ABSTRACT
Many manufactured per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), like PFBS, are widely used in several consumer goods and have emerged as environmentally persistent pollutants. PFBS is a four-carbon (C4), fully fluorinated alkane that was synthesized as a safer alternative to longer-chain (C8) PFASs, like perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). This section evaluates PFBS toxicity data and toxicity reference value (TRV) derivation, where applicable. Only acute oral toxicity data, with an median lethal oral dose of 430 mg/kg, were available for TRV derivation, giving a TRV-high of 430 mg/kgd and a TRV-low of 4.30 mg/kg/d. For birds, studies on bobwhite quail provided a TRV-high of 3,160 mg/kg/d and a TRV-low of 105 mg/kg/d. The relative lack of data precludes TRV derivation for amphibians and reptiles, thus identifying important research goals for PFBS for these two animal classes. Though PFBS might not be an environmental toxicant of significant concern, as compared with PFOS or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), additional toxicological studies would strengthen confidence in the derived TRVs, particularly repeat-dose chronic exposure studies in mammals and birds.
