PFAS

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 31. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c14803. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a persistent and widespread class of synthetic chemicals that have been detected throughout the environment. Due to their ubiquity, persistence, and mobility, PFAS can undergo biomagnification. Absorption and distribution of these chemicals in different tissues are key factors in understanding how they become biomagnified and induce adverse health effects. The spatial exposomics of legacy or emerging contaminants and their accumulation in biological tissues via mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is an interesting alternative to facilitate such studies. In this study, we aimed to develop an in situ analytical method that is fast, reproducible, and cost-effective to simultaneously detect, localize, and quantify a list of 24 PFAS in nine different tissues from male mouse samples while using PFOS as a representative case study for the in vivo study. The optimized protocol was used to maximize ionization efficiency of PFAS while using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) coupled with trapped ion mobility separation (TIMS) MSI. The effect of ammonium fluoride as an additive to the MALDI matrix (1,5-diaminonaphthalene, DAN) was evaluated, providing a cost-effective ionization agent with a limit of detection of 17.20 fmol/mm². Ion mobility separation significantly enhanced the sensitivity. This approach offers a rapid, high-throughput, and spatially resolved analysis of 24 PFAS in brain, spleen, testis, heart, intestine, thyroid, kidney, pancreas, and liver tissues; presenting a powerful tool for future environmental and toxicological studies.

PMID:42219700 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c14803

Small. 2026 May 31:e74007. doi: 10.1002/smll.74007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are called forever chemicals due to the extremely stable C─F bond (bond energy of 485 kJ·mol^-1), which leads the persistent existence in the natural environment thus poses a threat to human health. Compared with simple removal without destruction, defluorination is a more meaningful and thorough way for the harmless disposal of PFAS. In this review, the relationship between the structural properties of PFAS and defluorination mechanism are concluded. Thereafter, we discussed the advantages and limitations of defluorination techniques and specific defluorination pathways of active substances (free radicals and electron). This will provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for the selection and improvement of defluorination technologies. The influence of key factors on the practical application of defluorination technologies in wastewater treatment plants are assessed in detail from the perspectives of reaction solvents, homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, and reactor design. Importantly, the pilot-scale application of relevant PFAS defluorination technologies has also been discussed. Finally, we prospect for the future research direction of PFAS defluorination from the aspects of precise exploration of reaction pathways, fluorine balance, resource recovery, and life cycle assessment (LCA). This will provide a practical strategy for addressing the urgent issue of PFAS-contaminated wastewater.

PMID:42218629 | DOI:10.1002/smll.74007

Environ Int. 2026 May 29;213:110337. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110337. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent environmental pollutants that bioaccumulate in living organisms and are increasingly implicated in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Mitochondria, as central regulators of energy and lipid metabolism, represent key subcellular targets of PFAS toxicity. While emerging studies have examined PFAS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction using whole-cell analyses, studies focusing on mitochondria-enriched cellular fractions and their functional alterations under steatotic conditions, despite their clinical significance, remain limited. Here, we analyzed mitochondria-enriched cellular fractions and the extracellular secretome from human HepaRG hepatocytes exposed to a PFAS mixture under both steatotic and non-steatotic conditions by using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The PFAS mixture composition and concentrations reflected those commonly reported in human epidemiological data. We observed PFAS- and steatosis-driven effects on metabolism, including lipid buildup in mitochondria-rich fractions due to mitochondrial-lipid droplet contact, disturbances in cardiolipin levels, and increased extracellular abundance of acylcarnitines. Notably, PFAS-induced impact on mitochondrial metabolism was exacerbated in steatotic hepatocytes. Pathway analysis identified disturbances in lipid metabolism and inflammation-related pathways, including leukotriene metabolism, squalene and cholesterol biosynthesis, highlighting a shared metabolic signature across the PFAS-steatosis axis. Functional mitochondrial assays further showed that PFAS exposure suppressed respiratory capacity under both conditions, whereas steatosis alone increased basal mitochondrial activity but nearly abolished spare respiratory capacity. Together, these findings indicate that steatosis is associated with greater PFAS-related alterations in mitochondrial respiration and metabolic composition within the mitochondria-enriched fraction, supporting heightened susceptibility of steatotic hepatocytes to acute PFAS exposure.

PMID:42217317 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110337

J Environ Sci (China). 2026 Jul;165:468-478. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2025.09.041. Epub 2025 Sep 26.

ABSTRACT

Exposure to environmental pollutants intricately contributes to the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), thus it is imperative to identify the key contaminants which may induce GDM risk in humans. Herein, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on a total of 112 epidemiological studies to clarify the environmental risk factors for GDM occurrence. A total of 10 air pollutants, 26 metal elements, and 8 categories of organic compounds were examined. Fixed- and random-effect models were used to calculate the pooled odds ratio and 95 % confidence interval for evaluating the effects of contaminants. The results showed that exposure to air pollutants significantly increased GDM risk, with black carbon, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide identified as potential risk factors (p < 0.05). There was a markedly positive relationship between metal exposure and GDM risk, with aluminum, antimony, mercury, and rubidium contributing significantly to GDM incidence (p < 0.05). Higher exposure to organic compounds was also associated with a greater risk of GDM, with polybrominated diphenyl ethers, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organophosphate esters making significant contributions (p < 0.05). Several specific homologues were identified to make a dominant contribution within each class of these organic chemicals, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (36.54 %) and perfluorononanoic acid (32.09 %), which were the most risky PFAS compounds. These findings provide a critical insight into the etiology of GDM and may inform strategies to protect against pregnancy complications.

PMID:42217897 | DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2025.09.041

J Environ Sci (China). 2026 Jul;165:703-714. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2025.10.005. Epub 2025 Oct 10.

ABSTRACT

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), a long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) with a nine-carbon backbone, is highly stable and water-soluble, allowing it to accumulate in aquatic environments and persist for extended periods. However, the potential hazards and toxicity mechanisms of PFNA in aquatic organisms remain insufficiently studied. This study investigates the toxicity effects of PFNA on Microcystis aeruginosa with regard to its physiological and biochemical activities. The toxicity mechanisms of PFNA on M. aeruginosa were explored at the metabolic level across different exposure time points. The results showed that: (1) Prolonged exposure to various concentrations of PFNA induced hormesis in M. aeruginosa. However, PFNA does not significantly affect the photosynthetic system of M. aeruginosa or trigger programmed cell death, suggesting that M. aeruginosa is capable of adapting to PFNA stress and maintaining normal physiological metabolic activities through self-adaptive mechanisms. (2) PFNA can change its surface hydrophobicity, which facilitates the entry of PFNA into the cells and disrupts the intracellular redox balance of M. aeruginosa. Further, PFNA can alter various physiological metabolic activities within the organism. (3) Metabolomic analysis showed that PFNA can persist within M. aeruginosa cells for extended periods, and its toxic effects vary with concentration and exposure duration. Nevertheless, M. aeruginosa can sustain normal physiological metabolic activities through its intrinsic regulatory mechanisms. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential toxicity risks of long-chain PFAS to aquatic organisms and provide an important theoretical foundation for ecological risk assessment and regulatory control of long-chain PFAS.

PMID:42217921 | DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2025.10.005

Dig Dis. 2026 May 29:1-10. doi: 10.1159/000552644. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; age <50 years) is rising in Australia despite improving outcomes in older adults. EOCRC shows a strong birth-cohort effect, disproportionate growth in left-sided and rectal tumours, and more frequent stage III-IV presentation. Most cases occur without a family history, indicating that environmental and biological pressures are accelerating carcinogenesis in otherwise average-risk hosts.

OBJECTIVE: To summarise current evidence on EOCRC aetiology, emphasising microbial, dietary and chemical exposures, and to outline clinical, policy and research priorities for Australia.

DISCUSSION: Traditional risks such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, sedentary behaviour, alcohol and smoking likely contribute via insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and IGF-1-mediated signalling, but they do not fully explain the recent acceleration or distal predominance. Hereditary syndromes account for a minority of EOCRC, and tumour driver mutation patterns broadly resemble later-onset colorectal cancer, supporting earlier triggering rather than novel genetics. Convergent evidence implicates gut dysbiosis and exposures that disrupt mucosal defences or cause direct DNA damage. Colibactin-producing Escherichia coli can induce a distinctive mutational signature that appears enriched in early and distal tumours. Microplastics and plasticisers may impair barrier function and promote low-grade inflammation, while PFAS and related endocrine-disrupting chemicals are linked to metabolic and immune perturbation and altered bile acid biology. Cumulative antibiotic exposure, particularly early in life, may reduce microbial diversity and favour pathobionts such as Fusobacterium nucleatum.

PMID:42213629 | DOI:10.1159/000552644

Dig Dis. 2026 May 29:1-10. doi: 10.1159/000552644. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; age <50 years) is rising in Australia despite improving outcomes in older adults. EOCRC shows a strong birth-cohort effect, disproportionate growth in left-sided and rectal tumours, and more frequent stage III-IV presentation. Most cases occur without a family history, indicating that environmental and biological pressures are accelerating carcinogenesis in otherwise average-risk hosts.

OBJECTIVE: To summarise current evidence on EOCRC aetiology, emphasising microbial, dietary and chemical exposures, and to outline clinical, policy and research priorities for Australia.

DISCUSSION: Traditional risks such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, sedentary behaviour, alcohol and smoking likely contribute via insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and IGF-1-mediated signalling, but they do not fully explain the recent acceleration or distal predominance. Hereditary syndromes account for a minority of EOCRC, and tumour driver mutation patterns broadly resemble later-onset colorectal cancer, supporting earlier triggering rather than novel genetics. Convergent evidence implicates gut dysbiosis and exposures that disrupt mucosal defences or cause direct DNA damage. Colibactin-producing Escherichia coli can induce a distinctive mutational signature that appears enriched in early and distal tumours. Microplastics and plasticisers may impair barrier function and promote low-grade inflammation, while PFAS and related endocrine-disrupting chemicals are linked to metabolic and immune perturbation and altered bile acid biology. Cumulative antibiotic exposure, particularly early in life, may reduce microbial diversity and favour pathobionts such as Fusobacterium nucleatum.

PMID:42213629 | DOI:10.1159/000552644

J Public Health Manag Pract. 2026 May 29. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000002374. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Recruitment is a vital component of public health research to produce generalizable findings and analytical power for subgroup differences in health outcomes. Recruitment strategies in population-based health studies vary widely with limited information on response rates and expected costs.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate recruitment strategies to better inform future recruitment planning and practices based on response rates, implementation costs, and demographics of enrolled participants.

DESIGN: We cross-sectionally examined recruitment data from the Colorado Study on Community Outcomes from Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Exposure (CO SCOPE). Passive strategies included announcements and word-of-mouth referrals; active strategies included in-person outreach via door-to-door canvassing and/or tabling at community events, and phone or email contact to participants from a previous study. We calculated response rates per population reached by each strategy and estimated costs of materials and staff time.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In 2021-2023, we recruited and enrolled participants from 4 communities in El Paso County, Colorado. This site was part of a national multisite study of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water and associated health effects. We enrolled 916 adult participants (92% of our goal).

RESULTS: Overall participant response rate across all strategies was 0.5%. Response rates were lowest after announcements (0.1%), and highest from direct contact with previous study participants (32.3%). In-person outreach accrued the greatest number of enrolled participants but also at the highest estimated cost ($242/enrolled participant). Word-of-mouth referrals recruited the greatest proportions of young adults (aged 18-34) and people with a high school education or less. Ultimately, the enrolled study population over-represented older adults, women, and non-Hispanic White people compared with the target communities.

CONCLUSIONS: Recruitment strategies differed substantially in response rates and cost effectiveness. Word-of-mouth referrals and in-person outreach were most successful in recruiting diverse populations.

PMID:42214051 | DOI:10.1097/PHH.0000000000002374

Chemosphere. 2026 May 29;407:144981. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144981. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have long been valued for their chemical stability, hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and thermal resistance, supporting applications in firefighting foams, textiles, food packaging, medical devices, electronics, and industrial surfactants. However, growing evidence of environmental persistence and health risks has prompted regulatory restrictions and a shift toward PFAS-free alternatives. This review assesses PFAS-free substitutes across key sectors, examining their chemical and functional mechanisms, performance trade-offs, safety profiles, and market readiness. Fluorine-free foams, silicone and hydrocarbon-based textile coatings, biobased and synthetic polymer food packaging, alkyl polyglucosides and silicone surfactants, plant-derived cosmetic emollients, hydrophilic and zwitterionic polymers for medical devices, and PFAS-free photoresists are examined for their efficacy and sustainability potential. To situate these developments within a broader socio-environmental context, a Driving forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR)-based framework is applied to assess sectoral substitution urgency. A comparative ranking indicates very high urgency for firefighting foams and food packaging, high urgency for textiles and industrial surfactants, moderate-high urgency for cosmetics and personal care products, moderate urgency for electronics and semiconductors, and moderate/targeted urgency for medical devices. Sensitivity analysis under alternative weighting scenarios confirms complete stability of sectoral rankings, demonstrating robustness of the prioritisation framework. Regional adoption patterns, regulatory drivers, and implementation barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are discussed, emphasising the need for harmonised standards, knowledge-sharing, and innovation support. Overall, while PFAS-free alternatives exhibit application-dependent functional viability, trade-offs in durability, chemical resistance, and operational efficiency remain, underscoring opportunities for continued materials innovation toward reducing reliance on PFAS.

PMID:42214140 | DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144981

Environ Int. 2026 May 21;213:110310. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110310. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Evaluating the impact of bias in observational epidemiology studies is critical to systematic reviews in public health (as is the case with any study type). However, researchers have expressed concern that useful epidemiological data may not receive full consideration in some reviews due to overemphasizing potential for bias without critical assessment of its impact. This concern should be balanced against the need to appropriately assess the degree of bias in observational studies to accurately characterize their validity and reach appropriate conclusions.

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we describe how examining bias across studies may alleviate or solidify concerns identified in individual studies. We describe how to assess the likelihood that specific sources of bias explain and/or meaningfully distort an observed association.

METHODS: We followed the methods for development of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) workgroup guidance. Various sensitivity analyses are proposed to probe risk of bias in the body of evidence. Two illustrative case studies were conducted: the associations between trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure and kidney cancer occurrence and between two individual per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and changes of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.

RESULTS: Sensitivity analyses can inform the potential for bias to influence the results of a body of evidence, including consideration of direction of bias, subsets/stratification, counterbalancing biases, use of positive/negative controls, and others. To incorporate these into a synthesis, consideration is needed throughout the planning and execution process: (1) Planning the systematic review; (2) Assessing risk of bias in individual studies; (3) Performing sensitivity analyses, including exploration of heterogeneity and bias impact; and (4) Determining final rating.

DISCUSSION: These nuanced concepts and approaches for more accurately characterizing the magnitude and impact of bias in a body of evidence can be applied within GRADE and more broadly to systematic reviews outside that framework.

PMID:42214234 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110310

Water Res. 2026 May 20;302:126164. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126164. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Electro-enhanced adsorption and desorption (electrosorption) is emerging as a versatile route to remove and concentrate trace organic contaminants, including PFAS and pharmaceuticals, by coupling conductive adsorbents with electrical control. Many systems borrow process concepts from capacitive deionization (CDI), yet at environmentally relevant influent levels, they operate in a low-loading regime where affinity, competition, and transport dominate rather than charge-storage-limited salt/ion uptake. The electrical step also enables controlled release (electrodesorption) for regeneration, recovery, and enrichment, supporting capture-concentrate operation. This Making Waves article proposes a mechanism-consistent vocabulary and a compact reporting framework that links treatment goals to key metrics: affinity- and process-relevant descriptors (adsorption coefficient, selectivity, breakthrough/retardation, recovery, and enrichment) when electrosorption of trace organic compounds is the goal. Clear terminology and reporting will improve comparability across studies and accelerate rational design of electrosorption technologies tailored to trace organic pollutants.

PMID:42214876 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.126164

Dig Dis. 2026 May 29:1-10. doi: 10.1159/000552644. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; age <50 years) is rising in Australia despite improving outcomes in older adults. EOCRC shows a strong birth-cohort effect, disproportionate growth in left-sided and rectal tumours, and more frequent stage III-IV presentation. Most cases occur without a family history, indicating that environmental and biological pressures are accelerating carcinogenesis in otherwise average-risk hosts.

