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In this review article, we compiled peer-reviewed literature describing PFAS exposure and reproductive effects in animals and humans. The aim was to compare environmental occurrence and effects of the most prominent long-chain PFAS compounds and their short-chain replacements. Long-chain PFAS compounds are known to persist in the environment due to their chemical stability, and also known to bioaccumulate; hence, these compounds are being replaced globally. Indeed, PFOA and PFOS are considered long-chain “forever pollutants,” and thus the potential reproductive risk may continue for decades. Much less is known about their short-chain replacements despite the fact that they becoming more widespread in the environment. Short-chain PFAS are generally less bioaccumulative than long-chain, but they are more mobile and persistent in aquatic ecosystems. The three most prominent of these are commonly referred to as GenX, ADONA and F53B. The short-chain PFAS have similar physical and chemical properties as their predecessors; however, because they are relatively new, much less is known about the potential to disrupt reproduction. Indeed, high-quality epidemiological studies are needed to determine associations between short-chain PFAS exposure and effects on reproductive health. However, epidemiological evidence is mounting that long-chain PFAS exposure is associated with reproductive effects (i.e., decrease in fertility, reduced fetal growth and birth weight, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, thyroid hormone disruption during pregnancy, and preterm birth). Evidence from animal models and human cell lines indicates that short-chain PFAS similarly affect reproductive endpoints; however, epidemiological studies are scarce and inconsistent. Although short-chain PFAS have been quantified in drinking water and sediment worldwide, most of these studies did not focus on quantitation of GenX, ADONA, and F53B. There are also many other short-chain PFAS byproducts of manufacturing that have yet to be identified and studied. When sum total concentration of long- and short-chain PFAS are considered, the concentration rises by an order or magnitude or greater, as will the risk of exposure and subsequent reproductive effects.

Wastewater from chrome plating industry contains high concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its alternative (chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate, namely F53B). It was the first time that simultaneous removal of PFOS and F53B from the actual wastewater was investigated using a granular reactivated carbon (R-CAC) prepared from commercial coconut-based activated carbon (CAC) through one-step KOH activation. The R-CAC removed much more PFOS and F53B than CAC, and even more than the best resin and chitosan reported. Both initial adsorption rate and adsorbed amount of F53B on R-CAC were much higher than PFOS, and adsorption isotherms of PFOS and F53B were described well by the Langmuir model. The coexisting organic matters in the wastewater were able to occupy the sorption sites for PFOS and F53B, significantly influencing their adsorption on R-CAC. The spent R-CAC was effectively regenerated by a novel method, hydrothermal-activated persulfate oxidation. The adsorbed PFOS and F53B as well as co-existing organic pollutants on R-CAC were degraded by persulfate free radicals, making sorption sites become available. The best regeneration efficiency of R-CAC was 93.3% and 97.6% for PFOS and F53B, respectively. This study accomplished the highly efficient adsorption and degradation of PFOS and F53B in actual wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review article, we compiled peer-reviewed literature describing PFAS exposure and reproductive effects in animals and humans. The aim was to compare environmental occurrence and effects of the most prominent long-chain PFAS compounds and their short-chain replacements. Long-chain PFAS compounds are known to persist in the environment due to their chemical stability, and also known to bioaccumulate; hence, these compounds are being replaced globally. Indeed, PFOA and PFOS are considered long-chain "forever pollutants," and thus the potential reproductive risk may continue for decades. Much less is known about their short-chain replacements despite the fact that they becoming more widespread in the environment. Short-chain PFAS are generally less bioaccumulative than long-chain, but they are more mobile and persistent in aquatic ecosystems. The three most prominent of these are commonly referred to as GenX, ADONA and F53B. The short-chain PFAS have similar physical and chemical properties as their predecessors; however, because they are relatively new, much less is known about the potential to disrupt reproduction. Indeed, high-quality epidemiological studies are needed to determine associations between short-chain PFAS exposure and effects on reproductive health. However, epidemiological evidence is mounting that long-chain PFAS exposure is associated with reproductive effects (i.e., decrease in fertility, reduced fetal growth and birth weight, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, thyroid hormone disruption during pregnancy, and preterm birth). Evidence from animal models and human cell lines indicates that short-chain PFAS similarly affect reproductive endpoints; however, epidemiological studies are scarce and inconsistent. Although short-chain PFAS have been quantified in drinking water and sediment worldwide, most of these studies did not focus on quantitation of GenX, ADONA, and F53B. There are also many other short-chain PFAS byproducts of manufacturing that have yet to be identified and studied. When sum total concentration of long- and short-chain PFAS are considered, the concentration rises by an order or magnitude or greater, as will the risk of exposure and subsequent reproductive effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Chambers, Hopkins and Richards.)