Amongst per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have a high persistence in physicochemical and biological degradation; therefore, the accumulation of PFOS and PFOA can negatively affect aquatic organisms and human health. In this study, two microalgae species (Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus) were exposed to different concentrations of a PFOS and PFOA mixture (0 to 10 mg L-1). With increases in the contact time (days) and the PFAS concentration (mg L-1) from 1 to 7, and 0.5 to 10, respectively, the cell viability, total chlorophyll content, and protein content decreased, and the decrease in these parameters was significantly greater in Scenedesmus obliquus. As another step in the study, the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the toxicity effects of PFAS on microalgae in a logical way, as demonstrated by the high R2 (>0.9). In another stage, a molecular docking study was performed to monitor the interaction of PFOS and PFOA with the microalgae, considering hydrolysis and the enzymes involved in oxidation-reduction reactions using individual enzymes. The analysis was conducted on carboxypeptidase in Chlorella vulgaris and on c-terminal processing protease and oxidized cytochrome c6 in Scenedesmus obliquus. For the enzyme activity, the affinity and dimensions of ligands-binding sites and ligand-binding energy were estimated in each case.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Hiroshima University 1 4 1 Kagamiyama Higashihiroshima 739 8527 Japan

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California Davis CA 95616 USA

ORLEN UniCRE a s Revoluční 1521 84 400 01 Ústí nad Labem Czech Republic

School of Civil Engineering College of Engineering University Technology MARA Shah Alam 40450 Selangor Malaysia

School of Pharmacy University of 17 August 1945 Jakarta 14350 Indonesia

School of Physical and Chemical Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch 8140 New Zealand

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