Accumulation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Coastal Sharks from Contrasting Marine Environments: The New York Bight and The Bahamas
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-23-2024
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enter the marine food web, accumulate in organisms, and potentially have adverse effects on predators and consumers of seafood. However, evaluations of PFAS in meso-to-apex predators, like sharks, are scarce. This study investigated PFAS occurrence in five shark species from two marine ecosystems with contrasting relative human population densities, the New York Bight (NYB) and the coastal waters of The Bahamas archipelago. The total detected PFAS (∑PFAS) concentrations in muscle tissue ranged from 1.10 to 58.5 ng g-1 wet weight, and perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were dominant. Fewer PFAS were detected in Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) from The Bahamas, and concentrations of those detected were, on average, ∼79% lower than in the NYB sharks. In the NYB, ∑PFAS concentrations followed: common thresher (Alopias vulpinus) > shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) > sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus) > smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis). PFAS precursors/intermediates, such as 2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluorodecanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonamide, were only detected in the NYB sharks, suggesting higher ambient concentrations and diversity of PFAS sources in this region. Ultralong-chain PFAS (C ≥ 10) were positively correlated with nitrogen isotope values (δ15N) and total mercury in some species. Our results provide some of the first baseline information on PFAS concentrations in shark species from the northwest Atlantic Ocean, and correlations between PFAS, stable isotopes, and mercury further contextualize the drivers of PFAS occurrence.
Identifier
85198539334 (Scopus)
Publication Title
Environmental Science and Technology
External Full Text Location
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c02044
e-ISSN
15205851
ISSN
0013936X
PubMed ID
38995999
First Page
13087
Last Page
13098
Issue
29
Volume
58
Grant
111-2611-M-001-012-MY3
Fund Ref
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Recommended Citation
Lee, Cheng Shiuan; Shipley, Oliver N.; Ye, Xiayan; Fisher, Nicholas S.; Gallagher, Austin J.; Frisk, Michael G.; Talwar, Brendan S.; Schneider, Eric V.C.; and Venkatesan, Arjun K., "Accumulation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Coastal Sharks from Contrasting Marine Environments: The New York Bight and The Bahamas" (2024). Faculty Publications. 278.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/278
