Poly‐ and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances in Air and Water from Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh hosts extensive textile manufacturing, for some of which per‐ and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have been used to impart water and dirt repellency, among other things. Textile waste emissions to the atmosphere and discharge into rivers and other bodies of water could present a significant concern for human and ecosystem health, but there is little information on PFAS in Bangladesh. To assess the presence of ionic PFAS and their precursors in air and water from Dhaka, Bangladesh, polyethylene sheets were deployed for 28 days as passive samplers for neutral PFAS in outdoor air and water, while ionic PFAS were measured from discrete water grabs. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) were detected at almost all sites in air and water; the most frequently detected compound was 6:2 FTOH, ranging from below instrumental detection limits (<IDL) to 70 ng m−3 in air and from <IDL to −19 ng L−1 in water. Of the ionic PFAS, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid dominated in frequency of detection and magnitude, with concentrations ranging from 1.8 to 19.0 ng L−1 in surface waters. The prevalence of 6:2 FTOH and PFBA across sites probably reflects their use in textile manufacturing and could indicate the industry's switch to shorter‐chain PFAS alternatives. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:334–342. © 2021 SETAC

Calibration of Perfluorinated Alkyl Acid Uptake Rates by a Tube Passive Sampler in Water

“…Each trial consisted of a 14 day deployment, where duplicate 50 mL water grab samples were taken at the beginning and end of each deployment to verify PFAS concentrations during deployments (Figure S3). Water samples were extracted and analyzed in accordance with methods detailed in literature and used to calculate sampling rates for corresponding individual passive samplers using eq . , For additional details on the experimental tank design and construction, see the SI.…”

“…River deployments occurred between October 2019 and September 2020 at QR09 ( n = 9) and in May 2021 at Pawcatuck ( n = 2). Grab samples of surface and groundwater were collected during deployment and/or recovery of passive samplers and extracted in the manner described in previous literature by either the University of Rhode Island or Harvard University. ,, For additional environmental and field QA/QC details, see the SI.…”

“…Grab samples of surface and groundwater were collected during deployment and/or recovery of passive samplers and extracted in the manner described in previous literature by either the University of Rhode Island or Harvard University. 36,39,41 layer, and sorbent layer for each compound (eqs 2 and 5 and Table S3). 42 We assumed that transport is entirely through the pore space of the microporous membrane and that the only diffusion within the sorbent layer is from aqueous diffusion within the water saturated interior, as in prior work.…”

“…Water samples were extracted and analyzed in accordance with methods detailed in literature and used to calculate sampling rates for corresponding individual passive samplers using eq 4. 36,39 For additional details on the experimental tank design and construction, see the SI.…”

Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in the Canadian Freshwater Environment

“…An increase in PFBA was also detected in Great Lakes samples in the Gewurtz et al ( 2019 ) study, while a significant increase in PFPeA was detected in MWWTP influent in Australia (Nguyen et al 2019 ). Morales-McDevitt et al ( 2021 ) also suggest that the prevalence of PFBA in water samples in Bangladesh probably stems from the textile industry’s switch to shorter-chain PFAS alternatives.…”