Perfluorooctane sulfonate accumulation and parasite infestation in a field population of the amphipod Monoporeia affinis after microcosm exposure.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is the focus of intense toxicity research due to its persistence and widespread occurrence in biota. Studies on benthic invertebrates have shown them to be subjects of high PFOS exposure. However, effects on benthic invertebrates exposed to PFOS in the field are still far from elucidated. To fill a knowledge gap on concentrations and effects in benthic invertebrates, a microcosm study on the benthic amphipod Monoporeia affinis was performed. Field collected M. affinis were analysed for PFOS and showed average background concentrations 39 and 58 ng/g (wet weight) in two different samplings. The field collected animals were exposed to three concentrations of PFOS (50, 200 and 5000 microg PFOS/L water) for 3 weeks during gonad development. Body burdens of PFOS were determined after experiment termination. Results showed negative effects on survival and reproduction effects such as decreased sexual maturation and decreased oocyte viability caused by PFOS exposure. Additionally, a follow-up experiment demonstrated a significant increase in the infection incidence by a microsporidian muscle parasite in animals exposed to PFOS at tissue concentrations in the range of concentrations found in field collected benthic amphipods. This is the first study to demonstrate increased microsporidian infection with pollutant exposure and it suggests that ecologically relevant PFOS concentrations could be sufficient to elicit these effects.
Jacobson
Therese
T
Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Holmström
Katrin
K
Yang
Gongda
G
Ford
Alex T
AT
Berger
Urs
U
Sundelin
Brita
B
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid