Ecotoxicology and Ecological Risks of PFAS

Dear Colleagues,

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large group of anthropogenic chemicals that are, or have been, used in various industrial and consumer applications. Decades of widespread global use, combined with the persistence and high mobility of many PFASs, has resulted in global contamination of the environment and wildlife. This has raised concerns about the ecological impacts of PFAS exposure. Despite multiple regulatory measures, the persistence of terminal PFAS products, their global presence, and ongoing usage result in wildlife being continuously exposed to these substances. The relative lack of toxicological data for most PFASs is an uncertain factor in ecological risk assessment (ERA).The goal of an ERA is to protect entire communities and ecosystems. Currently, ERAs have primarily focused on national monitoring assessments. There are very few globally established effect-based thresholds for the effects of PFASs on the environment, and most of the available thresholds are only for PFOS and PFOA in freshwater aquatic species. There are extensive toxicity data only for PFOS and PFOA, but almost nothing is known about the toxicity of all other PFASs and for many taxonomic groups. As data on the toxic potential of many PFASs are lacking, (sub-)lethal long-term effects, including for PFAS mixtures, cannot be ruled out.

For this Special Issue, I invite high-quality original research papers, short communications, and reviews focusing on the toxic effects of PFASs to non-human organisms and their related environmental risks. Research on a single PFAS, PFAS mixtures, and complex environmental samples are welcome. 

Dr. Thimo Groffen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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