OBJECTIVE: To summarise current evidence on EOCRC aetiology, emphasising microbial, dietary and chemical exposures, and to outline clinical, policy and research priorities for Australia.

DISCUSSION: Traditional risks such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, sedentary behaviour, alcohol and smoking likely contribute via insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and IGF-1-mediated signalling, but they do not fully explain the recent acceleration or distal predominance. Hereditary syndromes account for a minority of EOCRC, and tumour driver mutation patterns broadly resemble later-onset colorectal cancer, supporting earlier triggering rather than novel genetics. Convergent evidence implicates gut dysbiosis and exposures that disrupt mucosal defences or cause direct DNA damage. Colibactin-producing Escherichia coli can induce a distinctive mutational signature that appears enriched in early and distal tumours. Microplastics and plasticisers may impair barrier function and promote low-grade inflammation, while PFAS and related endocrine-disrupting chemicals are linked to metabolic and immune perturbation and altered bile acid biology. Cumulative antibiotic exposure, particularly early in life, may reduce microbial diversity and favour pathobionts such as Fusobacterium nucleatum.

PMID:42213629 | DOI:10.1159/000552644

Sustain Sci Technol. 2026 Mar;3(1):012501. doi: 10.1088/2977-3504/ae286f. Epub 2026 Feb 16.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a large-and structurally diverse-group of contaminants that have become ubiquitous in our environment. PFAS are all extremely persistent while some are also bioaccumulative, mobile and/or toxic, which gives rise to significant environmental and health concerns. Despite more than a decade of intensive research, the management of PFAS is still associated with considerable challenges. It is evident that a holistic approach is required to address the challenging global problem of PFAS. This roadmap features expert perspectives from world-renowned leading researchers and practitioners on how best to manage PFAS. The 15 topics cover different facets of the complex PFAS issue, providing a multidisciplinary and multisectoral overview. For each topic, we reflect on the current status of knowledge and offer recommendations on science and technology advances that will help meet current and future challenges. Taken together, the 15 topics cover the entire life cycle of PFAS-from their sources to their destruction. Important themes such as monitoring and analysis, understanding and predicting fate, source controls (regulation and replacement), and existing and emerging strategies for remediation (capture and destroy) are highlighted throughout the roadmap. Overall, there are many recent scientific and technological advancements that show promise for the management of PFAS. However, it is also clear that there is no 'silver bullet' and multifaceted solutions will be needed. Long-term success hinges on sustained collaboration among researchers, policymakers, industries, and communities, which we hope this roadmap will help to catalyze.

PMID:42205850 | PMC:PMC13210092 | DOI:10.1088/2977-3504/ae286f

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 May 28;319:120302. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120302. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, yet how maternal PCOS interacts with environmental toxicants to influence fetal brain development remains unclear.We hypothesized that an AMH-programmed PCOS-like background increases neurodevelopmental vulnerability, which is worsened by gestational F-53B exposure through lipid metabolic reprogramming. Our study reveals how endocrine-metabolic dysfunction and environmental toxicants interact to impact fetal brain development. F0 dams were exposed to anti Müllerian hormone in late gestation to generate PCOS like F1 females and simultaneously received F-53B or vehicle, yielding four groups: Con, AMH, F-53B, and AF. F1 females from AMH lineages exhibited reproductive abnormalities characteristic of PCOS, which were most pronounced in the AF group. Bulk RNA sequencing of E14.5 F2 embryonic brains revealed progressive transcriptomic divergence across groups, with AF embryos showing the greatest shift from controls. Genes differentially expressed in both the F-53B vs Con and AF vs AMH comparisons were enriched in lipid metabolism and PPAR-related pathways, accompanied by graded upregulation of Cidec, Plin1, Fabp4, and Pparg and reciprocal downregulation of Aqp7, which was confirmed at the protein level for CIDEC, PLIN1, and AQP7. At the cellular level, AF embryos exhibited the most severe neurodevelopmental defects, including loss of TBR2⁺ positive intermediate progenitors, reduced TBR1⁺ and SATB2⁺ cortical neurons, diminished Neurod1⁺ and Tuj1⁺ expression, and decreased Olig2⁺ positive oligodendroglial cells. We hypothesized that an AMH-programmed PCOS-like background would prime offspring for subtle neurodevelopmental vulnerability, F-53B exposure during pregnancy would induce lipid metabolic reprogramming in the offspring fetal brain, and the combination of AMH-induced PCOS-like programming and F-53B exposure would exert 'two-hit' effects, leading to the greatest disruption of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. By linking an emerging PFAS alternative to mechanistically grounded alterations in fetal brain lipid metabolism and neural lineage development on a PCOS-like background, our work provides an integrated framework for understanding how endocrine-metabolic disorders and environmental contaminants converge to shape neurodevelopmental risk.

PMID:42208382 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120302

Sustain Sci Technol. 2026 Mar;3(1):012501. doi: 10.1088/2977-3504/ae286f. Epub 2026 Feb 16.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a large-and structurally diverse-group of contaminants that have become ubiquitous in our environment. PFAS are all extremely persistent while some are also bioaccumulative, mobile and/or toxic, which gives rise to significant environmental and health concerns. Despite more than a decade of intensive research, the management of PFAS is still associated with considerable challenges. It is evident that a holistic approach is required to address the challenging global problem of PFAS. This roadmap features expert perspectives from world-renowned leading researchers and practitioners on how best to manage PFAS. The 15 topics cover different facets of the complex PFAS issue, providing a multidisciplinary and multisectoral overview. For each topic, we reflect on the current status of knowledge and offer recommendations on science and technology advances that will help meet current and future challenges. Taken together, the 15 topics cover the entire life cycle of PFAS-from their sources to their destruction. Important themes such as monitoring and analysis, understanding and predicting fate, source controls (regulation and replacement), and existing and emerging strategies for remediation (capture and destroy) are highlighted throughout the roadmap. Overall, there are many recent scientific and technological advancements that show promise for the management of PFAS. However, it is also clear that there is no 'silver bullet' and multifaceted solutions will be needed. Long-term success hinges on sustained collaboration among researchers, policymakers, industries, and communities, which we hope this roadmap will help to catalyze.

PMID:42205850 | PMC:PMC13210092 | DOI:10.1088/2977-3504/ae286f

J Hazard Mater. 2026 May 20;513:142472. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142472. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Active war zones have recently become part of many people's daily lives. In addition to their harm, active war zones may also serve as potential hotspots for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to the extensive use of munitions. Nevertheless, their impact on neighboring agricultural environments remains largely understudied. Here, we report the occurrence and distribution of PFAS in agricultural and uncultivated soils, as well as in potato plants, along a spatial gradient from an active war zone. We hypothesized that if military emissions were a dominant local source of PFAS, their concentrations and compositional profiles in soils and plants would exhibit a spatial gradient. Foliage analysis indicated a potential atmospheric pathway of PFAS contamination that may be related to conflict activities or regional air pollution; leaves were highly concentrated with volatile short-chain PFAS (predominantly perfluorobutanoic acid [PFBA]), independent of their soil concentrations. Although leaves exhibited significant accumulation of volatile PFAS, they were largely absent from the edible tubers. Soil data indicate that agricultural soil contamination was dominated by legacy sulfonates (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid [PFOS] and Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid [PFHxS]) introduced via treated wastewater irrigation and biosolids application, which effectively masked potential PFAS deposition from atmospheric deposition originating from military conflict, and/ or industrial emissions. Uncultivated soils exhibited a carboxylate-rich profile theorized to resemble incomplete combustion products of fluoropolymers. However, the lack of a spatial gradient suggests a background signal, indicating that air deposition of PFAS from warfare regions is likely confined to sites of detonation. This study suggests that while soil contamination (agricultural and uncultivated) reflects long-term inputs, active war zones may introduce or mobilize volatile PFAS that, although masked in soils, are preferentially intercepted by vegetation.

PMID:42208287 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142472

Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2026 May 28:1-16. doi: 10.1159/000552708. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is commonly associated with profilin, a highly cross-reactive pan-allergen found in a variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and pollens. In Korea, the Korean melon (Cucumis melo var. makuwa), commonly known as Chamoe, has been identified as a major trigger for PFAS. However, the lack of standardized allergen extracts limits the consistency and reliability of diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to develop a novel two-site ELISA for quantifying Cuc m 2, the major profilin allergen from Korean melon, to support the standardization of allergen extracts.

METHODS: Recombinant Cuc m 2.0301 was used to immunize mice and generate hybridomas that produce monoclonal antibodies recognizing both Cuc m 2.0102 and Cuc m 2.0301 isoallergens.

RESULTS: The ELISA system demonstrated high sensitivity, with detection limits as low as 10 μg/mL for melon extracts and 3 ng/mL for recombinant Cuc m 2. We quantified Cuc m 2 concentrations in various melon cultivars, with values ranging from 5.43 to 78.25 ng/mL. Cross-reactivity was observed with tomato profilin (Sola l 1), but not with profilins from pineapple, banana, or timothy grass pollen. The allergenic potency of melon extracts was generally correlated with Cuc m 2 concentration, except for Korean melon, suggesting the presence of additional allergenic components.

CONCLUSION: This study provides a reliable method for quantifying Cuc m 2, which may support the standardization and consistency of allergy diagnostic materials and allergen surveillance.

PMID:42207725 | DOI:10.1159/000552708

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 May 28;319:120313. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120313. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent metabolic disease during pregnancy which has long-term effects on maternal and child health. Although per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are related to metabolic diseases, the role of the newly emerged short-chain PFAS in GDM remains unclear. Here, we integrated a population-based investigation, systems toxicology, molecular simulations, and experimental validation to clarify the relationship between certain PFAS and the pathogenesis of GDM. Plasma concentrations of 27 PFAS were measured in 200 pregnant women (99 controls and 101 GDM cases). Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were significantly elevated in GDM. PFPeA showed a positive correlation with post-load glucose levels and the total glycemic burden, while PFTrDA was mainly associated with 2-hour glucose levels. Network analyses identified lipid metabolic and nuclear receptor signaling pathways, including PPAR, AMPK, FoxO, and PI3K-Akt pathways, as key regulatory mechanisms. Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were identified as critical regulatory hubs linking PFAS exposure to metabolic dysfunction. Molecular docking and simulations demonstrated stable interactions between PFAS and these targets. Consistently, gestational PFPeA exposure in mice induced maternal hepatic injury and transcriptomic alterations in metabolic signaling pathways, supporting the computational predictions. Collectively, our findings provide multi-level evidence that environmentally relevant PFAS congeners, particularly short-chain PFPeA, are associated with disrupted hepatic metabolic regulatory networks during pregnancy, suggesting a potential role in GDM pathogenesis. These results advance mechanistic understanding of PFAS-associated gestational metabolic toxicity and underscore the need to reconsider the safety of short-chain PFAS in vulnerable populations.

PMID:42208379 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120313

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 May 28;319:120302. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120302. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, yet how maternal PCOS interacts with environmental toxicants to influence fetal brain development remains unclear.We hypothesized that an AMH-programmed PCOS-like background increases neurodevelopmental vulnerability, which is worsened by gestational F-53B exposure through lipid metabolic reprogramming. Our study reveals how endocrine-metabolic dysfunction and environmental toxicants interact to impact fetal brain development. F0 dams were exposed to anti Müllerian hormone in late gestation to generate PCOS like F1 females and simultaneously received F-53B or vehicle, yielding four groups: Con, AMH, F-53B, and AF. F1 females from AMH lineages exhibited reproductive abnormalities characteristic of PCOS, which were most pronounced in the AF group. Bulk RNA sequencing of E14.5 F2 embryonic brains revealed progressive transcriptomic divergence across groups, with AF embryos showing the greatest shift from controls. Genes differentially expressed in both the F-53B vs Con and AF vs AMH comparisons were enriched in lipid metabolism and PPAR-related pathways, accompanied by graded upregulation of Cidec, Plin1, Fabp4, and Pparg and reciprocal downregulation of Aqp7, which was confirmed at the protein level for CIDEC, PLIN1, and AQP7. At the cellular level, AF embryos exhibited the most severe neurodevelopmental defects, including loss of TBR2⁺ positive intermediate progenitors, reduced TBR1⁺ and SATB2⁺ cortical neurons, diminished Neurod1⁺ and Tuj1⁺ expression, and decreased Olig2⁺ positive oligodendroglial cells. We hypothesized that an AMH-programmed PCOS-like background would prime offspring for subtle neurodevelopmental vulnerability, F-53B exposure during pregnancy would induce lipid metabolic reprogramming in the offspring fetal brain, and the combination of AMH-induced PCOS-like programming and F-53B exposure would exert 'two-hit' effects, leading to the greatest disruption of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. By linking an emerging PFAS alternative to mechanistically grounded alterations in fetal brain lipid metabolism and neural lineage development on a PCOS-like background, our work provides an integrated framework for understanding how endocrine-metabolic disorders and environmental contaminants converge to shape neurodevelopmental risk.

PMID:42208382 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120302

Food Chem Toxicol. 2026 May 27:116155. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2026.116155. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hepatic steatosis is increasingly prevalent in the U.S., alongside widespread exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals (HMs). While these toxins have individually been linked to hepatic steatosis, few studies assess their combined effects. This study evaluates the association between multi-toxin exposure and hepatic steatosis.

METHODS: NHANES 2017-2020 data were analyzed to identify participants with hepatic steatosis (FibroScan® CAP™ ≥238 dB/m). PFAS, VOCs, and HMs were measured in blood and urine. Hierarchical clustering generated four toxin-combination models, followed by logistic regression unadjusted and adjusted for confounders. Sensitivity analyses included bootstrap resampling and Firth logistic regression.

RESULTS: In Model 4, clusters 1 and 2 had the highest odds of hepatic steatosis (OR 8.62 and 9.37, p<0.001 vs. cluster 3), with elevated PFAS (cluster 1) and PFAS plus HMs (cluster 2). Higher risk was associated with female sex, Mexican American and Non-Hispanic Asian ethnicity, and higher income. Sensitivity analyses were consistent.

CONCLUSION: Combined exposure to PFAS and HMs is linked to increased hepatic steatosis risk. Targeted public health interventions are needed to reduce these exposures.

PMID:42208794 | DOI:10.1016/j.fct.2026.116155

Environ Res. 2026 May 27;304:124869. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124869. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The toxicity and persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have made their widespread environmental contamination a significant global issue. Forests can uptake and trap PFASs from the atmosphere, but their environmental behavior and fate in forest humus layer and mineral soil remain unclear. This study investigated PFAS distribution, drivers, and leaching rates in Mt. Shennongjia, China. The concentrations of total PFASs (Σ24PFAS) in the humus layer (average of 5.67 ng/g) were higher than in mineral soil (2.79 ng/g), with long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) (46.8%-59.3%) being the predominant PFASs. Spatial distribution and correlation analysis indicates that, altitude and forest vegetation types influence the accumulation of PFASs in forest humus and soil. The concentration of PFASs generally increased with increasing altitude, and the sub-alpine conifer forest exhibited higher PFASs level than other vegetation types. The concentration of PFASs was positively correlated with the TOC content (r = 0.356-0.745, p < 0.05). Enrichment factors (EF) of PFAS varied from 0.14 to 2.22, and EFs decreased with increasing carbon chain length, suggesting long-chain PFASs have a greater propensity to partition into humus. The leaching rates of PFAS from the humus layer in freely dissolved forms were significantly higher than those in the dissolved organic matter forms (p < 0.05). Short-chain and carboxylate-headed PFASs showed greater downward leaching potential, more attention should be paid to their transport to groundwater in ecologically sensitive areas.

PMID:42208880 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124869

Toxicology. 2026 May 27;525:154509. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2026.154509. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used in numerous industrial processes and consumer products and are now ubiquitously distributed in the environment, thereby creating multiple routes of human exposure. Their physicochemical properties confer high persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicity, which have raised increasing concern about their long-term impacts on human health. Because of its central role in xenobiotic uptake, metabolism, transport, and excretion, the liver is considered a major target organ of PFAS toxicity. Over the past few years, a growing body of epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro evidence has linked PFAS exposure to a broad spectrum of hepatic abnormalities, including liver injury, cholestatic liver injury and bile acid dysregulation, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition to legacy long-chain PFASs, short-chain congeners and emerging alternatives such as GenX and 6:2 Cl-PFESA have also shown considerable hepatotoxic potential. This review summarizes current evidence on the contribution of PFAS exposure to liver disease, with particular attention to human relevance and the mechanisms underlying PFAS-induced hepatotoxicity, including oxidative stress, inflammatory activation, disruption of the gut-liver axis and enterohepatic circulation, lipid metabolic reprogramming, and impairment of bile acid homeostasis. Remaining knowledge gaps and future perspectives are also highlighted to support mechanistic understanding and improve PFAS-related liver risk assessment.

