| Abstract | There is growing concern for the wide use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) because of its toxic effects on the environment and on human health. A new compound - the so called C6O4 (perfluoro ([5-methoxy-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl]oxy) acetic acid) - was recently introduced as one of the alternative to traditional PFOA, however this was done without any scientific evidence of the effects of C6O4 when dispersed into the environment. Recently, the Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment of Veneto (Italy) detected high levels of C6O4 in groundwater and in the Po river, increasing the alarm for the potential effects of this chemical into the natural environment. The present study investigates for the first time the effects of C6O4 on the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum exposed to environmental realistic concentrations of C6O4 (0.1 µg/L and 1 µg/L) for 7 and 21 days. Furthermore, in order to better understand if C6O4 is a valid and less hazardous alternative to its substitute, microbial and transcriptomic alterations were also investigated in clams exposed to 1 µg/L of PFOA. Results indicate that C6O4 may cause significant perturbations to the digestive gland microbiota, likely determining the impairment of host physiological homeostasis. Despite chemical analyses suggest a 5 times lower accumulation potential of C604 as compared to PFOA in clam soft tissues, transcriptional analyses reveal several alterations of gene expression profile. A large part of the altered pathways, including immune response, apoptosis regulation, nervous system development, lipid metabolism and cell membrane is the same in C6O4 and PFOA exposed clams. In addition, clams exposed to C6O4 showed dose-dependent responses as well as possible narcotic or neurotoxic effects and reduced activation of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Overall, the present study suggests that the potential risks for marine organism following environmental contamination are not reduced by replacing PFOA with C6O4. In addition, the detection of both C6O4 and PFOA into tissues of clams inhabiting the Lagoon of Venice - where there are no point sources of either compounds - recommends a similar capacity to spread throughout the environment. These results prompt the urgent need to re-evaluate the use of C6O4 as it may represent not only an environmental hazard but also a potential risk for human health. |
| Text | 450147 2021 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106484 Scopus 2 s2.0 85102554260 pfas ecotoxicology clam The new PFAS C6O4 and its effects on marine invertebrates First evidence of transcriptional and microbiota changes in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum Bernardini I.; Matozzo V.; Valsecchi S.; Peruzza L.; Rovere G.D.; Polesello S.; Iori S.; Marin M.G.; Fabrello J.; Ciscato M.; Masiero L.; Bonato M.; Santovito G.; Boffo L.; Bargelloni L.; Milan M.; Patarnello T. Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell Universita 16, Legnaro PD , 35020, Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell Universita 16, 35020 Legnaro PD , Italy, , Italy; Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Bassi 58/B, Padova, 35131, Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy, , Italy; Water Research Institute, Italian National Research Council IRSA CNR , Via Mulino 19, Brugherio, MB, 20861, Water Research Institute, Italian National Research Council IRSA CNR , Via Mulino 19, 20861 Brugherio, MB, Italy, , Italy; Associazione Vongola Verace di Chioggia , Associazione Vongola Verace di Chioggia , Italy, , Italy There is growing concern for the wide use of perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA because of its toxic effects on the environment and on human health. A new compound the so called C6O4 perfluoro 5 methoxy 1,3 dioxolan 4 yl oxy acetic acid was recently introduced as one of the alternative to traditional PFOA, however this was done without any scientific evidence of the effects of C6O4 when dispersed into the environment. Recently, the Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment of Veneto Italy detected high levels of C6O4 in groundwater and in the Po river, increasing the alarm for the potential effects of this chemical into the natural environment. The present study investigates for the first time the effects of C6O4 on the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum exposed to environmental realistic concentrations of C6O4 0.1 µg/L and 1 µg/L for 7 and 21 days. Furthermore, in order to better understand if C6O4 is a valid and less hazardous alternative to its substitute, microbial and transcriptomic alterations were also investigated in clams exposed to 1 µg/L of PFOA. Results indicate that C6O4 may cause significant perturbations to the digestive gland microbiota, likely determining the impairment of host physiological homeostasis. Despite chemical analyses suggest a 5 times lower accumulation potential of C604 as compared to PFOA in clam soft tissues, transcriptional analyses reveal several alterations of gene expression profile. A large part of the altered pathways, including immune response, apoptosis regulation, nervous system development, lipid metabolism and cell membrane is the same in C6O4 and PFOA exposed clams. In addition, clams exposed to C6O4 showed dose dependent responses as well as possible narcotic or neurotoxic effects and reduced activation of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Overall, the present study suggests that the potential risks for marine organism following environmental contamination are not reduced by replacing PFOA with C6O4. In addition, the detection of both C6O4 and PFOA into tissues of clams inhabiting the Lagoon of Venice where there are no point sources of either compounds recommends a similar capacity to spread throughout the environment. These results prompt the urgent need to re evaluate the use of C6O4 as it may represent not only an environmental hazard but also a potential risk for human health. 152 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85102554260 origin=inward artocolo 2021_Bernardinietal.pdf Articolo in rivista Pergamon. 0160 4120 Environment international Environment international Environ. int. Environment international. stefano.polesello POLESELLO STEFANO saramaria.valsecchi VALSECCHI SARA MARIA |
