Temporal and spatial trends of perfluoroalkyl substances in liver of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

For more than 50 years perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have found worldwide industrial and household uses. Some PFASs are presumed to be persistent and bioaccumulative. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are thought to be a suitable bioindicator for the accumulation of organic xenobiotics. Due to the ubiquitous nature of PFASs in the environment a retrospective study on temporal trends was carried out. A total of 110 deer liver pools collected from 1989 to 2010 in Germany were analyzed for their levels of PFASs. The highest concentrations were measured for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (median 6.3 μg/kg). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were detected with median concentrations of 0.5 μg/kg, 1.2 μg/kg and 0.3 μg/kg, respectively, while concentrations of the other PFASs were below the limit of quantification. PFOS concentrations decreased significantly (rs = −0.741; p = <0.0001) from 9.2 μg/kg in 2000 to 1.8 μg/kg in 2010.

► First study on temporal trends of PFASs in terrestrial herbivore mammals.
► PFASs analyzed at different time points retrospectively over 22 years.
► Occurrence, temporal and spatial trends of PFASs in roe deer liver in Germany.
► Effects of the phase-out of PFOS production by 3M in the year 2000.
► Statistically significant decline of PFOS levels in roe deer liver since 2000.