title: Exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) adversely affects the life-cycle of the damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
abstract: We evaluated whether life-time exposure to PFOS affects egg development, hatching, larval development, survival, metamorphosis and body mass of Enallagma cyathigerum (Insecta: Odonata). Eggs and larvae were exposed to five concentrations ranging from 0 to 10000 microg/L. Our results show reduced egg hatching success, slower larval development, greater larval mortality, and decreased metamorphosis success with increasing PFOS concentration. PFOS had no effect on egg developmental time and hatching or on mass of adults. Eggs were the least sensitive stage (NOEC=10000 microg/L). Larval NOEC values were 1000 times smaller (10 microg/L). Successful metamorphosis was the most sensitive response trait studied (NOEC<10 microg/L). The NOEC value suggests that E. cyathigerum is amongst the most sensitive freshwater organisms tested. NOEC for metamorphosis is less than 10-times greater than the ordinary reported environmental concentrations in freshwater, but is more than 200-times smaller than the greatest concentrations measured after accidental releases.
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium. jessica.bots@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bots
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Bruyn
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Snijkers
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van den Branden
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Gossum
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid