Determination of Poly- and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) in Livestock and Game Animals in Ghana: First Data on Contamination in the Liver Tissue of Mammals and Birds from Africa

Abstract

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic pollutants that have been shown to accumulate in the livers of animals. For this reason, liver tissue from livestock and game can be used as an indicator of PFAS contamination in the environment and the potential risk of human exposure. In this study, we present data on the contamination of livestock and game animals from Ghana for the first time. Liver samples from 14 different species were investigated for 21 PFAS. In total 11 different PFAS could be detected in 85% of the samples, with perfluorohexanoic acid showing the highest concentrations (22 µg/kg) and being the most frequently detected (75%) substance. The median value for the sum of the quantified PFAS was 1.25 µg/kg. Significantly more PFAS were detected in the liver samples from omnivorous than in those from herbivorous animals, and although the differences in the overall concentration between those groups were not significant, omnivorous animals showed significantly higher concentrations for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids. No significant differences were found between livestock and game animals. An assessment of PFAS levels in muscle meat was conducted to determine whether there is evidence of increased exposure of the population through the consumption of animal-based food.