Bioaccumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and oxidative stress in snapping turtles in New York, USA.

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is an anthropogenic chemical found in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) and many consumer products. Despite its environmental ubiquity and persistence, little is known about the effects of PFOS on stress levels in wild animals. Here, we examined PFOS bioaccumulation and correlations between PFOS exposure and oxidative stress in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) downstream of Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, a known source of AFFF contamination. Maximum concentrations of PFOS were extrapolated as 41.7 ppb and 498 ppb in water and turtle samples, respectively; in comparison, the proposed United States national advisory concentration of PFOS in drinking water is currently 0.00002 ppb. PFOS concentrations declined with distance downstream from the base and were lower in other local water bodies. Indices of oxidative stress were positively correlated with plasma PFOS concentrations in snapping turtles. These data illuminate the potential for bioaccumulation and increasing oxidative stress levels associated with PFOS contamination in a wild population of aquatic turtles.