Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in selected rivers and streams in Massachusetts, 2020

Savoie, Jennifer G.; Argue, Denise M.

doi:10.3133/dr1160

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

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“…Vedagiri et al (2018) reported a two to three order of magnitude range in background levels of PFOA and PFOS, with median concentrations higher than 10 ng/L in multiple North American water bodies. In several studies of rivers and lakes in the northeastern United States, median concentrations of PFOS and PFOA ranged from less than 1 to 6.3 and 1 to 8.8 ng/L, respectively, with lower concentrations in rural versus urban areas (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2018; Savoie & Argue, 2022; Zhang et al, 2016). Detection of PFAS in less developed regions of the world suggests consumer products as potential sources as well as long‐range atmospheric transport (Kurwadkar et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

US and international per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances surface water quality criteria: A review of the status, challenges, and implications for use in chemical management and risk assessment

Ruffle¹,

Archer²,

Vosnakis³

et al. 2023

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Regulation of per‐ and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in surface water is a work‐in‐progress with relatively few criteria promulgated in the United States and internationally. Surface water quality criteria (SWQC) or screening values derived for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), and four US states (Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFB RWQCB; California) were compared. Across these eight jurisdictions, promulgated numeric criteria for the same compound and receptor span over five orders of magnitude as a result of different approaches and data interpretations. Human health criteria for PFOS range from 0.0047 to 600 ng/L depending on route of exposure (e.g., fish consumption or drinking water) and are lower than most ecological criteria for protection of aquatic and wildlife receptors. Data gaps and uncertainty in chronic toxicity and bioaccumulation of PFOS and PFOA, as well as the use of conservative assumptions regarding intake and exposure, have resulted in some criteria falling at or below ambient background concentrations and current analytical detection limits (around 1 ng/L for commercial laboratories). Some jurisdictions (e.g., Australia, Canada) have deemed uncertainty in quantifying water‐fish bioaccumulation too great and set fish tissue action levels in lieu of water criteria. Current dynamics associated with the emerging and evolving science of PFAS toxicity, exposure, and environmental fate (i.e., data gaps and uncertainty), as well as the continuous release of scientific updates, pose a challenge to setting regulatory limits. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:1–23. © 2023 AECOM Technical Services, Inc and The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

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