Affiliation:
1. Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Prevention and Control, Zhejiang Industry and Trade Vocation College, Wenzhou 325002, China
2. College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China
3. CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of compounds that persist in the environment globally. Besides being transported to the soil and sediments, which act as their sinks, PFASs can be transferred to several species of higher organisms directly or via bacteria, eliciting a wide range of adverse effects. Caenorhabditis elegans has been widely used in toxicological studies and life science research owing to its numerous advantages over traditional vertebrate models; notably, C. elegans has 65% conserved human-disease-associated genes and does not require ethical approvals for experimental use. This review covers a range of topics, from reported accumulation characteristics and lethal concentrations of PFAS in C. elegans to the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of PFAS at different levels, including reproductive, developmental, cellular, neurologic, oxidative, metabolic, immune, and endocrine toxicities. Additionally, the toxicity levels of some PFAS substitutes are summarized. Lastly, we discuss the toxicological mechanisms of these PFAS substitutes and the importance and promising potential of nematodes as in vivo models for life science research, epidemiological studies (obesity, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease research), and toxicological investigations of PFASs and other emerging pollutants compared with other soil animals or model organisms.
Funder
Research Platform Open Fund Project of Zhejiang Industry and Trade Vocation College
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Young Top-notch Talent Cultivation Program of Hubei Province
the Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Science and Technology Innovation Team Project of the Hubei Provincial Department of Education
the Training Fund Program for Scientific Research of Hubei University of Arts and Science
Subject
Chemical Health and Safety,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Toxicology