorooctanoic acid [n-PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonic acid [PFOS], perfluorononanoic acid [PFNA], and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid [PFHxS]) were analyzed, along with serum levels of FSH, AMH, estradiol, and progesterone measured by isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Higher serum PFAS concentrations were associated with increased FSH and decreased AMH, estradiol, and progesterone. For example, each interquartile range (IQR) increase in ln-PFNA was associated with a 42.0% increase in ln-FSH (p = 0.01) and 32.2% lower ln-AMH (p < 0.001), 33.0% lower ln-estradiol (p = 0.004), and 40.9% lower ln-progesterone (p = 0.02). A PFAS exposure index was related to higher FSH and lower AMH, estradiol, and progesterone, with stronger effects in premenopausal women. Conclusions: PFAS exposure was linked to broad endocrine disruption in women, with consistent alterations across gonadotropins and sex steroids. These findings suggest that PFAS exposure was associated with hormonal patterns consistent with diminished ovarian reserve and potential changes in reproductive function, underscoring the need for longitudinal studies and regulatory actions to mitigate exposure.

PMID:41465861 | PMC:PMC12734433 | DOI:10.3390/life15121923

Clin Chem. 2025 Dec 30;72(1):133-139. doi: 10.1093/clinchem/hvaf158.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most prevalent birth defects, contributing significantly to infant morbidity and mortality. While genetic factors account for a subset of CHDs, environmental exposures during critical periods of cardiac development are increasingly recognized as potential contributors.

CONTENT: This review synthesizes current evidence linking per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other environmental contaminants to CHDs. We discuss epidemiological findings, biological mechanisms, exposure assessment methodologies, and future research directions, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches in understanding and mitigating environmental risks to fetal cardiac development.

SUMMARY: This review emphasizes the need for integrated approaches in understanding and mitigating environmental risks to fetal cardiac development.

PMID:41468138 | DOI:10.1093/clinchem/hvaf158

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Jan 13;60(1):1334-1345. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c16358. Epub 2025 Dec 30.

ABSTRACT

Understanding the sources and mobility of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in municipal solid waste (MSW) is critical for evaluating their environmental release. This study analyzed 22 MSW subcomponents sorted from 1000 kg of waste for 67 PFAS compounds using standardized leaching tests (L/S = 10). The highest levels were found in polycoated aseptic containers (36 ng/g), rubber, leather, and textiles (25 ng/g), and yard waste (11 ng/g). Other paper, plastic, electronics, and construction and demolition waste had moderate PFAS levels (0.6-8.9 ng/g), while glass had the lowest (0.13 ng/g). PFAS profiles varied across materials, with some dominated by terminal perfluoroalkyl acids and others dominated by precursors such as FTCAs. The weighted average PFAS concentration across the waste stream was 4.1 ng/g. To assess broader implications, measured concentrations were extrapolated to national MSW composition data. Based on an assumed 10% leachability factor from prior studies, the total PFAS mass in MSW may be closer to 16,000 kg/year, with about 1600 kg per year potentially leachable. Of the leachable portion, approximately 780 kg enters landfills, where much of it is likely mobilized into leachate. The remaining leachable mass was distributed across recycling (330 kg), composting (220 kg), and combustion (230 kg). Although rubber, leather, and textiles comprise only 9% of the national MSW by weight, they account for an estimated 38% of leachable PFAS mass. These materials represent priority targets for mitigation through product reformulation, source segregation, and improved end-of-life treatment to minimize environmental release.

PMID:41469032 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c16358

Lipids Health Dis. 2025 Dec 30;24(1):393. doi: 10.1186/s12944-025-02811-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In recent years, amidst the phase-out of long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the true relationship between PFAS exposure and lipid metabolism or cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as the role of lipid profiles in this association, remains unclear.

METHODS: Data from 25 531 NHANES participants (age ≥ 20 years old) enrolled between 2015 and 2020 were examined. To assess links between individual PFAS and cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as lipid measures, both logistic and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed. Nonlinear exposure-response patterns with CVD were fitted using restricted cubic splines. In addition, the combined impact of PFAS mixtures on CVD risk was investigated via Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and quantile g-computation (Q-gcomp), and mediation analyses were evaluated using causal mediation models.

