Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonates in Polyurethane Soft Foam Products Drive Toxic Responses in Early Life Stage Fish

Abstract

Polyurethane soft foam (PSF), one of the most extensively used plastics in household products, presents both convenience and disposal challenges. The chemical makeup of PSF, particularly its released substances, remains unclear, as do the drivers of toxicity to aquatic organisms. Here, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used as a model to evaluate the potential adverse effects of 47 PSF and similar-use products through swimming behavior and metabolomic profiling, and to identify the key toxic chemicals leached from these products by means of liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry and correlation analysis. Among these, PSF leachates showed more severe adverse effects on larvae compared to latex and silicone leachates, with a higher number of chemical features and greater total abundance. Notably, linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS), which accounted for nearly half of the chemicals significantly associated with toxicity, were predominantly found in PSF products. The concentrations of LAS in these products ranged from 5.6 to 4078.9 μg/g, with an average of 1015.6 μg/g. Of these, p-(3-dodecyl)benzenesulfonic acid was selected as the representative driver of LAS toxicity, which induced consistent behavioral and metabolic disruption in zebrafish similar to the effects observed with PSF leachates. This work suggests that LAS are potential adverse chemicals in PSF products and that their continued, widespread use raises concern for aquatic ecosystems.