PFAS Toxicology and Metabolism—2nd Edition

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Contaminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 204

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27709, USA
Interests: PFAS health effects; biotransformations; lipidomics; metabolomics; bioanalytical chemistry method development
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Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Interests: toxicology; obesity; fatty liver disease; PFAS; P450s; nuclear receptors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Interests: flame retardants; PFAS; PAHs; neurotoxicity; nuclear receptors; epigenetics; non-ionising radiations; development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have multiple beneficial uses, widespread occurrences, and numerous known and potential adverse health effects. The high number, variety of chemical properties, and extensive distribution of PFASs complicate research with the intent of more deeply understanding environmental and human health impacts. The published literature provides strong evidence of human health effects caused by the first known PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). However, gaps in toxicity data for legacy and emerging PFASs in this structurally diverse class persist.  

Volume 1 of the Special Issue PFAS Toxicology and Metabolism presented original research and reviews describing new approach methods (NAMs), toxicokinetics, fate and bioaccumulation, metabolism, transport, toxicity, comparative toxicity, and the adverse effects of multiple PFAS and PFAS mixtures. This Special Issue of Toxics aims to further expand our knowledge of the health and environmental effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. We welcome original research, new methodologies and protocols, and reviews of the toxicity and metabolisms of emerging PFASs with little available toxicity data, as well as methods for rapid toxicity assessment and NAMS, the use of non-targeted analytical (NTA) approaches for gathering data on biotransformations, and systems-level biological data (lipidomics, metabolomics), cross-species comparisons, and assessments of PFAS mixtuures. Research may include in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies. We also welcome research in areas including, but not limited to, in vivo dose–response studies that evaluate health effects related to sub-chronic and chronic exposure at environmentally relevant levels; PFAS biomonitoring; bioaccumulation; dosimetry; toxicokinetics and in vitroin vivo extrapolation (IVIVE); integrated omics; neurotoxicity; developmental and reproductive toxicology; and endocrine disruption.

Dr. Denise MacMillan
Prof. Dr. William S. Baldwin
Dr. Subham Dasgupta
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • PFAS
  • toxicity
  • metabolism
  • toxicokinetics
  • adverse outcomes
  • omics
  • biotransformation
  • biomonitoring
  • new approach methodologies (NAMs)
  • non-targeted analysis (NTA)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 1356 KiB  
Article
Immunotoxicity of Four Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Following 28-Day Oral Repeat Dosing in Rats Assessed by the Anti-Sheep Red Blood Cell IgM Response
by Michael F. Hughes, Michael J. DeVito, Grace Patlewicz, Russell S. Thomas, Linda D. Adams, Jeffrey L. Ambroso, Xi Yang, Bindu G. Upadhyay, Stefanie C. M. Burleson and Elaina M. Kenyon
Toxics 2025, 13(6), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13060490 - 10 Jun 2025
Abstract
Some PFASs are immunotoxic in rodent models and associated with diminished vaccine response in exposed humans. This study assessed the immunotoxicity of four PFASs via the T cell-dependent IgM antibody response (TDAR) to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) in adult male rats following [...] Read more.
Some PFASs are immunotoxic in rodent models and associated with diminished vaccine response in exposed humans. This study assessed the immunotoxicity of four PFASs via the T cell-dependent IgM antibody response (TDAR) to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) in adult male rats following 28-day oral repeat dosing. The PFASs included 1H,1H,9H-perfluorononyl acrylate (PFNAC), 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorohexyl iodide (PFHI), 2-chlorotetrafluoropropionic acid (CTFPA), and 3,3,4,4,5,5,5-heptafluoropentan-2-one (MHFPK), administered in corn oil. The positive control was cyclophosphamide (CPS). Rats were dosed with vehicle or PFAS from Days 0 to 27. On Day 22, an immunogenic dose of SRBCs was administered intravenously. Positive control animals were administered CPS by intraperitoneal injection from Days 22–27. On Day 28, the animals were euthanized; blood, thymus, and spleen samples were collected and weighed. Serum IgM was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Body weights were unaffected in PFAS-treated rats, except for 3 and 10 mg/kg/day PFNAC-treated rats on Days 24, 27, and 28. Relative spleen and thymus weights and serum IgM levels were not affected by the PFASs at the doses tested, whereas CPS-treated animals had significant decreases in these parameters. The rat TDAR, as assessed by the anti-SRBC IgM response, was not affected by these four PFAS test agents following a 28-day oral exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue PFAS Toxicology and Metabolism—2nd Edition)
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