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Publishing in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, researchers from Kyushu University used zebrafish embryos to study the health effects of the PFAS called PFBS (perfluorobutanesulfonic acid), a substitute PFAS thought to be safer than traditional compounds. They found that while PFBS did not generate any obvious external dysfunction, the compound still gets absorbed and accumulates in the zebrafish embryo. Results showed that PFBS caused disruptions in the metabolic pathways for sugars and fat, which led to oxidative stress. Embryos also showed physical impairments in heart function, facial development, nervous system development and visual response.

The results suggest that while PFBS could be considered safer than other PFAS, exposure to it may still cause negative effects on living organisms.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a category of highly stable chemical compounds that can be found in many industrial and consumer products. But because they are so stable and do not break down, they accumulate in the environment and in the human body, giving them the alternative name "forever chemicals." Alternative forms of PFAS have been developed over the years with the hope that they are less toxic and not likely to accumulate in the body.

"PFAS can be found in everything from the nonstick coating on your frying pan to dental floss. Well-known PFAS such as PFOS and PFOA have been increasingly restricted in Japan and elsewhere due to their risk to human health and the environment," explains Associate Professor William Ka Fai Tse from Kyushu University's Faculty of Agriculture, who led the study.

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