The Subacute Toxicity of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and/or Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Legacy Aqueous Film-Forming Foams to Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) Chicks

As part of an effort to develop avian ecotoxicity information for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) associated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used by the Department of Defense, the subacute toxicity of PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, 3M AFFF, and Ansul AFFF to Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) chicks was determined. Ten-day-old Japanese quail were administered treated feed for 5 d and then fed untreated feed for 18 d. Analyzed concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, and PFOS + PFOA ranged from 62 to 1955, 162 to 1208, and 43 + 45 to 296 + 292 mg kg feed^–1. Analyzed concentrations of PFOS in feed containing the 3M AFFF ranged from 73 to 1399 mg kg feed^–1, and formulated concentrations of 6:2 fluorotelomer thioamido sulfonate in feed containing the Ansul AFFF ranged from 9 to 1118 mg kg feed^–1. Average daily doses resulting in 50% mortality at day 5 were 38 (34–43), 68 (63–74), 55 (51–59), and 130 (103–164) mg PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, and PFOS in 3M AFFF kg body weight^–1 d^–1. Ansul AFFF did not result in any mortalities. Dietary concentrations resulting in 50% mortality at day 5 were 351 (275–450), 496 (427–575), 398 (339–468), and 467 (390–559) mg PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, and PFOS in 3M AFFF kg feed^–1. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:695–710.