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Philippe Tony Hoff,¹ Jan Scheirs,² Kristin Van de Vijver,¹ Walter Van Dongen,³ Eddy Louis Esmans,³ Ronny Blust,¹ and Wim De Coen¹

¹Department of Biology, Research Unit Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, ²Department of Biology, Evolutionary Biology Group, and ³Department of Chemistry, Nucleoside Research and Mass Spectrometry Unit, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium

Abstract
Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were captured at Blokkersdijk, a nature reserve in the immediate vicinity of a fluorochemical plant in Antwerp, Belgium, and at Galgenweel, 3 kilometers farther away. The liver perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations in the Blokkersdijk mice were extremely high (0.47-178.55 µg/g wet weight) . Perfluorononanoic, perfluorodecanoic, perfluoroundecanoic, and perfluorododecanoic acids were found sporadically in the liver tissue of the Blokkersdijk mice. The liver PFOS concentrations at Galgenweel were significantly lower than those at Blokkersdijk (0.14-1.11 µg/g wet weight) . Further results suggest sex independence of the liver PFOS levels, increased levels of PFOS bioaccumulation in older mice, and maternal PFOS transfer to the young. Several liver end points were significantly elevated in the Blokkersdijk mice: liver weight, relative liver weight, peroxisomal ß-oxidation activity, microsomal lipid peroxidation level, and mitochondrial fraction protein content. For the mitochondrial fraction catalase activity, no significant difference between locations was found. The liver weight, relative liver weight, and liver microsomal lipid peroxidation level increased significantly with the liver PFOS concentration. No indications for PFOS-mediated effects on the serum triglyceride, cholesterol, or potassium levels were obtained. The liver PFOS concentration was negatively related to the serum alanine aminotransferase activity. Key words: alanine aminotransferase, bioaccumulation, microsomal lipid peroxidation, PFOS, relative liver weight, wood mouse. Environ Health Perspect 112:681-686 (2004) . doi:10.1289/ehp.6479 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 20 January 2004]

Address correspondence to P.T. Hoff, Antwerp University, Department of Biology, Research Unit Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, Building U, 7th Floor, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium. Telephone: 32-3-265-33-47. Fax: 32-3-265-34-97. E-mail: phoff@ruca.ua.ac.be

We thank Administratie Milieu-, Natuur-, Land- en Waterbeheer and the local authorities for the permission to sample mice at Blokkersdijk. J.S. is a postdoctoral researcher of the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-Vlaanderen.

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 27 May 2003 ; accepted 20 January 2004.