Temporal Trends of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Delaware River Fish, USA

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in a variety of industrial and household products. Human and wildlife exposure to PFAS is widespread. Increasing evidence suggests adverse effects of PFAS to human health and the environment. Human health risks from exposure through drinking water and fish consumption are areas of concern. Therefore, understanding occurrence and exposure risk is important to protect water resources. PFAS was investigated in fish fillet from the Delaware River over a 15-y period (2004-2018). The sample period coincided with actions to reduce or eliminate the release of certain PFAS to the environment. Elevated levels of perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnA) were initially observed in tidal fish fillet. While significant decreases in PFNA and PFUnA concentrations were observed in fish fillet from the tidal river during the timeframe of the study, changes in concentrations of other PFAS in tidal and nontidal fish were less substantial. In 2018, fish fillet continued to be contaminated with perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) at levels exceeding recommended regional risk advisory limits on fish consumption. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;00:1-11. (c) 2020 SETAC

Automated summary

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly found in industrial and household products, leading to widespread human and wildlife exposure. Research on PFAS in fish fillet from the Delaware River showed reductions in some concentrations but continued contamination with PFOS exceeding recommended limits.