Mar. Pollut. Bull. 140: 610-615. 2 tabs. 1 fig. + online suppl. material. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.010 Publ. online Feb. 16, 2019.

–ABSTRACT: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, synthetic anthropogenic chemicals known to infiltrate and persist in biological systems as a result of their stability and bioaccumulation potential. This study investigated 15 PFAS, including short-chain carboxylic and sulfonic acids, and their presence in a threatened herbivore, the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Seven of the 15 PFAS examined were detected in manatee plasma. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (ranging from 0.13 to 166?ng/g ww) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (ranging from 0.038 to 3.52?ng/g ww) were detected in every manatee plasma sample examined (n?=?69), with differing medians across sampling sites in Florida, Crystal River (n?=?39), Brevard County (n?=?18), Everglades National Park (n?=?8), and four samples (n?=?4) from Puerto Rico. With an herbivorous diet and long life-span, the manatee provides a new perspective to monitoring PFAS contamination.