RESULTS: After comprehensive adjustment, each log-unit increase in PFNA, n-PFOA, n-PFOS, and Sm-PFOS was inversely associated with CVD risk. There was a significant inverse trend in the associations of n-PFOA and Sm-PFOS with CVD. PFDeA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFUA, n-PFOA, n-PFOS, and Sm-PFOS were significantly positively associated with total cholesterol (TC). PFUA was significantly negatively associated with triglycerides (TG), and specific PFAS also showed significant positive associations with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Mixture exposure analysis indicated a significant inverse trend between PFAS mixtures and CVD, with Sm-PFOS contributing the most weight in the mixture index. Through mediation analysis, we found that total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol serve as significant intermediaries in the relationships between PFNA, n-PFOA, n-PFOS, Sm-PFOS, and cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSION: These findings imply that contemporary PFAS exposure profiles may confer differential cardiovascular effects, in part through lipid-mediated pathways, and highlight the need for continued monitoring and mechanistic studies to inform risk assessment and regulatory decisions.

PMID:41469667 | PMC:PMC12754923 | DOI:10.1186/s12944-025-02811-3

Life (Basel). 2025 Dec 16;15(12):1923. doi: 10.3390/life15121923.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the associations between serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), estradiol, and progesterone, in U.S. women. Approach and Results: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018. The study included 612 women aged ≥18 years with available PFAS and sex hormone measurements. Serum concentrations of four major PFASs (linear perfluorooctanoic acid [n-PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonic acid [PFOS], perfluorononanoic acid [PFNA], and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid [PFHxS]) were analyzed, along with serum levels of FSH, AMH, estradiol, and progesterone measured by isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Higher serum PFAS concentrations were associated with increased FSH and decreased AMH, estradiol, and progesterone. For example, each interquartile range (IQR) increase in ln-PFNA was associated with a 42.0% increase in ln-FSH (p = 0.01) and 32.2% lower ln-AMH (p < 0.001), 33.0% lower ln-estradiol (p = 0.004), and 40.9% lower ln-progesterone (p = 0.02). A PFAS exposure index was related to higher FSH and lower AMH, estradiol, and progesterone, with stronger effects in premenopausal women. Conclusions: PFAS exposure was linked to broad endocrine disruption in women, with consistent alterations across gonadotropins and sex steroids. These findings suggest that PFAS exposure was associated with hormonal patterns consistent with diminished ovarian reserve and potential changes in reproductive function, underscoring the need for longitudinal studies and regulatory actions to mitigate exposure.

PMID:41465861 | PMC:PMC12734433 | DOI:10.3390/life15121923

Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 30;17(1):108. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67596-6.

ABSTRACT

The escalating regulatory pressures on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water highlight the critical and expeditious need for advanced PFAS removal technologies. While innovative fluorinated materials are reported to be a promising avenue for PFAS removal by exploiting fluorine-fluorine (F···F) interactions, their production and applications raise potential concerns about perpetuating the “forever chemicals” cycle.

PMID:41469381 | PMC:PMC12774871 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-67596-6

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025 Dec 28:e21236. doi: 10.1002/anie.202521236. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Discriminating between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), while suppressing interference from common surfactants, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), remains a persistent challenge. In this work, we tackled this challenge through a rational side-chain engineering strategy, designing a series of cationic polythiophenes that exploit analyte-specific conformational transitions for unprecedented selectivity. Among them, PT32 was utilized as a trimodal (UV-vis absorption, colorimetric, and fluorometric) probe, enabling discriminative detection of PFOA/PFOS and distinction from other anionic surfactants. The system demonstrates clear visual and spectral discriminability, with PFOA inducing a distinct pink color, PFOS producing an orange-red response, and SDS showing negligible color change. This selectivity stems from variable conformational changes in the PT32 backbone (e.g., random aggregation, extended conformation, and supramolecular aggregation), which are driven by synergistic electrostatic, fluorophilic, and hydrophobic interactions. The PT32 probe exhibited remarkably LOD of 41.61 nM for PFOA and 25.71 nM for PFOS in fluorescence-based detection and achieved excellent recovery rates in real sample tests. Interestingly, the probe could be recycled post-detection and use multiple times. Hence, the side-chain engineering strategy not only addresses long-standing challenges in discrimination but also establishes a versatile design principle for developing advanced molecular probes.

PMID:41457659 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202521236

Toxicol Sci. 2025 Dec 29:kfaf178. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaf178. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of highly fluorinated persistent synthetic chemical pollutants. Major routes of human exposure include ingestion of contaminated drinking water and foods including dairy. Consumption of PFAS-contaminated milk and dairy is especially concerning for infants and children who are particularly sensitive and most highly exposed. Here we report findings of quantitative analysis of PFAS binding to β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), the major whey protein in bovine milk, using differential scanning fluorimetry to determine binding affinities for 17 PFAS; except for uncharged fluorotelomer alcohols, β-Lg bound each PFAS congener tested, supporting a key role of charged functional groups in binding. The perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) bound with lowest affinity (Kd = 8.6 mM) and long chain congeners PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA bound with highest affinities. Evidence of significant cooperative binding was found for TFA, PFDA, PFUnDA, and PFOS. Molecular docking was used to define molecular mechanisms of PFAS binding by β-Lg and across the calycin super family of lipocalins and fatty acid binding proteins. All calycins were predicted to bind PFAS in the calyx domain with ΔG of binding ranging from -5.3 to -9.4 kcal/mol, revealing that the binding affinity for many PFAS are greater than those for binding albumin. In total, this study has identified the calycin protein superfamily as PFAS binding proteins, most of which have well-characterized functions related to key endocrine and toxicological pathways associated with the adverse consequences of PFAS exposure.

