How rapidly do per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) accumulate in different environmental compartments?

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are one of the predominant groups of organic contaminants in the environment and in biota. Their persistence, along with their widespread use, has led to both diffuse contamination of the environment and a very large number of locally highly contaminated hot spots. In this project, a comprehensive dataset on PFAS contamination of food webs in Germany was analysed using five plant species and 28 animal species from different trophic levels from terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats, covering the period from the 1980s to 2020. This dataset is available for research purposes and regulatory activities.