Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Beale, David J.
• Nguyen, Thao V.
• Bose, Utpal
• Shah, Rohan
• Nelis, Joost Laurus Dinant
• Stockwell, Sally
• Broadbent, James A.
• Nilsson, Sandra
• Rane, Rahul
• Court, Leon
• Lettoof, Damian C.
• Pandey, Gunjan
• Walsh, Thomas K.
• Shaw, Stephanie
• Llinas, Josh
• Limpus, Duncan
• Limpus, Colin
• Braun, Christoph
• Baddiley, Brenda
• Vardy, Suzanne

Titel

Metabolic disruptions and impaired reproductive fitness in wild-caught freshwater turtles (Emydura macquarii macquarii) exposed to elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Ist Teil von

• The Science of the total environment, 2024-05, Vol.926, p.171743-171743, Article 171743

Ort / Verlag

Netherlands: Elsevier B.V

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose a threat to organisms and ecosystems due to their persistent nature. Ecotoxicology endpoints used in regulatory guidelines may not reflect multiple, low-level but persistent stressors. This study examines the biological effects of PFAS on Eastern short-necked turtles in Queensland, Australia. In this study, blood samples were collected and analysed for PFAS, hormone levels, and functional omics endpoints. High levels of PFAS were found in turtles at the impacted site, with PFOS being the dominant constituent. The PFAS profiles of males and females differed, with males having higher PFAS concentrations. Hormone concentrations differed between impacted and reference sites in male turtles, with elevated testosterone and corticosterone indicative of stress. Further, energy utilisation, nucleotide synthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and amino acid synthesis were altered in both male and female turtles from PFAS-impacted sites. Both sexes show similar metabolic responses to environmental stressors from the PFAS-contaminated site, which may adversely affect their reproductive fitness. Purine metabolism, caffeine metabolism, and ferroptosis pathway changes in turtles can cause gout, cell death, and overall health problems. Further, the study showed that prolonged exposure to elevated PFAS levels in the wild could compromise turtle reproductive fitness by disrupting reproductive steroids and metabolic pathways. [Display omitted] •High levels of total PFAS (x¯ = 1,868 - 2,383 ng/mL) were observed in freshwater turtle serum samples•Serum PFAS profiles were on average higher in male compared to female turtles.•Biochemistry of PFAS-impacted turtles was elevated in urea and uric acid.•Male PFAS-impacted turtles had elevated testosterone and corticosterone levels, and females had elevated progesterone levels.•PFAS exposure can disrupt key metabolic pathways and impact long-term turtle fitness.