A review of the bioaccumulation and adverse effects of PFAS in free-living organisms from contaminated sites nearby fluorochemical production plants.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) encompass a large, heterogeneous group of chemicals of potentialconcern to human and environmental health. Based on information for some legacy PFAS, such as perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoate, there is an increasing awareness that they can represent a serious environmentalrisk. Although the environmental occurrence and fate of some legacy PFAS and their toxicity under controlledlaboratory conditions have been investigated, to date, there is a dearth of information on the exposure andpotential adverse effects of these compounds towards free-living organisms. The present review summarizes thefindings of field studies investigating the accumulation and adverse effects induced by the exposure toenvironmental mixtures of both legacy and emerging PFAS in the wildlife living nearby fluorochemical productionplants (FCP). Biomonitoring campaigns performed close to FCP, which can be considered as hotspots of PFAScontamination, can be very useful in exploring the fate and toxicity of these compounds towards free-livingorganisms. All studies showed that the bioaccumulation of both legacy and emerging PFAS in wildlife living nearthe FCP is higher compared to control sites and other areas worldwide. However, the investigation on adverse