Occurrence and Sources of Perfluorinated Surfactants in Rivers in Japan

Abstract

We analyzed perfluorinated surfactants (PFSs) in 20 river samples and 5 wastewater secondary effluent samples in Japan to reveal their occurrence and sources. Nine PFS species were determined: perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUA), perfluorododecanoate (PFDDA), and perfluorotridecanoate (PFTDA). PFSs were detected in all rivers, revealing nationwide contamination of rivers. In particular, 11 out of 20 river samples exceeded New Jersey guidance for PFOA in drinking water (40 ng/L). PFOS, PFHpA, PFOA, and PFNA were major species in Japan. Concentrations of PFOS, PFHpA, and PFNA in rivers were strongly correlated with population density, suggesting that the chemicals were derived from urban activities. PFOA showed a significant but weak correlation. We used crotamiton, a marker of sewage effluent, for further source analysis. Concentrations of PFOS, PFHpA, and PFNAwere strongly correlated with those of crotamiton, and plots of secondary effluents fell near the regression lines of rivers, indicating that the PFOS, PFHpA, and PFNA in rivers were derived from sewage effluent. On the other hand, PFOA was found at remarkably high levels (54-192 ng/L) in seven river samples containing low levels of crotamiton, suggesting that it was derived from nonsewage point sources, as well as sewage effluent. The total fluxes of sewage-derived PFOS, PFHpA, PFOA, and PFNA from Japan were estimated to be 3.6, 2.6, 5.6, and 2.6 t/year, respectively. This is the first report to identify PFOA in several rivers, derived from nonsewage point sources, by using a marker of sewage effluent.

Spatiotemporal distribution and mass loadings of perfluoroalkyl substances in the Yangtze River of China

“…Some previous studies have also reported the occurrence of PFASs, especially PFOA and PFOS in river water globally (Hansen et al, 2002;Mclachlan et al, 2007;Murakami et al, 2008;Yeung et al, 2009;Nakayama et al, 2010;Hong et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2013). In general, the PFAS concentrations in the Yangtze River were lower than those in other rivers in the world.…”

Occurrence and Transport of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs), Including Short-Chain PFAAs in Tangxun Lake, China

“…22 We also detected high levels of PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and PFHxS in water at these sites, with mean values of 74.5 (26.4−254) ng/L, 120 (27.8−462) ng/L, 127 (23.8−478) ng/L, and 488 (286−578) ng/L, respectively, which were much higher than those in water samples from WWTPs and lakes in previous studies. 5,23 In Labadie's study, adsorption in the filtration process of water samples is observed both in nylon and glass fiber filters. Using glass fiber filters, the sorption ranges from 10% to 30% for longchain PFCAs (CF 2 > 10), while the sorption of PFOS and PFBS is lower than 6%.…”

A review of sources, multimedia distribution and health risks of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in China

“…Similar methods were applied by Kim (2012) to estimate the watershed-based riverine discharge load of PFOS on the Korean peninsula. Total flux of sewage-derived PFOS from Japan was estimated by use of per capita emission factor, which was derived from PFOS loads in the wastewater effluents and the population served by the WWTPs (Murakami et al, 2008). In China, discharges of PFOS from major rivers, effluent and sludge in several WWTPs were estimated by Chen et al (2011b).…”