PMID:42208886 | DOI:10.1016/j.tox.2026.154509

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2026 Apr 27;23(5):563. doi: 10.3390/ijerph23050563.

ABSTRACT

Wastewater is a complex and dynamic issue, particularly at the human-animal-environment interface, bearing biological and chemical hazards that may serve as a resource for transmission pathways for pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, heavy metals, pharmaceutical residues, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastics. Rising global health issues necessitate effective wastewater treatment and advanced research to support risk-informed circular management within a one health framework, incorporating wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), multi-omics approaches, nanobiotechnology, and green technologies. Inadequate wastewater treatment and uncontrolled discharge result in the generation of more than 380 billion cubic meters of wastewater annually worldwide, contributing to ecological degradation, the spread of AMR, and long-term toxicological risks. Despite significant advances in wastewater treatment, several challenges remain, including complex contaminant mixtures, limited detection and monitoring technologies, variable treatment efficiency, and weak regulatory and governance frameworks. This review highlights key wastewater treatment issues and presents recent advances in WBE and multi-omics approaches, such as metagenomics, resistome profiling, virome analysis, and chemical fingerprinting for contaminant monitoring and public health risk assessment. This review also examines circular reuse strategies focused on water reclamation, nutrient recovery, bioenergy production, and resource recovery, with particular emphasis on nature-based systems, hybrid biological-physicochemical treatment platforms, and green nanobiotechnology as promising approaches to improve treatment performance while minimizing environmental impacts. In conclusion, this review highlights the importance of integrated and sustainable wastewater management approaches within the One Health framework to address emerging challenges and promote environmental resilience, public health protection, and circular resource recovery.

PMID:42196657 | PMC:PMC13206708 | DOI:10.3390/ijerph23050563

Toxics. 2026 Apr 24;14(5):360. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050360.

ABSTRACT

The extensive production and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) over recent decades have resulted in their pervasive distribution in environmental compartments worldwide. PFAS concentrations in soil and biota near fluorochemical manufacturing facilities tend to be typically higher near hotspots, which suggests that the consumption of home-produced foods near such hotspots most likely results in higher human exposure. One prominent European hotspot is located near the 3M fluorochemical production facility in Zwijndrecht (Belgium), where the relative contributions of different exposure pathways remain insufficiently characterised. This study therefore aimed to assess the PFAS concentrations and compositional profiles in serum, dwellings and gardens of teenagers residing near this hotspot. Serum samples from teenagers, along with multiple environmental matrices (i.e., soil, compost, vegetables/fruits/nuts, chicken eggs, rainwater and indoor house dust) were analysed for 21 selected PFAS. Additionally, potential determinants of PFAS occurrence and distribution across matrices were investigated using detailed questionnaire data. We found perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) to be the predominant compound in both soil and serum, while perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was most dominant in rainwater, compost, house dust and pods. Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) was most abundant in fruits and chicken eggs, while perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) was predominant in rooting vegetables and nuts. N-methylperfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (MePFOSAA) was the dominant compound in fruiting, stem, and leafy vegetables. These results indicate differences in accumulation pathways among the different media and/or differences in affinities of different PFAS in the matrices. Additionally, several environmental and behavioural factors were identified as determinants for PFAS in soil, compost, tree fruits, fruiting vegetables, chicken eggs and house dust, providing insight into potential drivers of exposure variability. The most important factors were related to the soil characteristics, the composting of grass and weeds, the chicken feed (i.e., bread, commercial feed), the type and frequency of ventilation and the frequency of cleaning.

PMID:42198486 | PMC:PMC13211272 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050360

Microorganisms. 2026 Apr 30;14(5):1012. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms14051012.

ABSTRACT

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a diverse group of environmental pollutants capable of interfering with hormonal and immune system regulation. In recent years, increasing concern has been raised about the effects of chemicals, including bisphenols, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), insecticides, and parabens, on maternal and fetal health, primarily due to their widespread exposure in human populations. Pregnancy represents a critical window characterized by tightly regulated hormonal and immunological adaptations. Emerging evidence suggests that EDC exposure during this period may alter maternal microbiota, disrupt immune responses, and interfere with endocrine signaling. These changes may increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, including bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections, and intrauterine infections, all of which are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. This review summarizes the current evidence on the sources and mechanisms of exposure to endocrine disruptors during pregnancy and examines the potential biological pathways linking endocrine disruption to the development of infections. Particular emphasis is placed on the interactions between immune regulation, hormonal signaling, and changes in the microbiome, which may contribute to increased susceptibility to infections. A deeper understanding of these complex mechanisms is critical to improve risk assessment, develop effective public health strategies, and ultimately protect maternal and fetal health in an environment of increasing chemical exposure. A literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, including studies published up to January 2026.

PMID:42197398 | PMC:PMC13209177 | DOI:10.3390/microorganisms14051012

Toxics. 2026 May 12;14(5):422. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050422.

ABSTRACT

Ultrashort-chain (USC) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly polar, mobile, and persistent emerging pollutants. While the environmental distribution of USC species is well-documented, their presence in widely consumed beverages remains under-characterized due to the analytical difficulty of capturing such highly polar species. This study established a robust workflow for the simultaneous determination of C1 to C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids, alongside other PFAS classes, in diverse beverage matrices including teas and fruit juices. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a mixed-mode inert-coated alkyl-phase LC column to enhance USC retention while maintaining performance for longer-chain analytes. A high-throughput, minimal-handling sample preparation was optimized to mitigate matrix effects and contamination. Method performance was evaluated using fortified beverage samples across 2-500 ng/L, with calibration ranges of 1-2000 ng/L and incorporation of 13 isotopically labeled internal standards. Results demonstrated acceptable accuracy (recoveries within 30% of nominal values) and optimal precision (%RSD < 12%). Application to commercial samples revealed frequent PFAS occurrence, specifically highlighting the prevalence of previously overlooked USC species in the human diet. These results demonstrate that ready-to-drink beverages are a significant pathway for human exposure, necessitating the inclusion of USC compounds in future food safety monitoring and risk assessments.

PMID:42198547 | PMC:PMC13211061 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050422

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2026 May 26;170:106142. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2026.106142. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Obesity prevalence has more than doubled globally over the last 30 years. Exposure to certain chemicals, obesogens, may promote obesity by disrupting lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. There is an urgent need to better identify obesogens using robust and human-specific new approach methodologies (NAMs), as well as to interpret the outcomes of combinations of NAMs in regulatory decision making. The goal of this study is to assess whether an in vitro-based testing strategy based on the combined application of human-specific NAMs, a PPARγ transactivation assay and a human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC)-based adipogenesis assay, supports in vitro identification of obesogens. To this end, a case study was performed with 21 PFAS. Seven PFAS (HFPO-DA, FBSA, PFHpA, PFBS, PFPrS, PFPrA, and PBSF) showed both PPARγ transactivation and increased lipid content. Three PFAS increased cellular lipid content without measurable PPARγ activation (3:3 FTCA, MeFBSA, EtFOSA), implying alternative mechanisms of adipogenesis. Notably, seven PFAS decreased lipid content; five of these (PFOS, PFDA, PFNA, PFBA, PFEtS) were PPARγ agonists, whereas two (TFA and TFMS) did not transactivate PPARγ. Our findings underscore the need for an integrated testing strategy that incorporates multiple mechanisms and downstream phenotypic endpoints to identify substances with obesogenic properties.

PMID:42202891 | DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2026.106142

Genes (Basel). 2026 May 7;17(5):558. doi: 10.3390/genes17050558.

ABSTRACT

Background/Objectives: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmentally persistent chemicals widely detected in aquatic systems and drinking water. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), a long-chain PFAS, has been reported globally in environmental matrices and fish tissues. Although PFNA has been linked to developmental, metabolic, and neurological toxicity, its effects on lipid-related pathways and neurotoxicity remain poorly characterized. Methods: This study evaluated the developmental and neurotoxic effects of PFNA exposure in zebrafish embryos and larvae following a 7-day exposure to environmentally relevant PFNA concentrations. Results: PFNA exposure did not significantly affect survival or deformity rates at the concentrations tested. Apoptosis was significantly increased in larvae exposed to 1 µg/L PFNA compared to controls, whereas reactive oxygen species levels were unaffected. Two concentrations (0.1 µg/L and 10 µg/L) were further examined for transcriptomic responses, and the transcriptome response was largely different for each concentration. Low-dose PFNA exposure primarily affected lipid transport, cholesterol metabolism, sphingolipid signaling, and neurodegeneration-related pathways, whereas high-dose PFNA altered transcripts related to synaptic signaling, axon guidance, and thyroid hormone synthesis. Hypoactivity was observed in the movement of larval zebrafish based on a Visual Motor Response test. Conclusions: Taken together, PFNA exposure induced molecular changes related to neurotoxicity and lipid metabolism in zebrafish, which may contribute to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

PMID:42195015 | PMC:PMC13206344 | DOI:10.3390/genes17050558

Toxics. 2026 Apr 26;14(5):373. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050373.

ABSTRACT

Environmental contaminants pose threats to exposed organisms and negatively impact the nervous, cardiovascular, immune, and reproductive systems. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that are ubiquitous in the environment. Given that mixtures of environmental contaminants have the potential to exacerbate toxicity, we reviewed the current literature on pesticides, microplastics, or metal exposure in combination with PFAS on aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates. The objectives were to evaluate the toxicological effects of mixtures of the selected contaminants with PFAS on aquatic organisms to better understand biological responses in animals. Based on our review, data suggest that PFAS can modify the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants. For example, synergistic effects on toxicity include chlorpyrifos + perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), which increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulated neurotoxicity-related genes in zebrafish, and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) + atrazine, which increased the presence of malformations and oxidative stress. However, antagonistic interactions were also observed, for example, reduced herbicide toxicity in PFOA + 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) mixtures. PFAS combined with microplastics often intensified oxidative stress and developmental or reproductive effects, though polyethylene microplastics attenuated perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)-induced immunotoxicity in fish like seabass. Interactions with metals also varied, with copper and cadmium enhancing oxidative stress while mercury mixtures with PFAS showed antagonism, underscoring the complexity of mixture effects in real environments. A computational approach demonstrated that PFOS can engage in intermolecular interactions with pesticides, microplastic monomers, and metals, suggesting chemical-level effects that could modify toxicity or bioavailability. Future studies should focus on elucidating the mechanisms underlying these complex interactions, investigating effects at different trophic levels and in a broader range of species, and should consider environmentally relevant mixtures.

PMID:42198499 | PMC:PMC13211294 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050373

Toxics. 2026 May 21;14(5):452. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050452.

ABSTRACT

Global climate change and air pollution jointly threaten respiratory health. Asthma, a prevalent chronic inflammatory airway disease, is exacerbated by both traditional air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM_2.5), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and emerging contaminants like microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with effects amplified under extreme temperature conditions. In reality, individuals face complex combined exposures, yet the synergistic effects of these factors on asthma pathogenesis remain poorly understood. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological and toxicological evidence. It aims to elucidate both the individual and the notably synergistic effects of these factors on asthma pathogenesis. The central mechanistic pathway is initiated by oxidative stress, which activates key inflammatory signaling pathways, thereby driving immune imbalance and airway inflammation. Our review underscores that the combined exposure to traditional pollutants, emerging pollutants, and extreme temperatures may pose a greater threat than individual factors. These findings underscore the critical need for an integrated perspective in asthma research and public health policy. Moving beyond single-pollutant approaches, we advocate for combinatorial risk assessment and synergistic intervention strategies to effectively mitigate the growing burden of asthma in a changing climate.

PMID:42198578 | PMC:PMC13211335 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050452

Toxics. 2026 May 12;14(5):422. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050422.

ABSTRACT

Ultrashort-chain (USC) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly polar, mobile, and persistent emerging pollutants. While the environmental distribution of USC species is well-documented, their presence in widely consumed beverages remains under-characterized due to the analytical difficulty of capturing such highly polar species. This study established a robust workflow for the simultaneous determination of C1 to C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids, alongside other PFAS classes, in diverse beverage matrices including teas and fruit juices. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a mixed-mode inert-coated alkyl-phase LC column to enhance USC retention while maintaining performance for longer-chain analytes. A high-throughput, minimal-handling sample preparation was optimized to mitigate matrix effects and contamination. Method performance was evaluated using fortified beverage samples across 2-500 ng/L, with calibration ranges of 1-2000 ng/L and incorporation of 13 isotopically labeled internal standards. Results demonstrated acceptable accuracy (recoveries within 30% of nominal values) and optimal precision (%RSD < 12%). Application to commercial samples revealed frequent PFAS occurrence, specifically highlighting the prevalence of previously overlooked USC species in the human diet. These results demonstrate that ready-to-drink beverages are a significant pathway for human exposure, necessitating the inclusion of USC compounds in future food safety monitoring and risk assessments.

PMID:42198547 | PMC:PMC13211061 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050422

Integr Environ Assess Manag. 2026 May 27:vjag090. doi: 10.1093/inteam/vjag090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are over 4,000 synthetic compounds characterised by high chemical stability and environmental persistence. Building on data from the Forever Pollution Project, which mapped the extent of PFAS contamination across Europe, this study analysed PFAS contamination in the Veneto Plain (NE Italy). This was achieved by integrating concentration ratios, ternary diagrams, scatter plots, compositional principal component analysis (PCA), and RGB encoding across 511 groundwater sampling points categorised into seven distinct well groups. One group (contamination plume from a former industrial site near Vicenza that produced PFAS until 2018), exhibited the highest PFAS concentrations (PFOA up to 1,240 ng/L; PFOS 120 ng/L; PFHxS 84 ng/L), with tight clustering in PCA score space, indicating a dominant single-source industrial release. Two additional groups (250-300 meters east and immediately adjacent to a chemical-pharmaceutical facility, respectively) recorded intermediate PFOA concentrations (80-320 ng/L). Combined ternary and scatter plot analyses suggested a dual-source influence, from local facility emissions superimposed onto the distal former industrial site plume. Other three groups (downstream, in the eastern and western sector of a tanning district, respectively) exhibited heterogeneous PFAS signatures (PFOS up to 83 ng/L; PFBS 45 ng/L), reflecting mixed industrial activities including tanning, metal finishing, and concrete production. PCA dispersion and geochemical fingerprints highlighted a significant groundwater mixing for these groups. Finally, the last well group (near a landfill) showed lower PFAS concentrations (PFHxA up to 56 ng/L) and a distinct PFAS signature linked to leaching of aged municipal waste. The integrated forensic methodology distinguished discrete and mixed contamination sources, highlighting the value of compositional and spatial representation of analysed PFAS in groundwater. By enabling more precise identification of contamination sources, this approach supports the application of the 'Polluter Pays Principle', informs policy decisions and guides land management strategies for the remediation of affected areas.

PMID:42202211 | DOI:10.1093/inteam/vjag090

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 27. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c18596. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Formalin-fixed (FFT) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPET) tissues represent an immense and underutilized resource for reconstructing historical chemical exposures. For persistent contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), these archived specimens could enable retrospective biomonitoring and tissue-level dosimetry, linking exposure history to disease outcomes. However, fixation and embedding may alter analyte stability and recovery, creating uncertainty in quantification. Methods: We have developed and tested a liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method to quantify six commonly found environmentally relevant PFAS (PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA) in mouse liver, kidney, ileum, and brain. Tissues from PFAS-exposed mice were divided into matched sets of flash-frozen tissues (FT), formalin-fixed (FFT), and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPET) samples. PFAS recovery and loss were tracked through fixation, storage, and deparaffinization steps. Results: Across matched flash-frozen tissues, the mean sum of PFAS ranged from 279.2 ng/g in the brain to 22,628.4 ng/g in the liver. All PFAS were quantifiable in each matrix. Formalin fixation largely preserved PFAS, with recoveries of 76.7-83.8% relative to fresh tissue, while 12.6-19.9% of PFAS were detected in the formalin solution. Paraffin embedding resulted in further losses, yielding 57.4-75.1% recovery, with 6.1-15.9% loss during xylene and ethanol processing. Longer-chain PFAS (PFNA-PFUnA) exhibited greater retention than shorter-chain species (PFHxS), and tissues with higher PFAS burdens, such as liver, showed better recovery than low-burden tissues like brain and ileum. Conclusion: This work demonstrates the feasibility of quantifying PFAS in archived tissues and provides the first systematic insight into compound- and matrix-specific recovery patterns. Further validation is needed for short and ultrashort PFAS. Human tissues with much lower PFAS loads may experience proportionally greater analytical losses, requiring higher analytical sensitivity and application of correction factors for accurate dose estimation.

