Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in water and edible fish species of Karun River, Ahvaz, Iran: spatial distribution, human health, and ecological risk assessment

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are environmental contaminants with unfavorable impacts on human health and nature. This study aimed to determine the PFOA and PFOS concentration in water and fish samples from Karun, the largest river in Iran. According to the results, the PFOA and PFOS in water samples were 5.81–69.26 ng/L and not detected (n.d.)–35.12 ng/L, respectively. The dry season displayed higher concentrations in water samples than in the wet season. The maximum PFOS concentration measured was related to Barbus barbules sp. (27.89 ng/g). The human health risk assessment indicated minor risks (hazard ratio, HR < 1) from PFOA and PFOS through consuming contaminated drinking water and fish. Only HR value of PFOS in downstream area exceeded slightly 1.0, indicating potential health risk due to consumption of the river fish. Considering the average PFASs concentration, the risk quotients (RQs) showed low ecological risk.

KEYWORDS:

• PFOA
• PFOS
• Aquatic environment
• Risk assessment
• Karun

Acknowledgments

This article was extracted from the PhD thesis of Behzad Jamshidi, and has been financially supported by the Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Grant no ETRC-9910).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences [ETRC-9910].