Deriving environmental quality standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and related short chain perfluorinated alkyl acids

Lü

Environmental Pollution

et al. 2016

a b s t r a c tShort chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been developed since 2002 by the major manufacturers to replace the conventional C8 and higher homologues, with much of the world production shifted to China in recent years. In this study, we conducted a continuous monitoring program over the period 2011 e2014 with seasonal monitoring in 2013 for PFAAs emitted from two rapidly developing fluorochemical industry parks located in the Daling River Basin, Northern China. The trend of PFAA contamination was identified, dominated by perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), with the maximum concentrations of 3.78 mg/L, 3.70 mg/L, and 1.95 mg/L, respectively. Seasonal monitoring uncovered the occasional emission of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Construction trends of new facilities and associated manufacturing capacity of the main products were also analyzed to assess correlations with PFAA emissions. An assessment of the data over the period 2011e2014 found a positive correlation with fluorocarbon alcohol (FCA) production and emission of PFAAs. Groundwater and tap water around the main source indicated that the dominant PFAAs had different diffusion behaviors. PFBS levels were higher in surface water, while PFBA was dominant in groundwater and tap water, with PFOA levels being higher in downstream groundwater. Considering the continuous expansion and development of fluorochemical industry in the Daling River Basin, this study will provide abundant information on the effectiveness of risk assessment and management.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupled production and emission of short chain perfluoroalkyl acids from a fast developing fluorochemical industry: Evidence from yearly and seasonal monitoring in Daling River Basin, China

Lü

Environmental Pollution

et al. 2016

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

“…In the present study, surprisingly, the most affected organisms were those pre-exposed to PFBS. This result was unexpected, because the toxicity of PFBS is considered to be 1 order of magnitude lower than the toxicity of PFOS and PFOA, even though chronic toxicity of this compound has been hardly investigated previously (Valsecchi et al 2017). However, it is worth noting that residual genetic variability in the different populations at generation 10 of the multigenerational test (Stefani et al 2014) is congruent with results obtained in the final tolerance-induction test.…”

Section: Effects Of Co-occurring Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Water is the major reservoir for these compounds and the principal vector for transport. Recent inventories on toxicity to aquatic organisms of PFOS are reported in Beach et al () and Giesy et al (), and that of PFOA and PFBS in Valsecchi et al (). The results show that PFOS is approximately 10 times more toxic than PFOA, which is 1 order of magnitude more toxic than PFBS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Perfluoralkyl Substances on a Multigenerational Scale: A Case Study with Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Marziali

Rosignoli

Valsecchi

et al. 2019

Self Cite

A multigenerational test with Chironomus riparius was performed to assess long‐term effects on life‐traits of exposure to selected perfluoroalkyl compounds: perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS). These persistent contaminants are widespread in aquatic ecosystems at low concentrations, possibly exerting long‐term toxicity. Larvae of C. riparius of a native population were exposed for 10 generations to 10 μg/L nominal concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, and PFBS, comparable with the maximum values found in European rivers. All treatments showed reduced growth at most/several generations. No effects on survival, development, and reproduction were found. A final tolerance‐induction test was performed exposing the pre‐exposed experimental cohorts to 100 µg/L PFOS and 150 µg/L PFOA for a whole life cycle. Factorial analysis of variance revealed no difference between treatments (i.e., PFOS vs PFOA), indicating no induced tolerance. Instead, organisms pre‐exposed to PFBS were the most stressed, followed by those pre‐exposed to PFOA and PFOS, with earlier emergence and reduced adult weight. The results may be related to general stress and genetic erosion induced by long‐term laboratory culture, but also to long‐term toxicant exposure. However, no effects at the population level (population growth rate) were proved, and thus a toxicity risk in real ecosystems at the tested concentrations seems unlikely. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;00:1–12. © 2019 SETAC

“…Abbreviations PFC: perfluorinated compounds; PFCAs: perfluorocarboxylic acids; PFASs: perfluoroalkyl sulfonates; PFBA: perfluorobutanoate; PFPA: perfluoropentanoate; PFHxA: perfluorohexanoate; PFHpA: perfluoroheptanoate; PFOA: perfluorooctanoic acid; PFNA: perfluorononanoate; PFDA: perfluorodecanoate; PFUnDA: perfluoroundecanoate; PFDoDA: perfluorododecanoate; PFTrDA: perfluorotridecanoate; PFBS: perfluorobutane sulfonate; PFOS: perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFDS: perfluorodecane sulfonate; PFHxA: potassium salts of perfluorohexane sulfonate; PFOSA: perfluorooctane sulfonamide; POSF: perfluorooctane Table 3 Estimated risk quotients of 6 PFCs in surface water in Liaohe River a EQS of PFBA, PFPA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFBS were obtained from Valsecchi et al [42]; EQS of PFOS was obtained from Brooke et al [43]; EQS of PFNA and PFDA were obtained from Hoke et al [44] Compound Range of concentrations in surface water (ng/L)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partitioning behavior, source identification, and risk assessment of perfluorinated compounds in an industry-influenced river

Guo

Liang

et al. 2019

Environ Sci Eur

Background The widespread application of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) makes them ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Investigation of contamination profiles, distribution, possible sources and risks of PFCs in Liaohe River, an industry-influenced river in northeast China was conducted in the present study. Results The total PFCs concentrations (∑PFCs) were in the range 0.38–127.88 ng/L (average value of 36.41 ng/L) in water and 1.72–10.44 ng/g dry weight (average of 4.99 ng/g) in sediment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the dominant individual in water and sediment phases, in the range 0.38–73.94 ng/L in water and below detection limit (BDL) to 7.88 ng/g dw in the sediments. The organic carbon normalized partition coefficients (Koc) ranged from 2.46 L/kg (PFHxA) to 4.29 L/kg (PFUnDA). The average Koc values for perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) increased by 0.13–0.62 log unit with each increasing CF2 moiety, and the Koc values were lower than perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFASs). The sources of PFCs identified from diagnostic ratios suggested that the contaminants were mainly from the emission of manufacturing processes and precursors degradation. Result from risk assessment indicated that the immediate health impact through intaking water was negligible, but the levels of PFOA in surface water might cause effects on aquatic ecosystem. The mass inventories of ∑PFCs and PFOA were estimated to be 328.74 t and 103.43 t in the study area, respectively, suggesting that the sediment in Liaohe River may act as a potential PFCs source to the surrounding areas. Conclusion This study demonstrated that PFCs were widely presented in the water and sediments of Liaohe River. In general, PFCAs had higher concentrations and detection frequency than PFSAs, and PFCAs with short carbon chains had much higher detection frequencies than long-carbon chain compounds in water. Among all PFC homologues, the average Koc increased with the increased carbon chain. Koc values were higher for PFSAs than PFCAs. The risk assessment suggested that PFOA in water may exert adverse effect on the aquatic ecosystem. Liaohe River was likely acting as a PFCs source to the surrounding area.