PMID:42202105 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5c18596

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2026 May 26;170:106142. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2026.106142. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Obesity prevalence has more than doubled globally over the last 30 years. Exposure to certain chemicals, obesogens, may promote obesity by disrupting lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. There is an urgent need to better identify obesogens using robust and human-specific new approach methodologies (NAMs), as well as to interpret the outcomes of combinations of NAMs in regulatory decision making. The goal of this study is to assess whether an in vitro-based testing strategy based on the combined application of human-specific NAMs, a PPARγ transactivation assay and a human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC)-based adipogenesis assay, supports in vitro identification of obesogens. To this end, a case study was performed with 21 PFAS. Seven PFAS (HFPO-DA, FBSA, PFHpA, PFBS, PFPrS, PFPrA, and PBSF) showed both PPARγ transactivation and increased lipid content. Three PFAS increased cellular lipid content without measurable PPARγ activation (3:3 FTCA, MeFBSA, EtFOSA), implying alternative mechanisms of adipogenesis. Notably, seven PFAS decreased lipid content; five of these (PFOS, PFDA, PFNA, PFBA, PFEtS) were PPARγ agonists, whereas two (TFA and TFMS) did not transactivate PPARγ. Our findings underscore the need for an integrated testing strategy that incorporates multiple mechanisms and downstream phenotypic endpoints to identify substances with obesogenic properties.

PMID:42202891 | DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2026.106142

Environ Int. 2026 May 22;213:110323. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110323. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants; children may experience high exposure during critical developmental periods, but longitudinal patterns and determinants of early life PFAS burden remain unclear. We quantified 32 PFAS in cord blood at birth and in venous blood-derived samples collected at ages 2, 4, and 7 years among children in the Shanghai Birth Cohort since 2013. The current study included 3089 children with at least one measurement and 1635 children with measurements taken at two or more time points. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate age-related percent changes in ln-transformed PFAS concentrations and associations with child and family characteristics. Hazard quotients were also calculated for immune and hepatic endpoints using available reference values for selected PFAS. From birth to 7 years, several perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCA) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSA) increased by about 6-32% per year, whereas 6:2 and 8:2 chlorinated polyfluoroethersulfonic acids and perfluorooctane sulfonamide declined by roughly 7-15% per year. We identified clear early-life determinants of PFAS trajectories. Higher BMI-for-age was consistently associated with modestly elevated concentrations of most PFCA and PFSA, by 3-7% per unit increase. PFAS concentrations also showed marked stratification by family and residential context, with lower levels among children with at least one parent with a graduate degree and higher levels, and those living in suburban areas. Breastfeeding duration emerged as a time-sensitive contributor, showing strong positive associations at age 2 that attenuated by age 4 and were minimal by age 7. Hazard assessment suggested the greatest potential toxicological concern at age 2, particularly for cumulative immune effects. PFAS concentrations followed distinct, compound-specific temporal patterns from birth through age 7 years. These patterns were further shaped by modifiable early-life exposures, underscoring the need for age-targeted and subgroup-specific strategies to reduce childhood PFAS burdens.

PMID:42202630 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110323

Water Res. 2026 May 22;302:126177. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126177. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Resolving the incomplete fluorine mass balance remains a central challenge in Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) assessment, largely due to the underrepresentation of ultrashort-chain species and chemically unresolved compounds in complex water matrices. Here, we developed an integrated analytical framework that combining targeted analysis, ultrashort-chain PFAS quantification, extractable organic fluorine (EOF), and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS)-based screening. This approach enables robust characterization of high-matrix-load environmental samples and expands PFAS coverage beyond conventional targeted analysis. Across the investigated matrices, up to 57 fluorinated molecular formulas were tentatively identified in landfill leachate and 53 in municipal wastewater, while structural identification yields remained low (0.3-0.9%), indicating a substantial unresolved organofluorine fraction. Integrating targeted analysis of ultrashort-chain PFAS and non-target screening results significantly improved the explained fraction of EOF, reaching up to 85% in landfill leachate. Ultrashort-chain PFAS contributed 20-34% of EOF, while non-target screening suggested matrix-dependent enrichment of specific PFAS-related chemical domains in membrane concentrates. These findings demonstrate that combining ultrashort-chain PFAS analysis with high-resolution non-target screening provides a more constrained representation of the organofluorine pool and advances the resolution of fluorine mass balance in complex water systems.

PMID:42202699 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.126177

Int J Mol Sci. 2026 May 19;27(10):4543. doi: 10.3390/ijms27104543.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify candidate molecular pathways mediating dopaminergic dysfunction induced by PFAS mixture exposure, with a focus on the TM/5-HT signaling axis and calcium-linked lipid metabolites, and to explore potential gut-brain axis involvement. Adult mice were exposed to a PFAS mixture. Behavioral tests assessed spatial memory, spontaneous activity, and motor coordination. Histopathological and ultrastructural analyses examined neuronal atrophy, mitochondrial damage, α-synuclein (α-syn), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Transcriptomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiota profiling (16S rRNA sequencing) were performed, followed by integrated multi-omics and correlation analyses. PFAS exposure was associated with PD-relevant motor and cognitive impairments, including impaired spatial memory, reduced spontaneous activity, and motor coordination deficits. Neuronal atrophy, mitochondrial structural damage, upregulation of α-syn, and downregulation of TH were observed. Transcriptomics identified 315 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) enriched in ciliary movement, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, and serotonergic synapses. Metabolomics identified 130 differentially abundant metabolites involved in arachidonic acid metabolism and serotonergic synapses. Integrated analysis highlighted correlative changes in the TM/5-HT signaling pathway. Phosphatidylinositol PI(16:0/20:2(11Z,14Z)) showed a strong positive correlation with Dbh gene expression, suggesting a candidate association between Dbh expression and phosphatidylinositol alterations. Gut microbiota analysis revealed compositional alterations (e.g., Muribaculaceae, Ileibacterium) and predicted functional shifts (e.g., tryptophan metabolism-related modules) were observed; these findings are exploratory. This study identifies multi-omics signatures associated with PFAS mixture-induced dopaminergic dysfunction in mice. The TM/5-HT pathway emerges as a candidate molecular axis requiring further investigation. Gut microbiota alterations suggest a potential peripheral component, but causality and gut-brain axis involvement remain hypothetical and need direct experimental validation.

PMID:42196519 | PMC:PMC13207523 | DOI:10.3390/ijms27104543

Toxics. 2026 May 4;14(5):394. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050394.

ABSTRACT

Environmental contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and toxic metals have been implicated in biological aging, yet their combined effects remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the associations of PFAS, lead, and cadmium mixtures with multiple DNA methylation-based measures of epigenetic aging in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged ≥ 50 years. Data were obtained from the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analytic sample included 1119 participants with available data on seven PFAS, blood lead, cadmium, and DNA methylation measures. Epigenetic aging outcomes included HannumAge, HorvathAge, SkinBloodAge, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPoAm. Multivariable linear regression and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were used to assess individual and joint exposure-response relationships. Cadmium showed the most consistent positive associations with epigenetic aging measures, particularly for the second-generation clocks PhenoAge and GrimAge. Lead was positively associated with GrimAge, while PFAS showed more variable and generally weaker associations, with PFNA demonstrating the most consistent signal. Mixture analyses indicated that higher combined exposure levels were associated with higher DNA methylation age estimates, with stronger patterns observed for second-generation clocks. These findings suggest that combined exposure to PFAS, lead, and cadmium is associated with higher epigenetic aging in older U.S. adults, with cadmium emerging as a key contributor to the observed mixture effects. Evaluating environmental exposures as mixtures may provide important insight into how co-occurring contaminants jointly influence biological aging.

PMID:42198520 | PMC:PMC13211495 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050394

Foods. 2026 May 12;15(10):1702. doi: 10.3390/foods15101702.

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the impact of a fire at a plastic recycling plant in the suburbs of Osijek on the concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in home-produced eggs (HPE) collected from nearby settlements exposed to smoke. The assessment was conducted over three time periods following the fire. Commercial eggs from supermarkets and HPE from northwestern Croatia were also analyzed. Thirteen out of 30 compounds were quantified. In both HPE groups-the one closer to and more exposed to smoke (Zone A) and the one farther from fire (Zone B)-linear perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (L-PFOS) showed the highest detection frequency (91-100%). The highest mean concentrations of L-PFOS and the sum of the four main PFAS (∑4PFAS: PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)), at 1.33 μg/kg, were measured in HPE from Zone A one month after the fire. In Zone B, a lower total ∑4PFAS of 0.93 μg/kg was detected. After eight months, concentrations of all quantified compounds decreased. The sums of ∑4PFAS decreased to 0.41 μg/kg (A) and 0.37 μg/kg (B), respectively. Concentrations are higher than those from northwestern Croatia and the previously determined national average. Weekly intakes of ∑4PFAS exceeded the tolerable weekly intake for toddlers and children even eight months after the fire.

PMID:42195906 | PMC:PMC13206700 | DOI:10.3390/foods15101702

Toxics. 2026 Apr 26;14(5):374. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050374.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals notable for their high persistence and extensive applications. With the advancement of detection technologies in recent years, PFAS have been frequently identified in environmental media and human biological samples, raising significant global concerns about their potential health risks. PFAS exhibit distinctive toxicokinetic behaviors, including efficient absorption, strong protein binding, limited metabolism, and slow excretion, which lead to prolonged biological half-lives and considerable bioaccumulation in humans. These properties contribute to a range of adverse health outcomes, such as endocrine disruption, immune suppression, liver damage, reproductive toxicity, carcinogenic potential, and cardiovascular disease. This review synthesizes evidence on PFAS-associated health risks from a multisystem, multitarget perspective, elucidating the key molecular pathways involved, thereby providing a scientific basis for understanding their complex toxicological effects and for developing targeted prevention and control strategies. Future research should prioritize characterizing the toxicological profiles of individual PFAS compounds, evaluating the health impacts of combined (mixture) exposures, and assessing risks associated with chronic, low-dose exposure to support the development of public health strategies and regulatory decisions.

PMID:42198500 | PMC:PMC13211586 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050374

Toxics. 2026 May 21;14(5):452. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050452.

ABSTRACT

Global climate change and air pollution jointly threaten respiratory health. Asthma, a prevalent chronic inflammatory airway disease, is exacerbated by both traditional air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM_2.5), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and emerging contaminants like microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with effects amplified under extreme temperature conditions. In reality, individuals face complex combined exposures, yet the synergistic effects of these factors on asthma pathogenesis remain poorly understood. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological and toxicological evidence. It aims to elucidate both the individual and the notably synergistic effects of these factors on asthma pathogenesis. The central mechanistic pathway is initiated by oxidative stress, which activates key inflammatory signaling pathways, thereby driving immune imbalance and airway inflammation. Our review underscores that the combined exposure to traditional pollutants, emerging pollutants, and extreme temperatures may pose a greater threat than individual factors. These findings underscore the critical need for an integrated perspective in asthma research and public health policy. Moving beyond single-pollutant approaches, we advocate for combinatorial risk assessment and synergistic intervention strategies to effectively mitigate the growing burden of asthma in a changing climate.

PMID:42198578 | PMC:PMC13211335 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050452

Toxics. 2026 Apr 26;14(5):373. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050373.

ABSTRACT

Environmental contaminants pose threats to exposed organisms and negatively impact the nervous, cardiovascular, immune, and reproductive systems. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that are ubiquitous in the environment. Given that mixtures of environmental contaminants have the potential to exacerbate toxicity, we reviewed the current literature on pesticides, microplastics, or metal exposure in combination with PFAS on aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates. The objectives were to evaluate the toxicological effects of mixtures of the selected contaminants with PFAS on aquatic organisms to better understand biological responses in animals. Based on our review, data suggest that PFAS can modify the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants. For example, synergistic effects on toxicity include chlorpyrifos + perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), which increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulated neurotoxicity-related genes in zebrafish, and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) + atrazine, which increased the presence of malformations and oxidative stress. However, antagonistic interactions were also observed, for example, reduced herbicide toxicity in PFOA + 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) mixtures. PFAS combined with microplastics often intensified oxidative stress and developmental or reproductive effects, though polyethylene microplastics attenuated perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)-induced immunotoxicity in fish like seabass. Interactions with metals also varied, with copper and cadmium enhancing oxidative stress while mercury mixtures with PFAS showed antagonism, underscoring the complexity of mixture effects in real environments. A computational approach demonstrated that PFOS can engage in intermolecular interactions with pesticides, microplastic monomers, and metals, suggesting chemical-level effects that could modify toxicity or bioavailability. Future studies should focus on elucidating the mechanisms underlying these complex interactions, investigating effects at different trophic levels and in a broader range of species, and should consider environmentally relevant mixtures.

PMID:42198499 | PMC:PMC13211294 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050373

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2026 Apr 27;23(5):563. doi: 10.3390/ijerph23050563.

ABSTRACT

Wastewater is a complex and dynamic issue, particularly at the human-animal-environment interface, bearing biological and chemical hazards that may serve as a resource for transmission pathways for pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, heavy metals, pharmaceutical residues, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastics. Rising global health issues necessitate effective wastewater treatment and advanced research to support risk-informed circular management within a one health framework, incorporating wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), multi-omics approaches, nanobiotechnology, and green technologies. Inadequate wastewater treatment and uncontrolled discharge result in the generation of more than 380 billion cubic meters of wastewater annually worldwide, contributing to ecological degradation, the spread of AMR, and long-term toxicological risks. Despite significant advances in wastewater treatment, several challenges remain, including complex contaminant mixtures, limited detection and monitoring technologies, variable treatment efficiency, and weak regulatory and governance frameworks. This review highlights key wastewater treatment issues and presents recent advances in WBE and multi-omics approaches, such as metagenomics, resistome profiling, virome analysis, and chemical fingerprinting for contaminant monitoring and public health risk assessment. This review also examines circular reuse strategies focused on water reclamation, nutrient recovery, bioenergy production, and resource recovery, with particular emphasis on nature-based systems, hybrid biological-physicochemical treatment platforms, and green nanobiotechnology as promising approaches to improve treatment performance while minimizing environmental impacts. In conclusion, this review highlights the importance of integrated and sustainable wastewater management approaches within the One Health framework to address emerging challenges and promote environmental resilience, public health protection, and circular resource recovery.

PMID:42196657 | PMC:PMC13206708 | DOI:10.3390/ijerph23050563

Toxics. 2026 Apr 24;14(5):364. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050364.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large class of thousands of synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds used for many industrial applications. Humans are exposed to PFASs mainly through diet and contaminated drinking water. Studies show that PFASs induce several adverse effects on humans. A great number of human biomonitoring studies have been widely conducted with the aim of estimating exposure to PFASs. The matrices mainly investigated are blood, serum and breast milk. However, in many cases, the need for non-invasive sampling methods with a minimal impact on donors has become paramount to comply with modern ethical standards and regulations. For this reason, we developed a streamlined and efficient method for the analysis of eight perfluorocarboxylic and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFHpA; PFHxS; PFOA; PFHpS; PFNA; PFOS; PFDA; and PFUdA) in human urine samples by UPLC chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Chromatographic and MS parameters were optimized; the method was validated for: repeatability (<20%), within-lab reproducibility (<20%), trueness (within the set 20% variation limit of agreement between the mean of the data set and the true value), efficiency (51-97%), linearity (R² > 0.99), limits of detection (0.0003 ng/mL), and limits of quantification (0.001 ng/mL). To our knowledge, this is the first published method in Italy for the detection of PFASs in human urine.

