Toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid on freshwater macroinvertebrates (Daphnia magna and Moina macrocopa) and fish (Oryzias latipes)

Because of their global distribution, persistence, and tendency to bioaccumulate, concerns about perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are growing. We determined the toxicity of PFOS and PFOA in several freshwater organisms, including two cladocerans, Daphnia magna and Moina macrocopa, and the teleost Oryzias latipes. In general, PFOS is approximately 10 times more toxic than PFOA in these organisms. In M. macrocopa, the median lethal concentration (LC50) was 17.95 mg/L for PFOS and 199.51 mg/L for PFOA. Moina macrocopa exhibited greater sensitivity than D. magna to both perfluorinated compounds in both acute and chronic exposures. In the 48-h acute toxicity test, M. macrocopa was approximately two times more sensitive than D. magna. In the 7-d chronic toxicity test, M. macrocopa showed significant reproductive changes at 0.31 mg/L for PFOS, which was approximately seven times lower than the effect concentrations observed over the 21-d exposure in D. magna. Two-generation fish toxicity tests showed that parental exposure to both compounds affected the performance of offspring. Unexposed progeny-generation (F1) fish exhibited elevated mortality and histopathological changes that were correlated with exposure in the parental generation (F0). Continuous exposure from F0 through F1 generations increased the extent of adverse effects. Considering the persistent nature of PFOS and PFOA, more research is required to determine potential consequences of long-term exposure to these compounds in aquatic ecosystems.