Ecological Impacts and their Evaluations Concerning Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) on Fish Species

Abstract

In Japan, ecotoxicity testing of chemical substances, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), is conducted on algae, crustaceans, and fish in accordance with the test guidelines established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or the Law Concerning the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture (Chemical Substances Control Law). Among PFAS, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are regulated both domestically and internationally under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the aforementioned law, resulting in the accumulation of substantial ecotoxicity data. The POPs Convention, a recent treaty, encompasses PFOA and PFOA. Additionally, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), newly designated under the POPs Convention, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), which are being evaluated as potential candidates for regulation under the Convention, are subjects of ongoing ecotoxicity data collection. This review presents the findings of these studies with a primary focus on fish. Furthermore, it has been noted that existing PFASs impact various biological functions, including the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, as well as lethality and growth inhibition, which have been utilized as endpoints in ecotoxicity tests. This review also provides examples of studies on the effects reported in existing PFAS, as well as on alternative and new PFAS.