PMID:42198490 | PMC:PMC13211410 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050364

Toxics. 2026 Apr 26;14(5):374. doi: 10.3390/toxics14050374.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals notable for their high persistence and extensive applications. With the advancement of detection technologies in recent years, PFAS have been frequently identified in environmental media and human biological samples, raising significant global concerns about their potential health risks. PFAS exhibit distinctive toxicokinetic behaviors, including efficient absorption, strong protein binding, limited metabolism, and slow excretion, which lead to prolonged biological half-lives and considerable bioaccumulation in humans. These properties contribute to a range of adverse health outcomes, such as endocrine disruption, immune suppression, liver damage, reproductive toxicity, carcinogenic potential, and cardiovascular disease. This review synthesizes evidence on PFAS-associated health risks from a multisystem, multitarget perspective, elucidating the key molecular pathways involved, thereby providing a scientific basis for understanding their complex toxicological effects and for developing targeted prevention and control strategies. Future research should prioritize characterizing the toxicological profiles of individual PFAS compounds, evaluating the health impacts of combined (mixture) exposures, and assessing risks associated with chronic, low-dose exposure to support the development of public health strategies and regulatory decisions.

PMID:42198500 | PMC:PMC13211586 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14050374

Langmuir. 2026 May 27. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c05640. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The widespread use of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has raised significant environmental and health concerns. Understanding their adsorption mechanisms on silica surfaces is crucial to predicting their fate in subsurface environments. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the adsorption behaviors of three representative PFAS compounds (PFHxA, PFPeS, and PFOA) on structurally distinct silica surfaces (Q2, Q3, and Q4). Our results indicate that PFAS adsorption configurations and interfacial dynamics are influenced by both surface hydroxylation and molecular structure. On Q2 and Q3 surfaces, PFAS headgroups preferentially formed hydrogen bonds with surface hydroxyls, whereas hydrophobic tails penetrated the interfacial water layer. In contrast, Q4 surfaces favored reversed configurations, a phenomenon primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions. PFAS mobility appeared more restricted on Q2 and Q3 surfaces compared with hydrophobic Q4 surfaces. Potential of mean force analyses suggested that Q3 surfaces with an intermediate hydroxyl density exhibited the strongest binding affinities. Additionally, short-chain PFAS showed higher affinities for Q2 and Q3 surfaces compared with Q4. These findings provide molecular-level insights into factors that may influence PFAS retention and transport in silica-rich environments and could inform the design of materials for PFAS remediation.

PMID:42204147 | DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c05640

Microorganisms. 2026 Apr 30;14(5):1012. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms14051012.

ABSTRACT

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a diverse group of environmental pollutants capable of interfering with hormonal and immune system regulation. In recent years, increasing concern has been raised about the effects of chemicals, including bisphenols, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), insecticides, and parabens, on maternal and fetal health, primarily due to their widespread exposure in human populations. Pregnancy represents a critical window characterized by tightly regulated hormonal and immunological adaptations. Emerging evidence suggests that EDC exposure during this period may alter maternal microbiota, disrupt immune responses, and interfere with endocrine signaling. These changes may increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, including bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections, and intrauterine infections, all of which are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. This review summarizes the current evidence on the sources and mechanisms of exposure to endocrine disruptors during pregnancy and examines the potential biological pathways linking endocrine disruption to the development of infections. Particular emphasis is placed on the interactions between immune regulation, hormonal signaling, and changes in the microbiome, which may contribute to increased susceptibility to infections. A deeper understanding of these complex mechanisms is critical to improve risk assessment, develop effective public health strategies, and ultimately protect maternal and fetal health in an environment of increasing chemical exposure. A literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, including studies published up to January 2026.

PMID:42197398 | PMC:PMC13209177 | DOI:10.3390/microorganisms14051012

The exchange focused on reconciling industrial competitiveness with the EU's climate and environmental objectives under the Green Deal, including the transition to carbon neutrality. The discussion also allowed Members to follow up on the current state of play and future direction of the Executive Vice-President's portfolio within ENVI's remit, including the Circular Economy Act, Ecodesign, CBAM, the implementation of the Fit for 55 package, the ETS and Social Climate Fund, as well as the revision of REACH, work on PFAS and the Chemicals Package, and the Clean Industrial Deal.

Front Toxicol. 2026 May 11;8:1774625. doi: 10.3389/ftox.2026.1774625. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants, but their role in bladder epithelial injury remains unclear.

METHODS: SV-HUC-1 cells were exposed to PFOA and PFOS. Cell viability, lipid peroxidation, and ROS levels were assessed using CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Protein expression and ubiquitination were analyzed by Western blotting and molecular docking.

RESULTS: PFOA and PFOS induced ferroptosis in bladder epithelial cells, characterized by increased lipid peroxidation and ROS levels. Mechanistically, PFOA/PFOS inhibited ACSL4 ubiquitination at K593 and K690, leading to its stabilization and promoting ferroptosis. Knockdown of ACSL4 significantly reversed these effects.

DISCUSSION: These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which PFAS induce ferroptosis via regulation of ACSL4 ubiquitination, providing new insights into PFAS-induced bladder toxicity.

PMID:42186450 | PMC:PMC13198926 | DOI:10.3389/ftox.2026.1774625

Chem Res Toxicol. 2026 May 26. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00057. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Early warning systems (EWSs) are currently being developed by various authorities aiming at identifying potentially hazardous chemicals before they become a threat to the environment and human health. In this context, patents provide an excellent data source for exploring novel chemistry or the use of chemicals in materials and products. However, analysis of patents is challenging, including unraveling molecular structures presented as graphics depicting various elements, functional groups, and molecular bonds. Our study aims to improve EWS using automated artificial intelligence-based molecular structure recognition methods for encoding these for further hazard analysis. Current structure extraction tools are primarily trained on chemical structures collected from publicly available data sets, and the application of these tools to patent-specific chemical data has received little attention. This paper presents a field study utilizing the three tools Decimer, Molscribe, and Mathpix and assesses their performance in recognizing chemical structures in patents. Two data sets were compiled and curated including (1) diverse organic chemicals and (2) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). It was revealed that these tools perform well on simpler molecular structures, whereas they struggle with more complex structural features, including repetitive units, cross-bonding, and Markush structures. Furthermore, it was discovered that these tools are extremely sensitive to image artifacts such as noise from lines and dots or distortions. Overcoming these challenges will be critical before implementation in automated EWS and thereby enable screening of patents for rapid and effective identification of potentially hazardous emerging chemicals.

PMID:42186716 | DOI:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00057

Environ Pollut. 2026 May 25;403:128427. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128427. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) is of increasing concern due to its widespread occurrence, high environmental mobility, and potential for human exposure. This study investigated the toxicokinetics of PFBA in female Sprague Dawley rats and assessed implications for human exposure. Under repeated oral exposure (0.2 mg/kg/day for 16 days), concentrations of PFBA in blood increased rapidly and stabilized within the range of 230-300 ng/mL. Owing to its large tissue mass, muscle served as the major reservoir for the overall body burden of PFBA. Among the various organs, kidney, stomach, liver and gut exhibited the highest proportions of PFBA, with peak concentrations of 675 ng/g, 514 ng/g, 256 ng/g and 250 ng/g. During the elimination phase, PFBA concentrations in all tissues declined sharply, with clearance ranging from 71.2% to 95.5% relative to peak levels. The gastrointestinal tract showed the greatest reduction among these tissues. The multiphasic kinetics were effectively captured by a three-compartment pharmacokinetic model that features parallel first-order and Michaelis-Menten elimination, with RMSE of 2.56 × 10³ and 1.65 × 10⁴ for the central and peripheral compartments, respectively. The estimated terminal half-life (68.7 h) and central volume of distribution (323 mL/kg) suggest limited interspecies differences compared to humans. These findings provide quantitative toxicokinetic parameters under repeated exposure, offering a foundation for human exposure assessment, mechanistic interpretation of tissue distribution, and risk evaluation of short-chain PFAS.

PMID:42190831 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128427

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2026 May 20;16(10):635. doi: 10.3390/nano16100635.

ABSTRACT

Zeolite-based composite nanomaterials represent a versatile and mechanistically rich platform for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs)-including pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting compounds, pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-from contaminated water systems. Although pristine zeolite frameworks provide well-defined microporous architectures, tunable Si/Al ratios, and ion-exchange capacity, their intrinsic hydrophilicity restricts interaction diversity and limits performance toward the structurally heterogeneous OMPs prevalent in real aquatic environments. Composite integration with carbonaceous nanophases, functional polymers and surfactants, and catalytically active metal oxide nanoparticles substantially extends this interaction repertoire, yielding multifunctional materials whose adsorption performance exceeds that of the individual components. Drawing on a systematic survey of peer-reviewed literature published between 2016 and 2026, this review develops a mechanism-oriented, structure-property-performance framework examining five dominant adsorption mechanisms-electrostatic attraction, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic partitioning, and micropore confinement-in relation to composite nanoarchitecture, surface chemistry, and structural parameters. The modulating influence of realistic water matrix conditions on adsorption efficiency is critically assessed, alongside challenges of regeneration, long-term stability, metal leaching, and the persistent gap between laboratory-scale synthesis and scalable deployment. Priority research directions are identified, including standardized performance evaluation under environmentally representative conditions and rational design of hierarchical multifunctional nanocomposites from earth-abundant and waste-derived precursors.

PMID:42188530 | PMC:PMC13210204 | DOI:10.3390/nano16100635

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2026 May 20;16(10):635. doi: 10.3390/nano16100635.

ABSTRACT

Zeolite-based composite nanomaterials represent a versatile and mechanistically rich platform for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs)-including pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting compounds, pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-from contaminated water systems. Although pristine zeolite frameworks provide well-defined microporous architectures, tunable Si/Al ratios, and ion-exchange capacity, their intrinsic hydrophilicity restricts interaction diversity and limits performance toward the structurally heterogeneous OMPs prevalent in real aquatic environments. Composite integration with carbonaceous nanophases, functional polymers and surfactants, and catalytically active metal oxide nanoparticles substantially extends this interaction repertoire, yielding multifunctional materials whose adsorption performance exceeds that of the individual components. Drawing on a systematic survey of peer-reviewed literature published between 2016 and 2026, this review develops a mechanism-oriented, structure-property-performance framework examining five dominant adsorption mechanisms-electrostatic attraction, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic partitioning, and micropore confinement-in relation to composite nanoarchitecture, surface chemistry, and structural parameters. The modulating influence of realistic water matrix conditions on adsorption efficiency is critically assessed, alongside challenges of regeneration, long-term stability, metal leaching, and the persistent gap between laboratory-scale synthesis and scalable deployment. Priority research directions are identified, including standardized performance evaluation under environmentally representative conditions and rational design of hierarchical multifunctional nanocomposites from earth-abundant and waste-derived precursors.

PMID:42188530 | PMC:PMC13210204 | DOI:10.3390/nano16100635

Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 May 25;369:152710. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152710. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PFAS are widely employed in a broad range of applications, spanning from consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, to industrial processes including semiconductor manufacturing. However, PFAS can accumulate in the human body, and certain compounds have been reported to exhibit carcinogenic potential. Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subclass of PFAS, have been shown to bioaccumulate via interactions with fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs), although the molecular basis for their recognition remains incompletely elucidated. In this study, fluorescence displacement assays revealed that two perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) showed lower apparent IC₅₀ values for human FABP3 than their corresponding physiological ligands, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). We also determined the ultra-high resolution crystal structures of FABP3 in complex with PFAAs and with MCFAs, thereby providing a molecular basis for PFAAs recognition by FABP3. Structural comparisons demonstrated that PFAAs adopt conformations resembling MCFAs but show distinct solvent-coupled features, including close O···F contacts with ordered water molecules in the binding pocket. Our findings suggest that FABP3 recognizes PFAAs through a mechanism partially shared with fatty acids, but not fully explained by hydrophobic effects alone, with possible additional contributions from dipole-interactive effects. This work provides structural insight into PFAS recognition and suggests a molecular basis by which PFAS could interfere with fatty acid binding to FABPs.

PMID:42190779 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152710

Int J Environ Health Res. 2026 May 26:1-14. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2026.2675988. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

While physical activity is hypothesized to aid pollutant elimination, its effect on serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remains controversial. We analyzed 2,993 adults from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) Cycle 4 (2018-2020). Exercise - defined as activity intense enough to induce sweating - was operationalized as binary status, weekly frequency, and total weekly volume (continuous and quintiles). Outcomes included five individual PFAS and their weight-based sum (ΣPFAS, primary) and molar sum. Survey-weighted linear regressions were fitted with and without adjustment for performance outdoor apparel use, a potential mediator. Exercisers had significantly higher serum PFAS than non-exercisers. A significant negative quadratic term indicated an inverted U-shaped association, with sex-specific patterns: men showed a pronounced inverted U-shape, while women showed a linear positive trend. This suggests a shifting balance between exposure-increasing processes (e.g. internal mobilization, environmental uptake) at lower-to-moderate levels and elimination-related processes at higher levels. Adjustment for outdoor apparel modestly attenuated effect sizes without altering overall trends, suggesting a partial but not predominant mediating role. Notably, even at the highest activity levels, serum PFAS were not significantly lower than in non-exercisers, providing no evidence that exercise reduces PFAS body burden and challenging the detoxification hypothesis.

PMID:42186439 | DOI:10.1080/09603123.2026.2675988

Environ Pollut. 2026 May 25:128425. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128425. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The occurrence and compositional variation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in deep-sea cold seep sediments remain poorly characterized. Here, 25 target PFASs were analyzed in 40 sediment layers from six cores collected in the northern South China Sea. A tiered reporting scheme distinguished quantified concentrations (≥LOQ), detections between LOD and LOQ, and trace-level responses below the method LOD. Quantified ΣPFASs ranged from 0.13 to 6.12 ng g^-1 dw, with an overall mean of 1.39 ng g^-1 dw; the highest whole-core station-mean concentration occurred at station F (3.06 ng g^-1 dw). The dominant contributors to quantified ΣPFASs were PFPeA, PFDS, PFHxA, and 6:2 FTSA, accounting for 40.8%, 26.9%, 13.3%, and 8.1%, respectively. PFDS had a lower quantification frequency than the dominant PFCAs but made a disproportionately high contribution, mainly reflecting elevated PFDS concentrations in selected horizons, including the 4-8 cm interval at station F. Quantified PFASs were dominated by PFCAs (58.3%) and PFSAs (33.6%), whereas Other target PFASs accounted for 8.1% and were almost entirely represented by 6:2 FTSA. PERMANOVA indicated that inter-station variability (R² = 0.510, p < 0.001) exceeded depth-band effects (R² = 0.064, p = 0.017). Ordination further linked chain length and functional-group composition to multivariate compositional differences. These results establish a baseline record of PFAS occurrence and compositional heterogeneity in cold seep sediments and provide an occurrence-based context for future testing of chromatographic-like retention during burial.

PMID:42190835 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128425

ACS Environ Au. 2026 Mar 18;6(3):421-434. doi: 10.1021/acsenvironau.5c00219. eCollection 2026 May 20.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent contaminants. Current regulatory monitoring frameworks cover only a narrow set of regulated long- and short-chain PFAS, while ultrashort-chain compounds such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) remain largely unaddressed despite their widespread occurrence. Here, we present regional sources and tributary inputs of diverse PFAS (n = 83), including ultrashort-, short-, and long-chain PFAS as well as PFAS precursors along the 1,200 km Elbe River-North Sea continuum. Based on 129 samples from the Elbe, its tributaries, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), we show that short- and long-chain PFAS concentrations in the Elbe were generally below 30 ng/L, but 1,653 ± 377 ng/L when including TFA. Major tributaries such as the Saale, Vltava, and Mulde delivered PFAS mass loads of several thousand g/day (2,340; 6,080; and 1,700 g/day, respectively, when including TFA) and together accounted for a total discharge of 160 m³ s^-1, corresponding to approximately 67% of the Elbe's water flux at Geesthacht (240 m³/s), which represents the downstream reference point for mass balance calculations prior to tidal influence. This suggests source-enriched inputs rather than simple dilution by tributary inflows, given the disproportionate increase in PFAS mass loads relative to discharge. WWTP effluents from Dresden and Pardubice added up to 185 g/day, mainly shaped by short-chain PFAS. The detection of Capstone B (CDPOS) and Bis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide (NTf2), non-routinely monitored industrial PFAS, further highlights overlooked sources in the area of the Saale-Elbe confluence. Inclusion of TFA increased the median PFAS load in the Elbe River by nearly 50-fold (up to 39,958 g/day), demonstrating the dominant role of ultrashort-chain PFAS currently absent from regulatory monitoring. By linking source apportionment with river-to-sea transport, our study highlights critical gaps in existing monitoring frameworks and provides a transferable methodology for more comprehensive PFAS assessment and regulation in large river systems.

PMID:42180199 | PMC:PMC13195463 | DOI:10.1021/acsenvironau.5c00219

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2026 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s11356-026-37864-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present a significant environmental issue due to their widespread occurrence and potential toxicity to exposed organisms. Our study investigated PFAS concentrations present in a range of freshwater biota exposed to wastewater discharge and urban stormwater runoff from creeks and rivers in Victoria, Australia. We also assessed bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) in fish, and conducted a human health risk assessment. We sampled 18 sites located along seven waterways (4 effluent-receiving, 1 urban stormwater and 2 reference waterways) with three sampling locations at each of the polluted waterways: at the discharge point, and upstream and downstream of discharge. We analysed freshwater (n = 56), crustacea (n = 18), and fish (n = 242 from 12 species) samples for 32 PFAS. Our study shows that the concentrations and range of PFAS present were highest in samples from the urban stormwater waterway (mean ∑₃₂PFAS water concentration = 0.12 µg/L), followed by the wastewater-exposed waterways (mean ∑₃₂PFAS = 0.027 µg/L), and then the control reference waterways (mean ∑₃₂PFAS = 0.0043 µg/L). The higher concentrations found in the urban waterway suggests that stormwater may be a greater source of PFAS pollution than wastewater discharges. Additionally, the highest BAFs were for PFOS, PFDA, and PFHxS, and occurred in fish with a carnivorous diet. Lastly, consumption of three portions of fish per week caught from the urban stormwater and several effluent-receiving waterways could result in exceedances of health-based guidance values for PFOS in children.

PMID:42183978 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-026-37864-z

Toxicol Sci. 2026 May 23:kfag058. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfag058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Developmental exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to reduced antibody responses to childhood vaccines, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Antibody production relies on interactions between various immune cell types, and it is unknown which are affected by PFAS exposure during development. To investigate this in a human-health relevant system, an in vivo model was established to delineate effects of developmental exposure to a mixture of four PFAS commonly found in human serum: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA. Pregnant mice consumed water containing these PFAS throughout gestation and lactation. PFAS were measured in both mothers and offspring, and an exposure that did not cause signs of overt toxicity was selected. The immune response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection was assessed in male and female offspring. Results showed that developmental PFAS exposure reduced IAV-specific antibody levels in both sexes. However, it diminished T follicular helper cells and germinal center B cells-critical for antibody production-in only female offspring. These findings highlight possible sex-specific immune effects and identify potential cellular mechanisms behind reduced antibody levels. Since these immune cells are essential for antibody production in humans, this study provides valuable insights into how PFAS exposure may impact human health.

PMID:42184288 | DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfag058

J Hazard Mater. 2026 May 20;513:142473. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142473. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Singapore's total diet study (2021-2023) revealed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food items, alluding to potential dietary exposure pathways. However, evidence-based assessment of human PFAS exposure is lacking across Singapore's multi-ethnic communities. To address this gap, we established a human biomonitoring study to estimate baseline PFAS exposure and their associations with dietary intakes. We recruited 300 participants aged 21-60 years from three major ethnic groups and collected blood plasma samples for PFAS analysis using a targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Eleven PFAS were detected with median concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 2.56 ng/mL. The detection of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in all study participants reflected co-exposure to these PFAS. Total plasma PFAS were significantly higher in middle-aged adults, males and significantly lower in Indians. Multiple linear regression analyses identified poultry, seafood and grains as three major food groups positively associated with plasma PFAS concentrations in the study participants, where seafood showed the most significant associations. Within the seafood category, bivalve molluscs consumption exhibited strong associations across all PFAS. These findings provided insights into the baseline dietary PFAS exposure in a multi-ethnic Singapore population and highlighted potential diet-PFAS relationships that can inform exposure-reduction strategies and risk communication.

PMID:42184540 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142473

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 24. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6c01726. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occur as complex mixtures, yet mixture-dependent biological effects under environmentally realistic exposure conditions remain poorly understood. We conducted multiyear (2018, 2019, 2021) continuous-flow, field-based exposures of male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) using a low-PFAS reference well (REF; sum of measured PFAS (∑PFAS) 0.1-0.2 μg L^-1) and PFAS-contaminated groundwater from a fire-training area (FTA) at Joint Base Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Dilution treatments enabled separation of concentration and mixture effects. Groundwater from well FTA1 was perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) dominated (∑PFAS 10-31 μg L^-1), whereas groundwater from well FTA2 had higher concentrations and was enriched in perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and diverse precursors (∑PFAS ∼ 80 μg L^-1). Despite comparable plasma ∑PFAS and PFOS in FTA1-100% and FTA2-50% on day-7, cumulative mortality reached approximately 35% in FTA2-50% and 17% in FTA2-100%, and secondary sex trait expression was reduced by approximately 65-80% relative to REF, whereas sperm motility effects were mixture- and time-dependent. Plasma PFAS profiles were dominated by perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), PFOS, and sulfonamide precursors. Liver transcriptomics from REF-acclimated fish revealed robust disruption of metabolic, mitochondrial, and endocrine pathways that link PFAS mixture chemistry and internal exposure profiles to organismal outcomes, and testis transcriptomics provided complementary insight into reproductive impairment. These results indicate that PFAS mixture composition and internal exposure profiles, including precursor-associated differences, are important determinants of ecotoxicological outcomes under field-realistic conditions.

PMID:42177649 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.6c01726

Environ Pollut. 2026 May 23;403:128410. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128410. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this study, the efficacy of RemBind®300 (applied at 5% w/w) to immobilize perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in AFFF-impacted soil (750-7455 μg PFOS kg^-1; n = 8) was assessed using in vitro bioaccessibility (SBRC-I) and in vivo relative bioavailability (Sprague-Dawley rat bioassay) approaches. In unamended soil, PFOS bioaccessibility and relative bioavailability ranged from 29.5 to 86.5% (mean = 63.6%; median = 63.5%) and 44.8-107% (mean = 83.3%; median = 88.3%) respectively, reflective of the influence of soil physicochemical properties (total organic carbon and reactive Al and Fe content) on PFOS desorption under gastrointestinal conditions. However, following the addition of RemBind®300, PFOS bioaccessibility (range = 2.4-11.6%; mean = 5.6%; median = 5.4%) and PFOS relative bioavailability (range = 5.1-24.5%; mean = 13.0%; median = 14.8%) were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) due to RemBind®300 enhanced hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions which decreased PFOS desorption. When PFOS immobilization efficacy was calculated and compared to previously conducted leaching (99.1-100%) and earthworm (92.2-99.0%) assays, immobilization efficacy was significantly lower (p < 0.05) for bioaccessibility (80.0-95.4%) and relative bioavailability (69.0-95.0%) calculations attributable to factors such as assay complexity, presence/absence of enzymes/microbiota, pH, gut transit time and solid-to-solution ratio which influence PFOS desorption kinetics and thermodynamics.

PMID:42178100 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128410

Environ Res. 2026 May 23:124823. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124823. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Mosses (Bryophyta) are well-established biomonitors of atmospheric deposition. The determination of more than 120 organic contaminants in moss surveys from 2015 and 2020 in Germany revealed their widespread atmospheric distribution, particularly with regard to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans (PCDD/F), and certain halogenated flame retardants. The absence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) indicated very low deposition levels and/or limited suitability of moss as bioindicator for these compounds. Pollutant concentrations were generally lower at background or rural sites and partly higher in urban regions and conurbations. For some pollutants (e.g., several flame retardants), a west-east concentration gradient was observed with the highest values in the west of Germany, whereas other contaminants were homogeneously distributed. The comparisons of the results from the 2015 and 2020 surveys showed overall significantly decreasing concentrations for certain PCDD/F and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) (up to -78 %). Significantly increasing concentrations were found for pentabromotoluene (PBT; +235 %). These results demonstrate that temporal trend investigations should be continuously performed, not be limited to legacy compounds, and extended to a broader spectrum of pollutants of emerging environmental concern.

PMID:42178127 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124823

Environ Res. 2026 May 24;304:124844. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124844. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The effects of prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on fetal growth trajectories (FGTs) remain unclear, particularly regarding mixture effects and potential modification by micronutrient status.

METHODS: This prospective birth cohort study included 688 mother-infant pairs from Ma'anshan, China, with PFAS measured in early pregnancy and at least three prenatal ultrasound examinations. Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to identify distinct FGTs based on gestational age-standardized estimated fetal weight Z-scores (EFWZ). Multinomial logistic regression and repeated holdout weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to evaluate associations of individual and mixture PFAS exposure with FGTs. Maternal micronutrient status was classified using latent profile analysis, and interaction and counterfactual scenario analyses were conducted to examine potential modifying and mitigating effects.

RESULTS: Three distinct FGTs were identified. Higher early-pregnancy exposure to PFOA (odds ratio [OR]: 1.378, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.067, 1.780), PFHpA (OR: 1.285, 95 % CI: 1.026, 1.610), and 8:2 Cl-PFESA (OR: 1.174, 95 % CI: 1.002, 1.377), as well as PFAS mixtures (mean OR = 1.281; 95% CI: 1.099, 1.492), was associated with increased odds of belonging to the low-decreasing EFWZ trajectory. PFOA (31.31%) and PFHpA (30.70%) contributed most to the mixture effect. Maternal trace element status significantly modified these associations (WQS ∗ trace elements: OR = 0.639, 95% CI: 0.421, 0.964). Exploratory counterfactual analyses suggested that hypothetical improvement in maternal trace element status, particularly zinc (risk difference [RD] = -0.067, 95% CI: -0.105, -0.028), may be associated with a lower predicted risk of the low-decreasing EFWZ trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS: Early-pregnancy exposure to individual and mixture PFAS was associated with adverse FGTs. Exploratory analyses suggested that maternal micronutrient status, particularly trace element status, may potentially influence susceptibility to PFAS-related fetal growth alterations. Further studies are warranted to validate these findings.

PMID:42178128 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124844

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2026 May 24:vgag134. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgag134. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The accumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in agricultural soils poses a potential threat to both human health and the environment. A proven pathway through which these persistent organic pollutants can enter the soil is through the application of biosolids and irrigation water. Earthworms, an integral component of ecosystems, play a crucial role in improving soil health and crop productivity. Understanding the impact of PFAS on earthworms is essential for comprehending the broader ecological implications. In this study, we investigated the concentrations of 38 PFAS in earthworms exposed to field-collected agricultural soils amended with biosolids. The highest measured concentration of these ∑38PFAS in biosolids-amended agricultural soil samples reached 104.02 ng g-1 dry weight. Particularly noteworthy was the elevated concentration of the legacy PFAS, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), which peaked at 48.1 ng g-1 dry weight with an average of 19.66 ng g-1 in soils. Conducting acute, chronic and cyto-genotoxicity studies with E. fetida (earthworm) revealed no lethality in biosolid-amended soils. Weight loss in exposed worms was not significant and was comparable to that of the control group. The bioaccumulation of ∑38 PFAS in the earthworms exposed to biosolids-amended soils ranged from 9.54 to 31.79 ng g-1. The earthworm-to-soil PFAS concentration ratio (CR) values indicated the following order of accumulation in earthworms: Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) > Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) > Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) > Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) > PFOS. These findings highlight the need for further research on the chronic effects of PFAS, extending beyond PFOS and PFOA exposure. A holistic approach to PFAS contamination is crucial to ensure the long-term viability of ecosystems. Future research should investigate the trophic transfer of accumulated PFAS to higher organisms to address critical knowledge gaps in PFAS bioaccumulation dynamics and associated ecological impacts.

PMID:42178354 | DOI:10.1093/etojnl/vgag134

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2026 May 24:vgag143. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgag143. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) use in commercial products and industrial applications has resulted in widespread and persistent environmental contamination. Terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates accumulate PFAS in liver tissue potentially inducing hepatotoxicity. The present study investigated tissue-level and molecular effects in livers of male zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed for two generations to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Histopathology and transcriptomic expression analysis (RNA sequencing) were performed for males exposed to PFOS (0 [control], 0.1, 0.6, 3.2, 20, and 100 µg/L, nominal, through 180 days post-fertilization (dpf) in both parental (P) and first filial (F1) generations. Histopathological analysis indicated the highest PFOS exposure (100 µg/L, nominal) caused significantly increased incidences of lipid-type hepatocellular vacuolation in both P and F1 generations relative to controls with more prevalent and extensive effects in the F1 generation. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis identified an increased number of transcripts significantly affected in PFOS exposures relative to controls in the F1 (955) versus the P generation (103), where both generations had most effects at the highest PFOS exposure (100 µg/L, nominal). Histopathological observations of disrupted lipid phenotypes in liver corresponded with transcriptomic identification of significantly enriched metabolic pathways underlying lipid metabolism, including cholesterol biosynthesis and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) pathway in both generations. To integrate these observations, an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) was developed linking the molecular initiating event (MIE) of a representative chemical stressor (PFOS), binding-initiated interference of PPAR nuclear signaling to disrupted lipid metabolism, lipid accumulation in liver, and ultimately the liver steatosis adverse outcome (AO).

PMID:42178372 | DOI:10.1093/etojnl/vgag143

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 24. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6c01726. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occur as complex mixtures, yet mixture-dependent biological effects under environmentally realistic exposure conditions remain poorly understood. We conducted multiyear (2018, 2019, 2021) continuous-flow, field-based exposures of male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) using a low-PFAS reference well (REF; sum of measured PFAS (∑PFAS) 0.1-0.2 μg L^-1) and PFAS-contaminated groundwater from a fire-training area (FTA) at Joint Base Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Dilution treatments enabled separation of concentration and mixture effects. Groundwater from well FTA1 was perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) dominated (∑PFAS 10-31 μg L^-1), whereas groundwater from well FTA2 had higher concentrations and was enriched in perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and diverse precursors (∑PFAS ∼ 80 μg L^-1). Despite comparable plasma ∑PFAS and PFOS in FTA1-100% and FTA2-50% on day-7, cumulative mortality reached approximately 35% in FTA2-50% and 17% in FTA2-100%, and secondary sex trait expression was reduced by approximately 65-80% relative to REF, whereas sperm motility effects were mixture- and time-dependent. Plasma PFAS profiles were dominated by perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), PFOS, and sulfonamide precursors. Liver transcriptomics from REF-acclimated fish revealed robust disruption of metabolic, mitochondrial, and endocrine pathways that link PFAS mixture chemistry and internal exposure profiles to organismal outcomes, and testis transcriptomics provided complementary insight into reproductive impairment. These results indicate that PFAS mixture composition and internal exposure profiles, including precursor-associated differences, are important determinants of ecotoxicological outcomes under field-realistic conditions.

PMID:42177649 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.6c01726

Environ Res. 2026 May 22;304:124837. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124837. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with breast cancer, however findings have been conflicting and few studies have examined cancer subtypes or risk among subgroups of women.

METHODS: We used an individually matched case-control design, nested within the Danish Diet Cancer and Health cohort. We identified 500 incident breast cancer cases with available plasma samples among postmenopausal women aged 50 to 64 years in the Danish Cancer Registry and for each case, we randomly selected from the study base one control woman enrolled within 180 days of the case and of the same age with an available sample. Plasma samples, taken at enrollment in 1993-97, were identified in the biobank and concentrations of PFAS were measured in 2025. Data were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS: No association between PFAS exposure and overall breast cancer was found with odds ratios per interquartile range of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) = 0.89 (0.76-1.05), of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) = 1.02 (0.98-1.06), of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) = 0.94 (0.87-1.02), of perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) = 0.94 (0.79-1.11), of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) = 0.93 (0.78-1.11), and of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) = 0.93 (0.79-1.09). Likewise, no clear association was observed for subtypes of breast cancer (ER, PR and HER2 status) nor with tumor size, or lymph node involvement. PFHpS, PFOS and N_EtFOSAA exposure was associated with a non-significant increased risk of breast cancer among current and previous hormone therapy (HT) users, whereas no association was found for never users.

CONCLUSION: We found no association between exposure to six commonly used PFAS and overall breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. The results indicated that exposure to some PFAS might be associated with increased risk of breast cancer among current/previous HT users. These results warrant replication in future prospective studies.

