Honors College Theses

Publication Date

4-24-2023

Major

Chemistry (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Worlanyo Gato

Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) are synthetic chemicals that can pose adverse health effects such as kidney cancer, thyroid disease, pregnancy complications and liver damage due to human exposure in food and drinking water. In this study, the class of PFAs that will be investigated is Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), which is commonly found in the environment and consumer products such as wastewater, dust, and floor cleaners, and consists of 4 carbon chain bonded with fluorine and a sulfonic acid functional group. To accomplish study goals, PFBS, a shorter carbon chain length was ingested by Sprague Dawley rats. Serum LDH levels were slightly elevated in animals that ingested PFBS. There was an overall increase of the weight of the animals in the higher dosage groups in comparison to the control group. Further, genes involved in T-cell regulation and protein phosphorylation were upregulated in the spleen. On the other hand, CRP, IFNG, LDH, and TNFSF11 genes were downregulated. Overall, the ingestion of PFBS has some toxicological effects on the spleen, and thus the health of the rats.

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