A PBK Model for PFAS Transfer from Feed to Fillet in Farmed Atlantic Salmon

A PBK Model for PFAS Transfer from Feed to Fillet in Farmed Atlantic Salmon | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article A PBK Model for PFAS Transfer from Feed to Fillet in Farmed Atlantic Salmon Tu-Ky Ly, Cathrin Veenaas, Cleo Bodin, Kai Kristoffer Lie, Remy Beaudouin, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Despite the establishment of maximum limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seafood, no equivalent limits exist for PFAS in fish feed - the primary contamination route in aquaculture. We conducted controlled feeding experiments with Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ), exposing fish to six PFAS congeners (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFDA, PFBS) for 70 days followed by a 56-day depuration phase. Toxicokinetic data were collected across ten tissues including bile. These data were used to develop a physiologically based kinetic (PBK) model incorporating a Dynamic Energy Budget sub-model for salmon growth dynamics, using a Bayesian inference framework. The model accurately reproduced PFAS kinetics across all tissues and was externally validated against EFSA commercial surveillance data. Simulations indicate that current feed contamination levels pose low dietary PFAS exposure risk. This model provides the first species-specific tool for deriving PFAS feed guidance values for Atlantic salmon, directly supporting regulatory decision-making. Biological sciences/Biological techniques Biological sciences/Ecology Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Earth and environmental sciences/Ocean sciences Biological sciences/Zoology PBK Salmon PFAS Salmo salar feed-to-food transfer Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SIarticlePBKSsalarPFASfinal.docx GraphicalabstractPBKSSalar.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 20 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 03 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9312722","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":620631424,"identity":"dd8ea20d-c620-4ef9-9ae0-ca5685e213f2","order_by":0,"name":"Tu-Ky Ly","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tu-Ky","middleName":"","lastName":"Ly","suffix":""},{"id":620631437,"identity":"e5a33053-78bf-4476-a5ea-c9a50929b52a","order_by":1,"name":"Cathrin Veenaas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Norwegian Institute of Marine Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Cathrin","middleName":"","lastName":"Veenaas","suffix":""},{"id":620631441,"identity":"05e4d13d-4e73-4434-abf9-5f08521d64f9","order_by":2,"name":"Cleo Bodin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Cleo","middleName":"","lastName":"Bodin","suffix":""},{"id":620631443,"identity":"02bcdc87-f5d3-41d0-8ed5-27bec8717b0c","order_by":3,"name":"Kai Kristoffer Lie","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Norwegian Institute of Marine Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kai","middleName":"Kristoffer","lastName":"Lie","suffix":""},{"id":620631448,"identity":"887cc0b4-fd34-480b-a44f-e3218c8b1a53","order_by":4,"name":"Remy Beaudouin","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLACxgYQmQBCNjwg5gEGBjmitaTBtBgTqYWB4TBMDLcW8/buNAnGHTbyBseTj0k83HFexpy99+HBHwwG+bi0yJw5u02C8Uya4YYzz9IkEs/c5rHsOW5wmIfBwLIBhxYJiVyglrbDjBtu5JhJJLbd5jG4kQZy3h8DXLZIyL8FaflvD9Vyjsfg/jMGkMNwa5HgBWk5kAjVcgBoCxvDAR58WnhyN1sknklOnnnmWbJFYlsyj8EZoMN4DPBoYT+78cbHHXa2fceTD9782WZnb3D8GPPHHxW4tQABi0QCpiA+DQwMzB/wSo+CUTAKRsEoAACtRVgP6GsymgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Remy","middleName":"","lastName":"Beaudouin","suffix":""},{"id":620631450,"identity":"08a0279e-5d7f-4f4c-b48e-ba750f471fc1","order_by":5,"name":"Marc Berntssen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Norwegian Institute of Marine Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Marc","middleName":"","lastName":"Berntssen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-03 12:09:37","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106963095,"identity":"c4ce9421-55b0-4a89-a50f-c33f87f729dc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-15 09:42:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3122205,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"TransPFASPBKSalmon1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9312722/v1_covered_6d918160-016b-400a-93dc-478e13826fae.pdf"},{"id":106960780,"identity":"8c68eedc-d9eb-41d0-9578-571b842542e7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-15 09:23:05","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":7174613,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SIarticlePBKSsalarPFASfinal.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9312722/v1/4ccd919e60fcaba7c64bad30.docx"},{"id":106910012,"identity":"134a4b3e-047a-49da-9223-15474059502b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-14 16:22:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":1578473,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"GraphicalabstractPBKSSalar.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9312722/v1/3a43722c0d98f0aae09d2a90.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A PBK Model for PFAS Transfer from Feed to Fillet in Farmed Atlantic Salmon","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-emerging-contaminants","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Emerging Contaminants](https://www.nature.com/npjemergcontam/)","snPcode":"44454","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44454/3","title":"npj Emerging Contaminants","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Unsupported Journal","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"PBK, Salmon, PFAS, Salmo salar, feed-to-food transfer","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eDespite the establishment of maximum limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seafood, no equivalent limits exist for PFAS in fish feed - the primary contamination route in aquaculture. We conducted controlled feeding experiments with Atlantic salmon (\u003cem\u003eSalmo salar\u003c/em\u003e), exposing fish to six PFAS congeners (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFDA, PFBS) for 70 days followed by a 56-day depuration phase. Toxicokinetic data were collected across ten tissues including bile. These data were used to develop a physiologically based kinetic (PBK) model incorporating a Dynamic Energy Budget sub-model for salmon growth dynamics, using a Bayesian inference framework. The model accurately reproduced PFAS kinetics across all tissues and was externally validated against EFSA commercial surveillance data. Simulations indicate that current feed contamination levels pose low dietary PFAS exposure risk. This model provides the first species-specific tool for deriving PFAS feed guidance values for Atlantic salmon, directly supporting regulatory decision-making.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A PBK Model for PFAS Transfer from Feed to Fillet in Farmed Atlantic Salmon","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-14 16:22:51","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9312722/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-21T00:48:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-19T07:46:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-17T07:04:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"300203711256446986253659720381701337424","date":"2026-04-10T02:12:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"118021950940961970718281028934663674339","date":"2026-04-08T01:47:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"189737593423619629834021827520529861825","date":"2026-04-07T17:20:43+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T16:08:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T06:25:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T06:09:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"npj Emerging Contaminants","date":"2026-04-03T12:05:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-emerging-contaminants","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Emerging Contaminants](https://www.nature.com/npjemergcontam/)","snPcode":"44454","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44454/3","title":"npj Emerging Contaminants","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Unsupported Journal","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d49e1dbc-20b8-4855-a4b7-c778f3e34516","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 14th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":66050230,"name":"Biological sciences/Biological techniques"},{"id":66050231,"name":"Biological sciences/Ecology"},{"id":66050233,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology"},{"id":66050235,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences"},{"id":66050236,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ocean sciences"},{"id":66050238,"name":"Biological sciences/Zoology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-15T16:08:51+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-14 16:22:51","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9312722","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9312722","identity":"rs-9312722","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}