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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle
Neurotoxicity Assessment of Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnDA) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
1
Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
2
Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Giza 12619, Egypt
3
UF Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Toxics 2025, 13(12), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121012 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 4 October 2025
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Revised: 7 November 2025
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Accepted: 17 November 2025
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Published: 22 November 2025
Abstract
Aquatic species are exposed to several long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment but their potential toxicity is not well studied. In this study, we assessed the effects of perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) exposure on developing zebrafish. To do this, we investigated the potential for oxidative stress and neurotoxicity by measuring reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, gene expression, and locomotor activity. Mortality was evident in fish exposed to 1000 µg/L PFUnDA, and apoptosis was indicated in fish exposed to 100 µg/L PFUnDA via an increase in casp3 transcription. No change in reactive oxygen species in 7-day-old larval fish exposed to 0.01 up to 1000 µg/L PFUnDA was detected. Visual motor response analysis revealed hypoactivity in different light–dark periods that occurred in a concentration-specific manner. At the transcriptional level, several neurotoxicity-related genes (casp3, bdnf, gfap, gmfb, nkx2-2a) were significantly upregulated, further supporting neurotoxic effects. Overall, these findings indicate that PFUnDA disrupts neurodevelopment and behavior in zebrafish larvae, raising concerns for this long-chain PFAS.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Avidan, L.; English, C.D.; Ivantsova, E.; Sultan, A.; Martyniuk, C.J.
Neurotoxicity Assessment of Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnDA) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxics 2025, 13, 1012.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121012
AMA Style
Avidan L, English CD, Ivantsova E, Sultan A, Martyniuk CJ.
Neurotoxicity Assessment of Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnDA) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxics. 2025; 13(12):1012.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121012
Chicago/Turabian Style
Avidan, Lev, Cole D. English, Emma Ivantsova, Amany Sultan, and Christopher J. Martyniuk.
2025. "Neurotoxicity Assessment of Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnDA) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio)" Toxics 13, no. 12: 1012.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121012
APA Style
Avidan, L., English, C. D., Ivantsova, E., Sultan, A., & Martyniuk, C. J.
(2025). Neurotoxicity Assessment of Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnDA) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxics, 13(12), 1012.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121012
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