Non-Targeted Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Blue Crab

TL;DR

This study identifies new PFAS compounds in blue crabs from the Adriatic Sea, which could impact food safety and human health.

Contribution

The study introduces untargeted analysis revealing five new suspected PFAS compounds and 10 PFOA isomers in blue crabs.

Findings

Five suspected PFAS compounds were identified in blue crabs, including nonafluoro-4,6-bis(trifluoromethyl)cyclohexane-1-sulfonic acid.

Hierarchical clustering showed distinct PFAS distribution patterns between claw and cephalothorax tissues.

Most suspected PFAS compounds were found in higher concentrations in claws, which are currently monitored for legacy PFASs.

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental contaminants, yet food safety assessments target only a limited subset despite the presence of numerous, often unidentified, compounds in food matrices. The invasive blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), increasingly marketed to reduce ecological and fishery impacts, represents a potential pathway of exposure. As a benthopelagic species, they are prone to accumulate environmental contaminants such as PFASs, so untargeted analysis was carried out by HPLC-HRMS both in the claws and the cephalothorax of 113 blue crabs from the Adriatic Sea (FAO zone 37.2.1). The results revealed the presence of five suspected compounds (1,2,2,3,3,4,5,5,6-nonafluoro-4,6,bis(trifluomethyl)cyclohexane-1-sulfonic acid, VUNTWVAXULT-MOZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N, 1-hydro-pentadecafluoroheptane, 1H-perfluorohexane, SPSZZAMPELOEOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N) other than common PFASs, which have already been fully investigated in our previous work, along with 10 proposed PFOA isomers as tentative candidates. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed distinct patterns of distribution between tissue types in the samples with higher concentrations. All suspected molecules, except one, are found in higher amounts in the claws, which are the parts monitored for legacy PFASs by the current regulation. These findings could improve risk assessment for their potential implications on human health and food safety, as well as have possible significance on toxicological, environmental and regulatory relevance.

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