Comparative tissue and body compartment accumulation and maternal transfer to eggs of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates and carboxylates in Great Lakes herring gulls

The comparative accumulation of C4–C15 perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs) and carboxylates (PFCAs), and several precursors (e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonamide, N-methyl-FOSA, and fluorotelomer unsaturated acids and alcohols) was examined in tissues (liver, brain, muscle, and adipose), plasma/red blood cells (RBCs) and whole egg clutches (yolk and albumen) of female herring gulls collected in 2010 from Chantry Island, Lake Huron of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Highest mean ∑PFSA concentrations were in yolk, followed by adipose, liver, plasma, muscle, RBCs, and brain. Highest mean ∑PFCA concentrations were in yolk, followed by brain, plasma, liver, RBC, adipose and muscle. PFOS accounted for >88% of ∑PFSA in all samples; the liver, plasma/RBCs, muscle and adipose PFCA patterns were dominated by C8–C11 PFCAs, whereas C10–C15 PFCAs in brain and yolk. Among PFSAs and PFCAs there is tissue-specific accumulation, which could be due to a number of pharmacokinetic processes.

► The PFCA pattern was variable among female herring gull tissues, blood and eggs.
► In female herring gulls, the highest ∑PFSA levels were found in the adipose tissue.
► The brain contained the highest ∑PFCA levels among the studied female gull tissues.
► Egg PFSA and PFCA levels were greater than any studied female gull tissue or blood.
► The amount of PFCs in one egg was greater than the combined liver, blood and brain amount.