title: Occurrence of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid and histopathology in eels from north Italian waters.
abstract: A perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) biomonitoring study was conducted in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in Italy for the first time. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations were assessed in the organs of 35 wild eels from two locations, the highly impacted Po River and the Comacchio Lagoon along the north-western Adriatic coast. PFAS were extracted by ion-pairing liquid extraction procedure and measured using high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. There were no significant differences in mean PFAS concentrations (p>0.05) between samples from the two sites. PFOS and PFOA were detectable (>0.4ngg(-1) wet weight, w.w) in 73% and 31% of the total samples, respectively. PFOS concentrations ranged from <0.4 to 6.28ngg(-1)w.w and PFOA from <0.4 to 92.77ngg(-1)w.w. The highest PFAS levels were observed in blood and the lowest in muscle. Histology showed macrophage aggregates and hepatocytic vacuolation in some liver samples. No tissue anomalies were seen in the gonads, suggesting no reproductive impairment. The PFAS contamination levels observed were comparable to, or lower than, those reported in fish in other European countries, seeming to indicate that PFAS pollution of the study area is not remarkable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: grilsu@unife.it.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giari
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, St. P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerranti
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, St. P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perra
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa Anna
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fano
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castaldelli
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000811:Anguilla / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007558:Italy; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D045483:Rivers; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
keywords: Comacchio Lagoon; Endocrine disrupters; Fish; Histology; Perfluorinated alkylated substances; Po River