PMID:41460158 | DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfaf178

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Dec 24;501:140933. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140933. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic compounds that persist in the environment due to their metabolic degradation. Despite growing evidence of complex transport mechanisms, critical gaps remain in understanding membrane transport, tissue distribution, multimodal uptake pathways, and predictive models that fail to capture emerging PFAS or organ-specific kinetics. This review examines how the structure of PFAS drives persistence and facilitates membrane transport through noncovalent interactions and intrinsic molecular properties. Evidence from toxicokinetic studies and membrane biophysics indicates that amphiphilic PFAS disrupt lipid packing and utilize multiple uptake routes, including passive diffusion, carrier-mediated transport, endocytosis, and nanoparticle-assisted uptake. Transport kinetics and efficiency depend on organ-specific physiology, transporter expression profiles, and the lipid-protein composition of membranes, as well as on PFAS structure (e.g., chain length, headgroup chemistry, hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance). Transport efficiency depends on organ physiology, transporter expression, and membrane composition, as well as PFAS characteristics such as chain length and headgroup chemistry. Noncovalent interactions govern partitioning and retention in high-burden tissues such as liver, kidneys, brain, and placenta, with short-chain PFAS favoring passive diffusion and long-chain PFAS relying on carrier-mediated and endocytic pathways. Essential data gaps were addressed, and research needs were identified to advance mechanistic understanding and improve predictive modeling of PFAS behavior.

PMID:41456435 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140933

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2025 Dec 20;707:139738. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.139738. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

HYPOTHESIS: A hydrophobic surface with low surface free energy is crucial in various advanced functional materials. The incorporation of fluorine-based functional groups onto the surface enhances surface hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. However, the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) poses a significant issue due to their environmental and biological accumulation. Therefore, the development of fluorine-free alternatives to PFAS has garnered much attention for low surface energy surface. Polythiophenes with the low side chain densities and the rigid thiophene backbone should provide large entropy and low surface free energy, and achieve omniphobic, namely hydrophobic and oleophobic, surfaces.

EXPERIMENTS: We synthesized various polythiophenes with linear alkyl, branched alkyl, and siloxane side chains and evaluated their surface structure and properties. From dynamic contact angle measurements at 20 °C, the effects of the branched alkyl and siloxane side chains on surface free energies were compared. The correlations between the surface free energies and the branched structure and densities were evaluated. In addition, the surface free energies were measured at 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 °C, and their entropic effects were evaluated.

FINDINGS: The low densities of the polythiophenes with highly branched alkyl chains and large siloxane side chains led to low surface free energies of their thin films. The surface free energies were lower and the omniphobicity were larger relative to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Moreover, polythiophenes with branched alkyl and siloxane side chains possessed larger entropies. In conclusion, we successfully accessed to an entropy-driven low surface free energy without any fluorine groups.

PMID:41456463 | DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2025.139738

Toxicology. 2025 Dec 26;521:154387. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2025.154387. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Phthalate esters (PAEs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous pollutants tied to metabolic and immune disorders. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway has been indicated to mediate their toxic effects, but the specific functions of PPAR subtypes and their mediating roles remain unclear. In this study, we generated PPARα-, δ-, and γ-specific knockout THP-1 cell lines by using CRISPR/Cas9 system and then differentiated them into interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13)-polarized macrophages (alternative activation). During the induction process, the cells were exposed to 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 μM of five PAE metabolites: Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), Monocyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), Monoisonyl phthalate (MINP), Monoisobutyl phthalate (MIBP), and Monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP); and five PFAS: Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS-K), and Potassium 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonate (F53B) for 48 h. The results showed that PPARδ deletion abolished CD209 expression, confirming its essential role, whereas PPARα deletion reduced and PPARγ deletion enhanced CD209, indicating PPARα promotes and PPARγ restrains alternative activation. Compounds displayed subtype-selective actions: MEHP activated PPARα/γ; MBzP/MCHP inhibited PPARδ yet activated PPARγ; MINP activated PPARγ only. Among PFAS, PFOS-K activated PPARδ/γ; F53B inhibited PPARα; PFOA activated PPARγ; PFDA inhibited PPARα/δ. Transcriptomics revealed compound-specific enrichments-cholesterol (MEHP), fatty-acid (MCHP), glycolysis (PFOS-K), TCA cycle (PFOA)-despite common PPAR pathway engagement. In conclusion, PAEs and PFAS disrupt macrophage plasticity through distinct PPAR-subtype signatures, providing molecular landmarks for future hazard assessment of environmental pollutants.

PMID:41456666 | DOI:10.1016/j.tox.2025.154387

Cancer Causes Control. 2025 Dec 27;37(1):11. doi: 10.1007/s10552-025-02100-5.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study tested the impact of a breast cancer screening decision aid (DA) that was adapted to include environmental risk information.

METHODS: This was a pre-post study in communities with known per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Participants were 100 women ages 39-49, with no history of breast cancer and no mammogram in the past year. Participants completed a baseline survey, used the DA, then completed a final survey. Baseline surveys measured demographics, PFAS exposure, and PFAS-related risk perceptions. Paired pre-post survey measures included breast cancer risk perceptions, screening knowledge, decisional conflict, and screening intentions.

RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 43 years; most non-Hispanic white (97%); 43% resided in micropolitan, small town, or rural areas. Potential PFAS exposure included private well use for 35%; 19% had tested their water for PFAS contamination; 54% used a home water filter. While most (62%) did not experience PFAS-related stress, 27% felt stress about family well-being, and 25% often/constantly worried about the health effects of PFAS in the prior month. Pre-DA, 29% felt likely that they would develop breast cancer in the next 10 years, versus 19% post-DA. Median knowledge scores increased from 8 to 10 out of 10 before and after DA use. Intentions to get a mammogram in the next year slightly decreased from 85 to 78%.

CONCLUSION: Use of a DA incorporating information about environmental risk information reduced perceptions of breast cancer risk and improved knowledge and decisional conflict about breast cancer screening among women living in PFAS-contaminated communities.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT06098118.

PMID:41455034 | DOI:10.1007/s10552-025-02100-5

Water Res. 2025 Dec 20;291:125240. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125240. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments are rapidly colonized by microorganisms, leading to biofilm formation that alters their physicochemical properties and pollutant interactions. This process strongly affects the transport, transformation, and fate of coexisting contaminants, raising ecological concerns given the widespread abundance of MPs in natural waters. In this study, in situ exposure experiments were conducted in the Chishui River (Southwest China) to examine biofilm development on polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) over 60 days. Biofilm colonization significantly modified MP surface hydrophobicity, charge distribution, and functional groups, with biomass increasing by 4.40-5.70-fold. PS exhibited stronger microbial attachment and colonization, likely due to its rougher morphology and aromatic structure. Biofilm growth also enhanced the adsorption of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), increasing uptake by 1.12-1.45 and 1.16-1.39 times, with maximum capacities of 1.48-3.35 µg/g and 2.00-5.36 µg/g, respectively. Mechanistic analyses indicated hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions as dominant drivers, complemented by hydrogen bonding and surface complexation. Overall, these findings provide field-based evidence that biofilm development markedly strengthens MP-pollutant interactions, underscoring the ecological risks of biofilm-mediated contaminant transport in natural waters.

PMID:41455422 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125240

Water Res. 2025 Dec 22;291:125258. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125258. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The phase-out of long chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has accelerated the adoption of alternative emerging PFAS, posing a dual pollution challenge with persistent long-chain residues and their substitutes unclear fate in water treatment. Herein, we develop a scalable and closed-loop strategy producing aminated cellulose xerogel (CNPK) for PFAS removal. CNPK demonstrates excellent mechanical strength (1.96 MPa) and superior PFAS adsorption capacities (3.26 g^-1 HFPO-TrA, 1.82 g^-1 PFOA, 2.14 g^-1 HFPO-DA, 1.27 g^-1 PFHxA, 1.02 g^-1 PFBA and 1.01 g^-1 PFPrA) at pH 3. Its ability to absorb several times its own weight of PFAS is orders of magnitude higher than that of traditional adsorbents. In multi-component systems, the enhanced kinetics and affinity for short/ultra-short chain PFAS facilitate their near-complete removal. This is due to the preferential capture of long chains that provide additional van der Waals (vdW) interactions to accelerate short/ultra-chain adsorption. After five consecutive cycles, CNPK still achieves removal rates of 82%-99% for six types of PFAS and can be dissolved and reproduced. The proof-of-concept filter column achieves over 95% removal for short/ultra-short chain PFAS. The life cycle assessment (LCA) highlights xerogels having lower carbon footprint (161.28-161.71 kg CO₂eq kg^-1 PFAS) compared to most carbon-based adsorbents. Overall, this xerogel strategy tackles the urgent PFAS contamination through high-capacity enrichment under the principles of the circular economy.

PMID:41455428 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125258

Water Res. 2025 Dec 20;291:125240. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125240. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments are rapidly colonized by microorganisms, leading to biofilm formation that alters their physicochemical properties and pollutant interactions. This process strongly affects the transport, transformation, and fate of coexisting contaminants, raising ecological concerns given the widespread abundance of MPs in natural waters. In this study, in situ exposure experiments were conducted in the Chishui River (Southwest China) to examine biofilm development on polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) over 60 days. Biofilm colonization significantly modified MP surface hydrophobicity, charge distribution, and functional groups, with biomass increasing by 4.40-5.70-fold. PS exhibited stronger microbial attachment and colonization, likely due to its rougher morphology and aromatic structure. Biofilm growth also enhanced the adsorption of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), increasing uptake by 1.12-1.45 and 1.16-1.39 times, with maximum capacities of 1.48-3.35 µg/g and 2.00-5.36 µg/g, respectively. Mechanistic analyses indicated hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions as dominant drivers, complemented by hydrogen bonding and surface complexation. Overall, these findings provide field-based evidence that biofilm development markedly strengthens MP-pollutant interactions, underscoring the ecological risks of biofilm-mediated contaminant transport in natural waters.

PMID:41455422 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125240

Water Res. 2025 Dec 22;291:125258. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125258. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The phase-out of long chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has accelerated the adoption of alternative emerging PFAS, posing a dual pollution challenge with persistent long-chain residues and their substitutes unclear fate in water treatment. Herein, we develop a scalable and closed-loop strategy producing aminated cellulose xerogel (CNPK) for PFAS removal. CNPK demonstrates excellent mechanical strength (1.96 MPa) and superior PFAS adsorption capacities (3.26 g^-1 HFPO-TrA, 1.82 g^-1 PFOA, 2.14 g^-1 HFPO-DA, 1.27 g^-1 PFHxA, 1.02 g^-1 PFBA and 1.01 g^-1 PFPrA) at pH 3. Its ability to absorb several times its own weight of PFAS is orders of magnitude higher than that of traditional adsorbents. In multi-component systems, the enhanced kinetics and affinity for short/ultra-short chain PFAS facilitate their near-complete removal. This is due to the preferential capture of long chains that provide additional van der Waals (vdW) interactions to accelerate short/ultra-chain adsorption. After five consecutive cycles, CNPK still achieves removal rates of 82%-99% for six types of PFAS and can be dissolved and reproduced. The proof-of-concept filter column achieves over 95% removal for short/ultra-short chain PFAS. The life cycle assessment (LCA) highlights xerogels having lower carbon footprint (161.28-161.71 kg CO₂eq kg^-1 PFAS) compared to most carbon-based adsorbents. Overall, this xerogel strategy tackles the urgent PFAS contamination through high-capacity enrichment under the principles of the circular economy.

PMID:41455428 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.125258

Reprod Toxicol. 2025 Dec 25;140:109151. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.109151. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The combined repeated-dose and reproductive/developmental toxicity of six fire extinguishing agents were evaluated in mice: one legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-containing product and five PFAS-free products. For each product, up to 1,000 mg/kg-d was administered via oral gavage (n = 12/sex/group) before mating, for at least 42 days in males, and through gestation and lactation in females. First filial (F1) generation animals were exposed in utero and via lactation, and directly via oral gavage from postnatal day (PND) 22-42. No animals exhibited statistically significant reductions in reproductive function or pregnancy. Body weights of dams, litters, and weanlings were often decreased by high doses of fire extinguishing agents. The lowest concentration that impacted body weights was 320 mg/kg-d in a PFAS-free product. Perturbations to serum thyroid hormones (both generations) and immunoglobulin levels (F1) were rarely detected. Some hematological changes (e.g., red blood cell parameters) were also detected across the products. Results from these whole-product toxicity tests are consistent with studies of well-characterized ingredients of the products, which are also common ingredients of many household and consumer products. In conclusion, PFAS-free products were not linked to any of the reproductive or developmental effects commonly seen with individual PFAS exposures at the occupationally relevant concentrations tested. Of the products tested, there was only one PFAS-free fire extinguishing agent that was more toxic than the PFAS-containing product.

PMID:41455510 | DOI:10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.109151