Water Res 2026 Jan 01;292:125315. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.125315.

Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in marine food webs from Liaodong Bay: Levels, bioaccumulation, biomagnification and source apportionment.

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

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