Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), already detected in aquatic systems, marine edible species and in human serum and breast milk. PFAS are bioaccumulative and have been associated with many deleterious effects, including carcinogenic, endocrine disrupting, and neurotoxic effects. Additionally, it is known that CC-related factors may modify the behavior and exposure pathways of pollutants potentially resulting in increased toxicity. Coastal areas, in particular estuaries and coastal lagoons, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of CC and extreme events, such as heat waves, storms and associated runoff, that may permanently or episodically increase contaminant loads and disrupt equilibrium among key variables. The interactions between climate-related abiotic changes and pollutants may also alter organisms’ sensitivity towards these stressors, an issue scarcely investigated. Still, no studies are available regarding the influence of these environmental factors on the toxic impacts caused by PFAS on aquatic wildlife and humans.
Considering the large number of available PFAS on the market and the knowledge gaps on their toxic effects, especially considering projected climate scenarios UPS-STOP aims to i) monitor the PFAS concentrations and investigate their effects on 4 economically relevant bivalves widely used in the human diet, while studying the influence of future CC scenarios on PFAS availability and toxicity and ii) evaluate the effectiveness of possible mitigation strategies based on Essential Oils (EOs) as a nature-based solution acting as enhancers of detoxification capacity, a strategy potentially applicable to humans. UPS-STOP will further monitor human exposure to PFAS, assessing their concentration in blood serum in the population surrounding the Ria de Aveiro and identifying metabolomic profiles that can act as markers of exposure.
