Comparing the obesogenic effect and regulatory mechanisms of long-term exposure to per/polyfluoroalkyl substances with different terminal groups in Caenorhabditis elegans

Per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous, bioaccumulative, and recalcitrant contaminants, posing global exposure and health risks. The effects of chemical structures on toxicities and the mechanisms of their obesogenic effects were largely unclear. This study used the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to assess the impact of long-term exposure to different PFASs (PFNA, PFOSA, PFBS, PFHxS, 6:2 FTS, 4:2 FTS, PFOA, and PFOS) on growth and lipid metabolism and discussed the obesogenic mechanisms of selected PFASs. The growth assays indicated longer carbon-fluorine (-CF) chains and total fluorine atoms increased developmental toxicity of PFASs, while at 8 -CF chain-length, PFNA (-COOH terminal), PFOS (-SO