Fate and disposition of PFAS in broiler chickens during a 6 week exposure period

Authors: Snyder, Abigail; Smith, David; Lupton, Sara

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2022
Publication Date: 6/15/2022
Citation: Snyder, A.W., Smith, D.J., Lupton, S.J. 2022. Fate and disposition of PFAS in broiler chickens during a 6 week exposure period. 3rd National PFAS Meeting. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) consist of over 4000 different chemical entities used as surfactants in a host of industrial and consumer products. PFAS contaminants have been measured in chickens, pigs, goats, and cattle and detected across the food web. Additionally, concentrations of PFAS have been measured in poultry products during market basket surveys, and studies exposing poultry to acute doses of PFAS have shown accumulation and translocation of PFAS. However, there are few data describing the fate and disposition of PFAS in poultry during lifetime exposures to environmental levels of PFAS in water. Therefore, the fate and disposition of a suite of 25 PFAS compounds was determined in broiler chickens during 6 weeks of exposure to drinking water containing each compound at 100 ng/L. Fifty-six straight run broiler chicks, distributed equally among 4 pens, were provided water containing 100 ng/L of 13 perfluorocarboxcylic acids (4 – 18 carbons) and 12 perfluorosulfonates (4 – 13 carbons) starting at 2 days of age to maturation (market weight) at 6 weeks. A control pen contained 11 birds which received PFAS-free water. Two birds from each pen were sacrificed each week (8 treated and 2 controls at weeks 1-4) except for weeks 5 and 6, then 3 birds from each treated pen were harvested (not including control pen). Tissues collected at harvest included blood (plasma), liver, bile, kidney, breast and thigh muscle, fat, reproductive tract, small intestine, large intestine, ceca, pancreas, and gizzard including proventriculus and crop, brain, heart, lung, skin, and spleen. All samples are being analyzed via in-lab validated methods by ultra-performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) with matrix matched curves and QA/QC procedures. Summed carboxylic acid data for plasma through weeks 1 and 2 are 728.3 ng/L and 1,613.3 ng/L, respectively. Of the 13 acids analyzed, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were the only two acids quantifiable in week 1. Week 2 had quantifiable levels for PFOA, PFNA, perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA). PFOA and PFNS remained the highest concentrations through the first two weeks. The summed sulfonate concentrations for weeks 1 and 2 in plasma were 2,271.1 ng/L and 3,710.4 ng/L, respectively. There were 5 quantifiable sulfonates in week 1, perfluorohexane (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane (PFHpS), and perfluorooctane (linear and two branched; PFOS, 3Me-PFOS, 6Me-PFOS). In week 2, there were two additional quantifiable sulfonates, perfluoropentane (PFPeS) and perfluorononane (PFNS). Plasma and edible tissue (muscle, liver, skin, and gizzard) samples continue to be extracted and analyzed.