In order to use the mink as a sentinel, it is important that it has the ability to accumulate pollutants. In the literature, data on mink exposure to pollutants Selleck Pembrolizumab such as chlorinated chemicals is quite extensive, especially from North America as reviewed by Basu et al. (2007). However, only a handful of studies have been made regarding exposure of PFAAs to wild mink (Giesy and Kannan, 2001, Kannan et al., 2002b, Kannan et al., 2005 and Martin et al., 2004a), and among those, only Martin and co-workers (Martin et al., 2004a) analyzed long-chain PFCAs. There is no study on mink addressing the exposure of PFBS. In order to evaluate the mink as a suitable

sentinel specifically for PFAAs in the environment, more information is needed regarding the pattern of PFAA contamination in mink. Environmental and biological factors are important to consider when assessing contamination related effects, temporal and spatial trends and trophic transfer. Taking such factors into account is important in exposure assessment and in study designs. For example, we have shown earlier that, in wild male mink from Sweden, almost half of the variation in the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls PI3K inhibitor in fat could be explained by age, sampling area, sampling season and body condition (Persson et al., 2013). Taking such factors into account is therefore needed in any assessment of the exposure, and it could also have implications on sampling regime.

Therefore, this study aims to quantify the concentrations of PFBS, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), PFOS, PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic

acid (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrA) in wild male mink from Sweden, and SSR128129E investigate relationships between the concentrations and age, body condition, body weight, sampling area and sampling season. Mink were collected by local hunters in Sweden each year between 2004 and 2009, from August to the end of April. One hundred and one male mink were sampled in four different areas: two inland areas and two coastal areas. A map of sample area locations can be found in Supplementary data. The Gävle Baltic coast (G; n = 25) is a brackish water environment nearby two towns (70,000 and 12,000 inhabitants), fairly large industries and the mouths of the Dalälven and Ljusnan rivers. The Koster Islands in Skagerrak (K; n = 26) is a sea water environment (partly a national park) about 8 km off the Swedish coast in the North sea, close to the Norwegian border. The Märsta inland region (M; n = 25) with high anthropogenic impact by industrial and agricultural activities located next to a town with 25,000 inhabitants, a large international airport and the former training camp of the Swedish Rescue Services Agency. The inland of Northern Sweden (N; n = 25) is a sparsely populated inland environment with few industries and low agricultural activity.