PMID:42176938 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124837

Environ Health. 2026 May 22. doi: 10.1186/s12940-026-01300-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Fetal growth is a critical health outcome influenced by prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Studies have shown that pregnant women are simultaneously exposed to multiple chemicals, illustrating the need for methods that can examine the health effects of cumulative exposures. We compared four statistical methods-Principal Component Analysis (PCA), k-means clustering, Weighted Quantile Sum Regression (WQSR), and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), -to identify associations between the mixture of chemicals and birth weight z-scores, including phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, bisphenol A alternatives, triclosan, organophosphate pesticides, arsenic species, glyphosate and its breakdown product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), solvent metabolites, organophosphate flame retardants, fluoride, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCs), cotinine, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and five metals. Our complete case analysis investigated the potential effects of a mixture of 46 chemicals on birth weight z-score, using 1127 mother-infant pairs from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. PCA showed a significant inverse association between birth weight z-score and a component with loadings highest for PCBs (-0.035, 95%CI: (-0.068, -0.002)) using multivariable linear regression. The k-means analysis revealed distinct clusters of chemical profiles associated with lower birth weight z-score (-0.17, 95% CI: (-0.34, -0.01)) using multivariable linear regression, and primarily composed of arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead(Pb), ΣOC Chlordane and the PCBs, WQSR showed an inverse association with the overall mixture index (-0.065; CI: (-0.171, 0.04) driven mostly by Aroclor 1260, ΣOC Chlordane, glyphosate, and PCB180. BKMR highlighted that the birth weight z-score was 0.054 (-0.100, 0.209)when all chemicals in the 25^thpercentile were compared to their medians, which decreased to -0.04 (-0.219, 0.14)when all chemicals in the 75th percentile were compared to their median values. After stratification by infant sex, associations tended to be larger in magnitude in females. We observed, according to all four approaches, that ΣOC Chlordane, ΣOC Insecticides, Aroclor 1260, dimethylarsinic acid, Pb, PCB170 and PCB180 were most often associated with decreased birth weight. These findings underscore the potential adverse effects of chemical mixtures on birth weight, the usefulness of using multiple methods, and suggest the need for continued research for evaluating cumulative environmental exposures in prenatal health outcomes.

PMID:42174534 | DOI:10.1186/s12940-026-01300-z

Environ Pollut. 2026 May 22:128403. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128403. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The longitudinal relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and dysglycemia in adults is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate this association in a prospective cohort of 741 adults (2015-2020). Serum concentrations of nine PFAS congeners were measured, and FBG levels were assessed annually. Linear mixed models (LMM) assessed individual PFAS associations with FBG changes, while quantile g-computation (qg-comp) and advanced bayesian kernel machine regression (A-BKMR) evaluated mixture effects. A Group-based trajectory model (GBTM) identified four FBG trajectories: normal-low, normal, at-risk for high-FBG, and persistent-increasing. Multinomial logistic regression, qg-comp and A-BKMR were further applied to estimate the associations between PFAS exposure and FBG trajectories. LMM, qg-comp and A-BKMR analyses indicated positive associations between PFAS exposure and longitudinal FBG levels. Longitudinal analysis indicated that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluoro-n-tridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were associated with increases in FBG from 2015 to 2020. In multinomial logistic regression, two PFAS congeners PFOS and PFTrDA were associated with a higher probability of belonging to the persistent-increasing trajectory group. In the longitudinal qg-comp and A-BKMR models, higher PFAS mixture concentrations were associated with increased odds of belonging to the persistent-increasing trajectory group, compared with the normal-low trajectory. Higher PFAS mixture concentrations were also significantly associated with prediabetes (HR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.03-4.23). PFTrDA and PFOS emerged as potential key contributors to the observed associations. Overall, these findings suggest that PFAS exposure may contribute to persistently increasing FBG levels in adults.

PMID:42176728 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128403

Environ Health. 2026 May 22. doi: 10.1186/s12940-026-01300-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Fetal growth is a critical health outcome influenced by prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Studies have shown that pregnant women are simultaneously exposed to multiple chemicals, illustrating the need for methods that can examine the health effects of cumulative exposures. We compared four statistical methods-Principal Component Analysis (PCA), k-means clustering, Weighted Quantile Sum Regression (WQSR), and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), -to identify associations between the mixture of chemicals and birth weight z-scores, including phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, bisphenol A alternatives, triclosan, organophosphate pesticides, arsenic species, glyphosate and its breakdown product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), solvent metabolites, organophosphate flame retardants, fluoride, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCs), cotinine, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and five metals. Our complete case analysis investigated the potential effects of a mixture of 46 chemicals on birth weight z-score, using 1127 mother-infant pairs from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. PCA showed a significant inverse association between birth weight z-score and a component with loadings highest for PCBs (-0.035, 95%CI: (-0.068, -0.002)) using multivariable linear regression. The k-means analysis revealed distinct clusters of chemical profiles associated with lower birth weight z-score (-0.17, 95% CI: (-0.34, -0.01)) using multivariable linear regression, and primarily composed of arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead(Pb), ΣOC Chlordane and the PCBs, WQSR showed an inverse association with the overall mixture index (-0.065; CI: (-0.171, 0.04) driven mostly by Aroclor 1260, ΣOC Chlordane, glyphosate, and PCB180. BKMR highlighted that the birth weight z-score was 0.054 (-0.100, 0.209)when all chemicals in the 25^thpercentile were compared to their medians, which decreased to -0.04 (-0.219, 0.14)when all chemicals in the 75th percentile were compared to their median values. After stratification by infant sex, associations tended to be larger in magnitude in females. We observed, according to all four approaches, that ΣOC Chlordane, ΣOC Insecticides, Aroclor 1260, dimethylarsinic acid, Pb, PCB170 and PCB180 were most often associated with decreased birth weight. These findings underscore the potential adverse effects of chemical mixtures on birth weight, the usefulness of using multiple methods, and suggest the need for continued research for evaluating cumulative environmental exposures in prenatal health outcomes.

PMID:42174534 | DOI:10.1186/s12940-026-01300-z

Anal Chem. 2026 May 23. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6c02348. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Natural waters can contain diverse per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with contrasting chemistries, presenting challenges for using a single extraction for analysis. Prior work has reported large increases in environmental concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a highly polar ultrashort-chain perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA). However, standard solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods often have poor recoveries for ultrashort-chain PFAS. Here we present a novel two-stage liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) that facilitates analysis of long-chain PFAS and ultrashort PFCAs such as TFA in a single analytic workflow. The method leverages acidic extraction into methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) followed by basified back-transfer (pH-programmed partitioning) and evaporative transfer of MTBE-retained PFAS to the aqueous residue. Recoveries are facilitated by pH-programmed partitioning for ultrashort PFCAs and evaporative transfer for longer-chain targets. Ultrashort perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids have low pK_a, which restricts their extraction using the LLE method and some neutral precursors experience matrix-induced ionization suppression. Overall, absolute recoveries for 53/61 targeted PFAS analyzed fell within ±30% and concentration recoveries were within ±13% for all analytes with matched extracted internal standard (EIS). Method detection limits (MDLs) were 6.67 ng L^-1 for TFA, approximately an order of magnitude lower than concentrations reported in most natural waters, and 0.03-0.22 ng L^-1 for the six federally regulated PFAS in the United States. Overall, the LLE method enables sensitive, reproducible quantification for ultrashort PFCAs and diverse longer-chain PFAS.

PMID:42176012 | DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.6c02348

Environ Monit Assess. 2026 May 23;198(6):640. doi: 10.1007/s10661-026-15483-y.

ABSTRACT

In France, information on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in residential tap water is still limited or non-existent. In this study, we conducted a local survey to compare human exposure to PFAS in 28 private family households in a medium-sized French city (Besançon). We present the results on the identification and quantification of 65 PFAS substances in residential tap water. Concentrations of PFAS were assessed by a French accredited laboratory. A total of 74 tap water samples were analyzed, revealing the presence of 12 individual molecules, 8 of which are among the 20 regulated substances. Forty-one samples contained a mixture of 2 to 10 different PFAS substances, the most frequently quantified molecules being trifluoroacetic acid (100%), perfluorooctanoic acid (48.6%), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (44.6%), perfluorobutanoic acid (27.0%), perfluoropentanoic acid (50.1%), and perfluorohexanoic acid (23.0%). The corresponding cumulative concentrations (sum of 65 substances) ranged from 440 ng/L to 3,805 ng/L, showing significant variability. However, in terms of regulations, all values were below the 100 ng/L limit for the sum of the 20 molecules. Trifluoroacetic acid, which is not on the regulatory PFAS list, was systematically found in all the water samples analyzed and the results clearly highlighted the dominance of this PFAS. In tap water, trifluoroacetic acid was quantified at concentrations ranging from 440 to 3,800 ng/L (average value of 1096 ± 575 ng/L), i.e., 4 to 38 times higher than the regulatory threshold of 100 ng/L. This study underlines the need to monitor not only the 20 substances listed in the European Directive, transposed into French law, but also other PFAS, and, above all, to include trifluoroacetic acid.

PMID:42176034 | PMC:PMC13198494 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-026-15483-y

J Hazard Mater. 2026 May 20;513:142464. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142464. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants linked to diabetes, yet their role in diabetic complications is poorly understood. This study demonstrates that exposure to multiple PFAS subtypes significantly delays wound healing in diabetic rats. Through integrated transcriptomic and network toxicology approaches, we identified heat shock protein 90 beta family member 1 (HSP90B1/GRP94) as a key mediator of this toxicity. A natural product screen suggested ligustilide as a potential protective agent. Computational docking revealed that both ligustilide and the representative PFAS compound OBS target the Asn107 site on GRP94. Subsequent site-directed mutagenesis and knockdown-rescue experiments confirmed that OBS binding at Asn107 induces N-glycosylation of GRP94. Ligustilide competitively occupies this site, thereby blocking OBS-induced glycosylation, restoring GRP94's chaperone function, and alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. In PFAS-exposed diabetic rats, ligustilide treatment effectively rescued impaired wound healing, as evidenced by accelerated wound closure, improved tissue perfusion and vascular maturation, and enhanced collagen deposition. Our findings elucidate a novel mechanism through which PFAS disrupt tissue repair via precise glycosylation of GRP94 and highlight ligustilide as a promising therapeutic candidate against PFAS-aggravated diabetic complications.

PMID:42172826 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142464

J Hazard Mater. 2026 May 20;513:142482. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142482. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Urbanization is accompanied by a series of potential issues, among which the urban heat island (UHI) effect is a major concern. While urban ventilation corridors play a crucial role in addressing the UHI effect and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) pollution, research on the diffusion mechanism of PM_2.5-bound compounds are limited, especially those of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In this work, we analyze the levels of 67 PFAS in PM_2.5 along urban ventilation corridors, and utilize air-mass reaction trajectories to study their transport mechanisms. Overall, 23 PFAS involved in atmospheric transport were identified at meteorological stations. The median ΣPFAS concentration in the cold season (274 pg/m³) was significantly higher than that in the warm season (114 pg/m³), with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) being the dominant homologue. Emissions from traditional fluorochemical industries and the use of fluorinated alternatives represented the main sources. Interesting, during the cold season (when prevailing northwesterly winds occur), a marked increase in PM_2.5-bound PFAS level was measured at the northwest corner. Trajectory models and potential source contribution functions revealed that high-altitude mountainous terrain in the northwest prevents wind from entering the city. Meanwhile, changes in air pressure led to southeasterly winds, which could carry TFA and PM_2.5 northwestward along urban ventilation corridors, contributing 24-45% and 35-38% of the total mass, respectively. This study provides the first insight into the impact of urban ventilation corridors on the migration of particulate PFAS, which is of great significance for understanding local PFAS transport, not release, among urban clusters.

PMID:42172832 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142482

Environ Res. 2026 May 21;304:124825. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124825. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Scientific evidence suggests that indoor dust contains chemical pollutants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), bisphenols, parabens, and benzophenones, which are present in building materials and everyday products and could have implications for human health.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify levels of PFAS, bisphenols, parabens, and benzophenones in household dust of four cohorts from Andalusia (Spain) and determine their relationship with sociodemographic and residential characteristics.

METHODS: Household dust samples (n = 102) were collected (2023- 2025) within the COVID-AND study (a multi-purpose cohort whose overall aim is to investigate factors associated with Sars-CoV-2 infection in Andalusia), across four cohorts, CAPLIFE, GENEIDA, MCC-Granada, and MCC-Huelva. Target liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze ten PFAS, two bisphenols, four parabens, and five benzophenones. Associations with log-transformed chemical levels were analyzed using robust MM-estimator regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and residential variables.

RESULTS: Fifteen out of the 21 target chemicals were detected in all dust samples. Median concentrations ranged from 6.95 ng/g for PFHxA to 8590 ng/g for bisphenol A. High household income was positively associated with PFHxA (β:0.28, 95%CI 0.08,0.49), while University education was associated positively with benzophenone-3 (β:0.43, 95%CI 0.23,0.63). Manual work was linked to butylparaben (β:0.17, 95%CI 0.003,0.34). Densely populated areas were negatively associated with PFOA (β:-0.32, 95%CI -0.50, -0.13) and with older buildings PFOA (β:-0.007, 95%CI -0.01, -0.002)., Higher cleaning frequency was linked to benzophenone-1 (β:0.17, 95%CI 0.02,0.32).

CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic and residential characteristics were associated with pollutant levels in household dust. Confirming these findings in future studies will help identify population groups at high risk of exposure.

PMID:42173340 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124825

Bioresour Technol. 2026 May 21;456:134924. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2026.134924. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are recalcitrant environmental contaminants whose biodegradation remains challenging due to the exceptional stability of carbon-fluorine bonds. Here, we employed Prospector® nanowell array technology to isolate enriched bacterial consortia from cotton detritusphere capable of degrading perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as selective growth-promoting substrates. Screening of 96,000 nanowells across four inoculum-loading regimes identified high-density loading (20-33 genera per community) as the sole condition that yielded functionally stable consortia; low-, mid-, and overload-density regimes failed to support serial passaging functional stabilization. Eight communities (A-H) were characterized for PFAS degradation, fluoride liberation, and taxonomic composition via full-length 16S rRNA sequencing. Community H achieved 87.8 ± 5.6% PFOS removal within 10 days with near-stoichiometric fluoride release (2.93 μM; 97.7% theoretical maximum fluoride yield from PFOS consumed), while Community E achieved the highest PFOA removal (44.9 ± 21.8%). PFOS and PFOA degradation capacities were inversely correlated across communities, with Atlantibacter and Stenotrophomonas predicting PFOS performance (r = 0.70 and 0.50) and Enterobacter predicting PFOA performance (r = 0.80). Bioreactor-scale validation of Community H demonstrated 91.5 ± 1.4% PFOS removal under aerobic and 62.6 ± 4.7% under anaerobic conditions over 14 days. LC-MS/MS detected perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) as a transient intermediate, peaking at 147.7 ng mL^-1 (day 5, aerobic) before declining to < 5 ng mL^-1 by day 13, confirming sequential C₈ to C₆ chain shortening. Shannon diversity correlated positively with degradation performance (r = 0.87 for PFOS), indicating that community complexity enhances transformation efficiency. This work establishes nanowell array-guided community assembly as a reproducible strategy for developing PFAS bioremediation consortia and provides evidence consistent with growth-associated defluorination without co-substrate amendment; the stoichiometric relationship between PFAS carbon and observed biomass warrants further investigation.

PMID:42173377 | DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2026.134924

Water Res. 2026 May 20;302:126161. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126161. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widespread in coastal waters, yet evidence for PFASs carried by microplastics (MPs) remains limited in semi enclosed bays. A method was optimized to extract and quantify MP associated PFASs and applied to Xiamen Bay. With MP standards spiked with 15 PFASs, 0.1% ammonia in methanol yielded recoveries of 76.83-109.15%. Field MPs contained eight PFASs (52.10 ± 15.79 ng g^-1 of ΣPFAS) and were dominated by foamed polystyrene (PS, 78.73%) and PE/PP (21.27%). PFAS burdens were higher on PS, with PFOS contributing disproportionately. Paired surface waters contained 13 PFASs (mean: 80.19 ng L^-1) dominated by short chain PFCAs (PFHxA and PFPeA). MPs-water partitioning indicated moderate enrichment (1.93-3.73 of log K_d-WM) and slightly stronger partitioning to PS, and correlation and multivariate patterns showed PS associated compositions tracked dissolved phase variability more closely than PE/PP. Batch sorption experiments with pristine and UV aged PS confirmed stronger PFOS than PFOA sorption and enhanced uptake after aging. Spatial patterns were consistent with stronger river influence on short chain acids and more localized coastal inputs for long chain sulfonates, suggesting that aged buoyant MPs can intensify MP associated PFAS co-contamination in semi-enclosed coastal waters.

