Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were detected in the atmosphere of a source region in Tianjin, China. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) were the dominant neutral PFASs in the atmosphere with total concentrations of 93.6-131 pg/m(3) and 8:2 FTOH contributing the most, whereas perfluorooctane sulfonamide derivatives (PFOSAs) were two magnitudes lower or undetected. In comparison, ionic PFASs (perfluoroalkyl carboxyl acids (PFCAs)) in the atmosphere were detected at similar or even higher levels. At wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the air over influent was found with higher levels of FTOHs than over aeration tank and effluent; whereas in the air over the aeration tank, the concentrations of PFOSAs and nonvolatile ionic PFASs substantially increased, suggesting a possible direct release of ionic PFASs to the atmosphere besides the atmospheric conversion from volatile precursors. In the air phase, a low proportion (1-5%) of PFCAs was subjected to dry deposition in the source region. Interestingly, the dry-deposition-to-bulk-air ratios of PFCA analogues were the lowest at medium chain lengths (C8 and C9) and increased with either shorter or longer chain length. The extraordinary affinity of shorter-chain PFCAs (C6-C7) to particles was presumed to be due to their smaller molecular size favoring the interactions between the carboxyl head groups and specific sorption sites on particulate matter.
Keywords: Atmosphere; Dry deposition; Long range transport; Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; Wastewater treatment plant.
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