Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known for their persistence, ubiquity, bioaccumulation in different matrices of the environment and their detrimental effect on human health. In this study, we used EPA 1633 to examine the prevalence of ten PFAS compounds in two freshwater systems and investigated their bioaccumulation pattern across different tissues of grass carp fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Among the PFAS compounds analyzed, PFBS exhibited the highest concentration in the freshwater sample, exceeding the U.S. EPA regulatory limit of 4 ng/L for drinking water. The total PFAS concentrations in the muscle, kidney, and liver of each species are 2749.83 ng/kg, 5180.41 ng/kg, and 5815.79 ng/kg respectively for grass carp; 4081.04 ng/kg, 18,890.92 ng/kg, and 8210.76 ng/kg for common carp. Catfish had the highest concentrations at 16,826.79 ng/kg, 82,035.73 ng/kg, and 114,788.91 ng/kg for muscle, kidney and liver, respectively, which is consistent with them being a tertiary consumer. Overall, short-chain PFAS were more prevalent in the water samples, while the long chain sulphonic acids, specifically PFOS, were highly concentrated in the fish tissues. Given that ingestion via human consumption of aquatic organisms is one of the main entry routes of PFAS, this study provides insights into species-specific and tissue-specific PFAS accumulation in aquatic animals. The findings of this study further underscore the need for ongoing monitoring and risk assessment of PFAS in aquatic environments and food products.
Recommended Citation
M. D. Taiwo et al., "Bioaccumulation Pattern of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Fish Tissues from Two Freshwater Systems," Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, vol. 20, article no. 100875, Elsevier, Nov 2025.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2025.100875
Department(s)
Biological Sciences
Second Department
Chemistry
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
Bioaccumulation; Catfish; Common carp; Food monitoring; Grass carp; PFAS exposure
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2772-4166
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Nov 2025
Included in
Biology Commons, Chemistry Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Genetics Commons, Molecular Genetics Commons
Comments
American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Grant None