Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) characterized by strong carbon-fluorine (C-F) bonds, amphiphilic properties, and exceptional resistance to environmental degradation. These physicochemical attributes have led to extensive industrial and consumer applications, resulting in widespread environmental contamination. Consequently, PFAS compounds have been ubiquitously detected across various environmental compartments, raising substantial ecological and toxicological concerns.

In this investigation, we quantified the distribution and trophic transfer of PFAS at a firefighting training site in Trelleborg, Sweden. The study encompassed 160 samples collected from abiotic matrices (water and soil) and biotic matrices including plant tissues (roots, leaves), arthropods, and annelids. Employing Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA), we accurately reconstructed the local trophic web, facilitating the quantification of PFAS concentrations and their trophic magnification potential.

Twenty-two distinct PFAS were identified within the study area, and trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were calculated for each compound. The results revealed significant biomagnification across multiple trophic levels for both long-chain and short-chain PFAS, challenging the conventional assumption that biomagnification primarily pertains to long-chain PFAS compounds. Notably, short-chain PFAS exhibited pronounced biomagnification, particularly within the soil food web, highlighting their potentially greater ecological relevance compared to longer-chain compounds, such as perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), which showed limited biomagnification in this environmental compartment. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating short-chain PFAS into environmental risk evaluations due to their notable potential for trophic transfer and accumulation.

This robust dataset provides novel insights into PFAS distribution dynamics within trophic webs, particularly underscoring the critical role of soil food webs in mediating biomagnification processes. The demonstrated biomagnification across diverse PFAS structures necessitates expanded research efforts and revised regulatory strategies, specifically addressing the ecological implications associated with short-chain PFAS compounds