Exposure of a single wild boar population in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) to perfluoroalkyl acids

Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) are among the leading chemical pollutants in the twenty-first century. Of these, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) have been widely detected in a large number of animal and environmental samples. Wild boars accumulate PFAA in their livers, but it has not yet been clarified to what extent wild boars of the same population accumulate different PFAA in their livers or whether any conclusions can be drawn from any differences found in regard to environmental contamination. In this study, liver samples from wild boars killed during driven hunts in 2019 and 2020 from a defined forest area in North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany were analyzed for 13 different PFAA. A mean load of 493 µg/kg (± 168 µg/kg) PFAA was measured in 2020. Perfluorosulfonic acids accounted for 87% of the total load in both years, with PFOS dominating this group. These results were similar to those of 14 liver samples collected from other regions of Germany for comparison. In addition, the livers of hunted pregnant sows and fetuses were examined. The load of short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (< C8) in the fetus liver was as high as that of the sows, whereas the concentrations of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (≥ C8) were lower than in the dams. This result shows for the first time that fetuses take up PFAA from their mothers in utero. Our study shows that PFAA content in wild boar livers is comparably high in all animals in a local population and indicates a need for further research regarding a nationwide background exposure to PFAA in wild boars and their surrounding environment.

PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites

“…PFAS can also be detected in animals living in forests [124,125]. Studies by the Hessian State Laboratory showed that wild boars are more strongly contaminated than roe deer.…”

Assessment of perfluoroalkyl substances concentration levels in wild bat guano samples

“…Interestingly, previous studies have reported that PFOA and PFOS (as the substances most often used in industry) are the main PFASs, to which humans and animals are exposed, and levels of these two compounds noted in various matrices in humans and wild animals have been higher than levels of other PFASs 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 . Contrary to previous investigations, results obtained in the present study have shown that in bats guano collected from all colonies included into the study the concentration levels of PFBuA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA were higher than PFOA and PFOS.…”