Studies on the Toxicological Effects of PFOA and PFOS on Rats Using Histological Observation and Chemical Analysis |
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Authors: | Lin Cui Qun-fang Zhou Chun-yang Liao Jian-jie Fu Gui-bin Jiang |
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Institution: | (1) State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China |
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Abstract: | As an emerging class of environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative contaminants, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), especially
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), have been ubiquitously found in the environment. Increasing
evidence shows that the accumulated levels of PFCs in animals and the human body might cause potential impairment to their
health. In the present study, toxicological effects of PFOA and PFOS on male Sprague–Dawley rats were examined after 28 days
of subchronic exposure. Abnormal behavior and sharp weight loss were observed in the high-dose PFOS group. Marked hepatomegaly,
renal hypertrophy, and orchioncus in treated groups were in accordance with the viscera–somatic indexes of the liver, kidney,
and gonad. Histopathological observation showed that relatively serious damage occurred in the liver and lung, mainly including
hepatocytic hypertrophy and cytoplasmic vacuolation in the livers and congestion and thickened epithelial walls in the lungs.
PFOA concentrations in main target organs were in the order of kidney > liver > lung > (heart, whole blood) > testicle > (spleen,
brain), whereas the bioaccumulation order for PFOS was liver > heart > kidney > (whole blood) > lung > (testicle, spleen,
brain). The highest concentration of PFOA detected in the kidney exposed to 5 mg/kg/day was 228 ± 37 μg/g and PFOS in the
liver exposed to 20 mg/kg/day reached the highest level of 648 ± 17 μg/g, indicating that the liver, lung, and kidney might
serve as the main target organs for PFCs. Furthermore, a dose-dependent accumulation of PFOS in various tissues was found.
The accumulation levels of PFOS were universally higher than PFOA, which might explain the relative high toxicity of PFOS.
The definite toxicity and high accumulation of the tested PFCs might pose a great threat to biota and human beings due to
their widespread application in various fields. |
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