PMID:42172683 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.126161

Water Res. 2026 May 12;302:126116. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126116. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of compounds with a wide range of sources, uses and physicochemical properties, resulting in highly variable environmental behaviour and analytical detectability. This study investigates the occurrence of a large spectrum of PFAS, including precursors of perfluoroalkyl acids, in the River Porvoonjoki system in Southern Finland during two contrasting hydrological periods: high flow (April 2024) and low flow (June 2024). Surface water from up to ten sampling sites, including a stormwater ditch, and three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) discharging into the river were analysed using target analysis, Total Oxidizable Precursors (TOP) assay and suspect screening supported by non-target analysis (NTA). Short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids dominated the PFAS profile in the river. Higher concentrations were observed during the low flow period, suggesting an increased impact from wastewater discharges when dilution is limited. However, mass load calculations propose that a substantial fraction of total PFAS load originates from diffuse sources, such as stormwater, snowmelt-driven surface runoff and background catchment inputs. Oxidizable precursors contributed substantially to total PFAS loads in both wastewater effluents and the four surface water samples that were analysed for TOP in both hydrological periods. Their contribution in these samples was higher in April than in June, potentially reflecting enhanced mobilization during spring snowmelt and wet-weather conditions. Suspect screening showed the presence of four previously unreported PFAS, however, the suspects or their semi-quantitative concentrations could not explain the TOP assay results. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating precursor analysis in PFAS monitoring and to consider varying hydrological conditions, to improve load estimation and to establish management strategies for reducing PFAS inputs to surface waters.

PMID:42172681 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.126116

Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 22. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6c00692. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Human exposure pathways to PFAS from contaminated biosolids applied as fertilizers are not well understood. In the Maine Biosolids Study, we examined predictors of serum PFAS concentrations in adults (N = 144) living near sites of historical agricultural biosolids application. All participants had PFAS concentrations measured in their private drinking well water by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection from 2020 to 2023. In late 2023, we measured serum PFAS concentrations and administered a survey on water-related, occupational/recreational, residential, local food intake, and sociodemographic/health characteristics. We used multivariable linear mixed-effects models to examine associations of each predictor with serum concentrations of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid. Daily PFAS water intake was the strongest predictor of each serum PFAS, explaining between 22% (PFHxS) and 40% (PFOA) of the variance. Males, postmenopausal females, frequent consumers of local eggs, and those who worked with biosolids on a farm or in another capacity also had higher concentrations of select PFAS than other participants. Together, the predictors studied explained 38-52% of the total variance in serum concentration of each PFAS. Future studies will help further investigate local egg consumption and working with biosolids to inform mitigation strategies in biosolid-impacted communities.

PMID:42171345 | DOI:10.1021/acs.est.6c00692

Water Res. 2026 May 20;302:126161. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126161. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widespread in coastal waters, yet evidence for PFASs carried by microplastics (MPs) remains limited in semi enclosed bays. A method was optimized to extract and quantify MP associated PFASs and applied to Xiamen Bay. With MP standards spiked with 15 PFASs, 0.1% ammonia in methanol yielded recoveries of 76.83-109.15%. Field MPs contained eight PFASs (52.10 ± 15.79 ng g^-1 of ΣPFAS) and were dominated by foamed polystyrene (PS, 78.73%) and PE/PP (21.27%). PFAS burdens were higher on PS, with PFOS contributing disproportionately. Paired surface waters contained 13 PFASs (mean: 80.19 ng L^-1) dominated by short chain PFCAs (PFHxA and PFPeA). MPs-water partitioning indicated moderate enrichment (1.93-3.73 of log K_d-WM) and slightly stronger partitioning to PS, and correlation and multivariate patterns showed PS associated compositions tracked dissolved phase variability more closely than PE/PP. Batch sorption experiments with pristine and UV aged PS confirmed stronger PFOS than PFOA sorption and enhanced uptake after aging. Spatial patterns were consistent with stronger river influence on short chain acids and more localized coastal inputs for long chain sulfonates, suggesting that aged buoyant MPs can intensify MP associated PFAS co-contamination in semi-enclosed coastal waters.

PMID:42172683 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2026.126161

Toxicol Sci. 2026 May 22:kfag060. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfag060. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants associated with placenta-mediated pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and preterm birth. The syncytiotrophoblast (STB), which forms the placental barrier at the maternal-fetal interface and is directly exposed to maternal blood, is a primary site of PFAS exposure. Although PFAS induce STB apoptosis, the upstream stress-signaling pathways involved remain poorly defined. Here, we investigated stress-responsive signaling mechanisms mediating PFAS-induced STB cell death. STB differentiated from human trophoblast stem cells were exposed to vehicle or an environmentally relevant mixture of five PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFDA; 0.0138-34.5 µM) for 3 or 6 hours. Cytotoxicity, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and stress-signaling pathway activation were assessed by lactate dehydrogenase release, immunoblotting, JC-10 assay, and RT-qPCR. PFAS mixtures did not induce cytotoxicity at 3 hours but significantly increased cytotoxicity at 6 hours at 34.5 µM, coinciding with induction of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, and NOXA. The pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-FMK prevented cytotoxicity, indicating caspase-dependent apoptosis. PFAS exposure reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and activated the integrated stress response (ISR), as evidenced by eIF2α phosphorylation, ATF4 induction, and increased ATF4 target gene expression. In parallel, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling was activated, as evidenced by JNK phosphorylation and induction of immediate-early genes (JUN, FOS, EGR1). Pharmacologic inhibition of the ISR modestly attenuated PFAS-induced cytotoxicity, whereas pharmacologic inhibition of JNK rescued cytotoxicity and apoptotic signaling. Together, these findings identify JNK-driven stress signaling as the dominant mediator of PFAS-induced STB apoptosis, with a secondary contribution from the ISR.

PMID:42172632 | DOI:10.1093/toxsci/kfag060

J Appl Toxicol. 2026 May 21. doi: 10.1002/jat.70244. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are detected in the blood of over 98% of sampled populations in the United States and Europe. Inter- and transgenerational epigenetic effects have been demonstrated in at least three model organisms, yet no unifying molecular mechanism has been proposed. I present the Bivalency Erosion model. Legacy PFAS (such as PFOA and PFOS) generate a functional Fe²⁺ deficit in the nucleus through iron redistribution and reactive oxygen species, inhibiting Fe (II)-dependent JmjC demethylases at the catalytic level while suppressing both their transcription and that of H3K4me3 writers (MLL/SET1 complex). The result is coordinated loss of both H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 at bivalent HOX promoters, producing initially stochastic gene resolution that is subsequently consolidated into directed epigenetic silencing. Ether-linked PFAS (GenX) may disrupt bivalency through the opposite vector (mark accumulation rather than erosion), suggesting that the critical lesion is loss of precise bivalent equilibrium regardless of direction. Loss of H3K4me3 releases DNMT3A autoinhibition, converting the histone lesion into heritable DNA methylation. The model integrates 12 convergent lines of evidence from 12 laboratories across six species. It is falsifiable by ChIP-seq at HOX loci with dose-response and ascorbate rescue. This work is a theoretical literature synthesis containing no original experimental data.

PMID:42165699 | DOI:10.1002/jat.70244

Environ Geochem Health. 2026 May 21;48(8):366. doi: 10.1007/s10653-026-03260-2.

ABSTRACT

Many environmental pollutants are released during the dismantling of electronic waste (e-waste). Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and heavy metals are representative pollutants of persistent and hazardous contaminants that are known to pose threats to human health. In an e-waste dismantling area, 149 mothers with singleton births and their infants were recruited in 2021 to investigate associations between heavy metals and PFAS concentrations in postpartum breast milk and infant birth outcomes. The concentrations of six heavy metals and six PFAS compounds were measured in breast milk. The median concentration of chromium (Cr) in breast milk was 1.27 μg/L, whereas the median perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentration was 0.28 ng/mL. Birth weight and length were recorded and were subsequently used in stratified analyses via multiple regression models. Exploratory evidence suggests that higher log-transformed Cr (β = 0.371, 95% CI: 0.082-0.660) and PFOA (β = 0.163, 95% CI: 0.009-0.317) concentrations in breast milk were associated with greater birth length among female infants. These findings suggest that concentrations of Cr and PFOA in breast milk are associated with sex-specific infant growth patterns. Furthermore, quantile g-computation analyses did not identify any statistically significant mixture effects. However, the cross-sectional design and the sample size both limit the interpretation of these results. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and to clarify their potential biological and health implications.

PMID:42166065 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-026-03260-2

Environ Monit Assess. 2026 May 21;198(6):625. doi: 10.1007/s10661-026-15496-7.

ABSTRACT

Small ponds represent valuable but still underexploited archives for reconstructing long-term environmental contamination, particularly those disconnected to fluvial networks. In this study, a sediment core from the Saint-Denis pond (Paris Basin, France) was used to reconstruct the historical evolution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) over the last 150 years. The ¹³⁷Cs record, characterized to the well-defined atmospheric fallout peak in 1963, was retained as the most robust age model, particularly for the second half of twentieth century, when investigated contaminant dynamics were strongly influenced by human activities. The resulting chronology indicates continuous sediment accumulation from the late nineteenth century to 2021.Temporal trends in PAHs, PCBs, and PFAS closely match known historical production, use, and regulatory phases, providing independent validation of the ¹³⁷Cs-based age model. Although indirect contaminant transfers via surrounding forest soils cannot be entirely excluded, the sediment record predominantly reflects atmospheric-driven contamination. This multi-proxy approach demonstrates the relevance of pond sediments for environmental monitoring and retrospective assessment of long-term contamination trends at the regional scale.

PMID:42166080 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-026-15496-7

Sci Rep. 2026 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-51693-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants linked to adverse health effects. Recent epidemiological data suggest an association between PFAS exposure and hearing loss, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined PFAS-induced auditory dysfunction in mice exposed to a mixture of five PFAS compounds (2 mg/L each) in drinking water for seven weeks. Ldlr^-/- mice were used due to their susceptibility to metabolic dysfunction, a risk factor for hearing loss. Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) indicated that PFAS exposure significantly elevated hearing thresholds by 18-33 dB across multiple frequencies. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) revealed impaired outer hair cell (OHC) function, and immunohistochemical analysis indicated a 20% OHC loss in the basal turn of the cochlea. In addition, PFAS exposure reduced ABR wave-1 amplitudes, and caused a 50% reduction in spiral ganglion cell density, indicating impaired auditory nerve function. Overall, this study provides the first evidence for PFAS-induced high-frequency hearing loss in mice. The findings further indicated that cochlear OHCs and spiral ganglion neurons are potential targets in PFAS-induced hearing loss. Together, these data suggest that PFAS exposure elicits a multifaceted ototoxic response, affecting both sensory and neural elements of the cochlea.

PMID:42168255 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-51693-7

Environ Res. 2026 May 19;303(Pt 2):124802. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124802. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Restrictions on long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have prompted the recourse to structural analogs. However, limited toxicokinetic (TK) data hinders the understanding of how structure influences persistence. We investigated the TK of 11 PFAS in mice, including perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA), perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSA), and ether derivatives of PFCA, GenX, and PFO2OA. Following intravenous and oral administration of PFAS mixture, plasma, urine and feces were collected over 119 days. Data were analyzed using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling, and allometry was used to predict human clearance from mouse data. Plasma clearances of long-chain PFCA and PFSA were at least 150 times lower than those of shorter-chain analogs. Ether linkages reduced clearance by about 25-fold for GenX and 4-fold for PFO2OA compared to PFHxA. Renal excretion accounted for 70%-100% of total clearance for short-chain PFAS (PFBS, PFBA, PFHxA) and ether derivatives, as well as PFOA and PFDS. PFHxS and PFOS showed balanced renal and fecal clearance, while long-chain PFCA (PFNA, PFDA) were primarily eliminated via feces. Deep tissue compartments, identified for PFHxA and PFO2OA, contributed to prolonged terminal half-lives. Mean residence time ranged from less than 1 day for PFBA, PFHxA, GenX, and PFO2OA to up to 68 days for other PFAS, with PFBS showing nonlinear disposition, characterized by rapid initial clearance followed by a sharp decline. The allometric approach reliably predicted human plasma clearance from mouse clearance. These findings showed that mechanistic TK modeling is valuable for accurately estimating clearance, providing critical insights to support risk assessment of PFAS.

PMID:42162713 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124802

Environ Res. 2026 May 19;303(Pt 2):124807. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124807. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Groundwater serves not only as a critical habitat for diverse biota but also as a major source of drinking water. However, increasing anthropogenic emissions such as industrial discharge, landfill leachate, and firefighting foam releases have led to the deterioration of groundwater quality. In particular, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of highly persistent organic contaminants characterized by exceptional chemical stability, pose a substantial threat to drinking-water safety and ecosystem integrity. The migration and transformation of PFAS in groundwater systems has therefore emerged as a global environmental concern. This review systematically summarizes the key factors governing PFAS transport and transformation in groundwater and elucidates the associated mechanisms. Current evidence indicates that PFAS chain length and terminal functional groups largely determine their mobility: long-chain and sulfonated PFAS are more prone to retention, whereas short-chain PFAS exhibit markedly higher mobility. Environmental parameters such as pH, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and salinity regulate PFAS adsorption-desorption by modifying interfacial charge, electric double-layer structure, and competitive sorption processes. Groundwater table fluctuations further influence PFAS release and partitioning by altering air-water interfacial area and hydrodynamic conditions. In addition, these factors often operate through synergistic pathways. For example, pH can modulate the charge characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM), thereby shaping PFAS sorption behavior; DOM and microorganisms jointly affect PFAS adsorption and degradation; and dissolved oxygen (DO), together with microbial community structure, determines the extent of PFAS biotransformation. Under low-oxygen or anaerobic conditions, specific microorganisms and functional enzymes may participate in the transformation and partial defluorination of certain PFAS. In the context of sustainable development, this review provides a theoretical framework for controlling PFAS-contaminated groundwater and proposes potential routes for the remediation of PFAS-impacted aquifers.

PMID:42162714 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.124807

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2026 May 19;513:117883. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2026.117883. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are synthetic, long-lasting contaminants that persist in the environment. However, it is still unknown whether these chemicals can inhibit the activity of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) in humans and rats to disrupt glucocorticoid metabolism. Eighteen PFAS (11 carboxylic acids and 7 sulfonic acids) were used to analyze their inhibition on human and rat 11β-HSD1 activity. Eight of the eleven PFAS carboxylic acids (from C7 to C14) gradually inhibited human 11β-HSD1 with the increase of carbon-chain length (inhibitory potency was C4-C6 < C7 < C8 < C9 < C10 < C11 < C12 < C13 < C14). The IC₅₀ values of perfluoroheptanoic acid (C7) and perfluorotetradecanoic acid (C14) were 100.4 and 10.33 μM, respectively. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS, C8) from 7 sulfonic acids can significantly inhibit human 11β-HSD1. The carbon-chain length, carbon atom number, fluorine atom number, molecular weight, rotatable bonds, boiling point, and melting point, pKa, apolar desolvation, and polar desolvation, and LogP were negatively correlated with IC₅₀ values to inhibit human 11β-HSD1 (the higher the number, the lower the IC₅₀ value, thus, stronger inhibition). On the contrary, LogS, Gibbs free energy, and lowest binding energy were positively correlated with IC₅₀ values. All these chemicals bind to steroid binding site of human 11β-HSD1 as competitive or mixed inhibitors. Only perfluorononanoic acid (C9, IC₅₀ = 128.2 μM) and perfluorodecanoic acid (C10, 68.21 μM) markedly inhibited rat 11β-HSD1. In conclusion, PFAS show structure-dependent inhibition on human 11β-HSD1 and they increase inhibitory potency with the increase in carbon-chain length, and rat enzyme is less sensitive to the inhibition of these chemicals.

PMID:42162928 | DOI:10.1016/j.taap.2026.117883