Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application
Historical application of wastewater treatment sludge (biosolids) has introduced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into agricultural systems and led to contamination of crops and livestock. Previous work validated a dynamic exposure and population toxicokinetic (DE_PopTK) modeling approach...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Barbara A. Astmann Antti T. Mikkonen Thomas L. Simones Meghan Flanagan Duncan Pfaehler Ivan Lenov Andrew E. Smith |
| author_facet | Barbara A. Astmann Antti T. Mikkonen Thomas L. Simones Meghan Flanagan Duncan Pfaehler Ivan Lenov Andrew E. Smith |
| author_sort | Barbara A. Astmann |
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| description | Historical application of wastewater treatment sludge (biosolids) has introduced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into agricultural systems and led to contamination of crops and livestock. Previous work validated a dynamic exposure and population toxicokinetic (DE_PopTK) modeling approach for estimating perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) concentrations in cattle tissues at sites primarily dominated by water contamination. This work expands the efforts to validate the DE_PopTK model at a self-contained beef farm in Maine with PFAS exposures from feed grown on site where soil is contaminated from historical biosolids applications. The model is also extended to estimate perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) exposure and tissue levels. Farm-specific data were obtained to consider farm management practices, spatial variation of PFAS in soil, animal growth, and seasonal and annual variability in estimating daily exposures based on water, feed, and soil intake. A dynamic exposure pattern was observed as cattle accumulated PFAS while consuming feed grown on contaminated land and eliminated it while grazing on non-contaminated pastures. Model-estimated PFOS and PFDA levels in serum and muscle were in good agreement with biomonitoring data collected at the farm over a four-year period to reflect periods of accumulation and depuration, with the percentage error ranging from 16% to 73% when comparing modeled and measured data. Our findings demonstrated that understanding farm exposures and collecting site-specific data were integral to model performance. The model was applied to simulate management strategies and complement economic analyses to demonstrate that, with modifications to management practices, it is feasible for the farm to achieve lower PFOS and PFDA levels in beef and maintain economic viability despite elevated PFAS soil levels. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj-art-48360568fb7a453cb1ba92ab5a0ff49a2025-08-20T02:47:06ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-06-0113754110.3390/toxics13070541Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land ApplicationBarbara A. Astmann0Antti T. Mikkonen1Thomas L. Simones2Meghan Flanagan3Duncan Pfaehler4Ivan Lenov5Andrew E. Smith6Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Augusta, ME 04333, USAEnvironment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Macleod, VIC 3085, AustraliaMaine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Augusta, ME 04333, USADepartment of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Augusta, ME 04333, USADepartment of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Augusta, ME 04333, USAU.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, Saint Louis, MO 63120, USAMaine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Augusta, ME 04333, USAHistorical application of wastewater treatment sludge (biosolids) has introduced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into agricultural systems and led to contamination of crops and livestock. Previous work validated a dynamic exposure and population toxicokinetic (DE_PopTK) modeling approach for estimating perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) concentrations in cattle tissues at sites primarily dominated by water contamination. This work expands the efforts to validate the DE_PopTK model at a self-contained beef farm in Maine with PFAS exposures from feed grown on site where soil is contaminated from historical biosolids applications. The model is also extended to estimate perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) exposure and tissue levels. Farm-specific data were obtained to consider farm management practices, spatial variation of PFAS in soil, animal growth, and seasonal and annual variability in estimating daily exposures based on water, feed, and soil intake. A dynamic exposure pattern was observed as cattle accumulated PFAS while consuming feed grown on contaminated land and eliminated it while grazing on non-contaminated pastures. Model-estimated PFOS and PFDA levels in serum and muscle were in good agreement with biomonitoring data collected at the farm over a four-year period to reflect periods of accumulation and depuration, with the percentage error ranging from 16% to 73% when comparing modeled and measured data. Our findings demonstrated that understanding farm exposures and collecting site-specific data were integral to model performance. The model was applied to simulate management strategies and complement economic analyses to demonstrate that, with modifications to management practices, it is feasible for the farm to achieve lower PFOS and PFDA levels in beef and maintain economic viability despite elevated PFAS soil levels.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/7/541perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)biosolidscattledynamic exposuretoxicokinetics |
| spellingShingle | Barbara A. Astmann Antti T. Mikkonen Thomas L. Simones Meghan Flanagan Duncan Pfaehler Ivan Lenov Andrew E. Smith Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application Toxics perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) biosolids cattle dynamic exposure toxicokinetics |
| title | Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application |
| title_full | Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application |
| title_fullStr | Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application |
| title_short | Application of a Dynamic Exposure Population Toxicokinetic Model for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Extension to Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) at a North American Beef Cattle Farm with a History of Biosolids Land Application |
| title_sort | application of a dynamic exposure population toxicokinetic model for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid pfos and extension to perfluorodecanoic acid pfda at a north american beef cattle farm with a history of biosolids land application |
| topic | perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) biosolids cattle dynamic exposure toxicokinetics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/7/541 |
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