Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) has emerged as a significant environmental contaminant driven by the industrial transition to short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances. This study evaluates the behavioural toxicological impact of PFHxA on Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on key endpoints including surviv...
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Environmental Challenges |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266701002500023X |
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| author | Tanmoy Sana Manjurul Islam Chowdhury Panneerselvan Logeshwaran Mallavarapu Megharaj |
| author_facet | Tanmoy Sana Manjurul Islam Chowdhury Panneerselvan Logeshwaran Mallavarapu Megharaj |
| author_sort | Tanmoy Sana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) has emerged as a significant environmental contaminant driven by the industrial transition to short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances. This study evaluates the behavioural toxicological impact of PFHxA on Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on key endpoints including survival, locomotion, chemotaxis, reproduction, and growth. The median lethal concentration (LC50) was determined to be 521.3 mg L−1. Notably, exposure to PFHxA at concentrations as low as 0.31 mg L−1 resulted in significant reductions in reproduction, lifespan, body size, and head thrashing behavior. At 3.14 mg L−1, PFHxA further impaired chemotaxis learning and reduced body-bending frequency. The study also highlights the relationship between PFCA toxicity and chain length, with a toxicity gradient observed (PFOA >> PFHxA> PFBA). As the industry increasingly adopts short chain PFAS as alternatives to their long chain counterparts, PFHxA levels in the environment are expected to rise, particularly in regions impacted by firefighting foam usage. These findings highlight the importance of assessing the ecological risks associated with short chain PFAS. Importantly, this study is the first to demonstrate the toxic effects of PFHxA in nematodes, suggesting that PFHxA could pose a significant risk to non-target organisms such as C. elegans. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a125496f9f0b41ec83cff873ef11bf80 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2667-0100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-a125496f9f0b41ec83cff873ef11bf802025-02-11T04:35:33ZengElsevierEnvironmental Challenges2667-01002025-04-0118101103Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegansTanmoy Sana0Manjurul Islam Chowdhury1Panneerselvan Logeshwaran2Mallavarapu Megharaj3Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaGlobal Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaGlobal Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; crcCARE, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaGlobal Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; crcCARE, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Corresponding author at: Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) has emerged as a significant environmental contaminant driven by the industrial transition to short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances. This study evaluates the behavioural toxicological impact of PFHxA on Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on key endpoints including survival, locomotion, chemotaxis, reproduction, and growth. The median lethal concentration (LC50) was determined to be 521.3 mg L−1. Notably, exposure to PFHxA at concentrations as low as 0.31 mg L−1 resulted in significant reductions in reproduction, lifespan, body size, and head thrashing behavior. At 3.14 mg L−1, PFHxA further impaired chemotaxis learning and reduced body-bending frequency. The study also highlights the relationship between PFCA toxicity and chain length, with a toxicity gradient observed (PFOA >> PFHxA> PFBA). As the industry increasingly adopts short chain PFAS as alternatives to their long chain counterparts, PFHxA levels in the environment are expected to rise, particularly in regions impacted by firefighting foam usage. These findings highlight the importance of assessing the ecological risks associated with short chain PFAS. Importantly, this study is the first to demonstrate the toxic effects of PFHxA in nematodes, suggesting that PFHxA could pose a significant risk to non-target organisms such as C. elegans.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266701002500023XAcute toxicityBehavioural toxicityCaenorhabditis elegansPerfluorohexanoic acidPFHxAReproductive toxicity |
| spellingShingle | Tanmoy Sana Manjurul Islam Chowdhury Panneerselvan Logeshwaran Mallavarapu Megharaj Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans Environmental Challenges Acute toxicity Behavioural toxicity Caenorhabditis elegans Perfluorohexanoic acid PFHxA Reproductive toxicity |
| title | Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans |
| title_full | Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans |
| title_fullStr | Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans |
| title_short | Acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans |
| title_sort | acute toxicological and behavioural effects of perfluorohexanoic acid pfhxa in the model nematode caenorhabditis elegans |
| topic | Acute toxicity Behavioural toxicity Caenorhabditis elegans Perfluorohexanoic acid PFHxA Reproductive toxicity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266701002500023X |
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