Temporal Trends of Perfluorinated Surfactants in Swedish Peregrine Falcon Eggs (Falco peregrinus), 1974−2007

Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are today known to be globally distributed environmental contaminants. In the present study, concentrations of PFAS were analyzed in Swedish peregrine falcon eggs (Falco peregrinus), collected between 1974 and 2007. Analytes included in the study were perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs; carbon chain lengths C6−C15), perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs; C4, C6, C8, and C10), and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA). The predominant PFAS was perfluorooctane sulfonate, PFOS (83 ng/g wet weight (w wt) mean concentration in samples from 2006), followed by perfluorotridecanoate, PFTriA (7.2 ng/g w wt) and perfluoroundecanoate, PFUnA (4.2 ng/g w wt). PFCA concentrations increased exponentially over the studied time. In contrast, concentrations of PFOS and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) increased initially but leveled off after the mid 1980s. This is different from previously observed temporal trends in marine organisms. The present study is the first to establish temporal trends for PFAS in terrestrial biota. The results indicate potential differences between marine and terrestrial biota regarding sources of PFAS exposure and response to emission changes. The toxicological implications of PFAS exposure for the falcons are not known, but according to recent findings impaired hatching success and sublethal toxicological effects from PFOS exposure in the Swedish peregrine falcon cannot be ruled out.