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Assessing the effects of dietary exposure to PFOS and PFHxS in mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus)
Citation:
Clark, B., D. Glinski, T. Ward, M. Hedgespeth, M. Francoeur, H. Schrader, Matt Henderson, C. Lavelle, M. Cantwell, AND D. Nacci. Assessing the effects of dietary exposure to PFOS and PFHxS in mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus). FLUOROS Global, NA, Virtual, October 03 - 07, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
Science-based PFAS regulations require critical chemical, biological, and molecular information to inform models classifying PFAS and predict organismal and population effects. This presentation describes studies that will contribute to our understanding of the ecological risks associated with agency priority PFAS. Here we fed fish two legacy PFAS and assessed their survival, energy reserves, reproduction, and transcriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic changes. The results demonstrate the value of integrating chemical, biological, and molecular techniques to assess the mechanisms and potential effects associated with PFAS exposures to wild fish populations. Ultimately these studies will contribute to the ability of managers and scientists to group PFAS by mechanisms and effects to aid in assessment of this numerous and diverse class of compounds.
Description:
Science-based per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations require chemical, molecular, and biological information to inform models classifying PFAS and predict organismal and population effects. To address these needs, we exposed the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichog) to two PFAS, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), in diet. Reproductively active fish were fed acetone-amended control diet or diet amended with PFOS (1 or 10 µg/g dw) or PFHxS (0.3, 3, or 30 µg/g dw). Weight, length, and reproduction, assessed by manual spawning, were measured periodically during exposure, and a subsample of fish was sacrificed from each tank after 7 days or termination of feeding (51 days). After sacrifice, fish tissues were weighed, and a subset archived for molecular and chemical analyses. Biological results suggested reduced energy storage in PFHxS but not PFOS exposed female fish and reduced reproductive activity in PFHxS and the high dose PFOS exposures. Assessment of bioaccumulation and multi-omic endpoints (transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic responses) is ongoing, and preliminary analyses have identified time- and dose-dependent changes in the hepatic metabolomic profile. These data support an integrated approach to elucidate mechanisms of toxic effects of PFAS in marine fish and potentially contribute data for grouping PFAS by structure in mechanistic toxicity evaluations. Together, the results contribute to the development of pathways linking molecular perturbations to adverse biological outcomes and support extrapolation across species. Ecologically relevant outcomes will also be projected from these data using bioenergetic and population models developed for this species.
