Occurrence and distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in surface water and sediment of a tropical coastal area (Bay of Bengal coast, Bangladesh)

Md Habibullah-Al-Mamun; Md Kawser Ahmed; Mohammad Raknuzzaman; Md Saiful Islam; Junya Negishi; Shihori Nakamichi; Makoto Sekine; Masahiro Tokumura; Shigeki Masunaga

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.104

Occurrence and distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in surface water and sediment of a tropical coastal area (Bay of Bengal coast, Bangladesh)

Sci Total Environ. 2016 Nov 15:571:1089-104. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.104. Epub 2016 Jul 21.

Authors

Md Habibullah-Al-Mamun¹, Md Kawser Ahmed², Mohammad Raknuzzaman³, Md Saiful Islam⁴, Junya Negishi⁵, Shihori Nakamichi⁵, Makoto Sekine⁵, Masahiro Tokumura⁶, Shigeki Masunaga⁶

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-9 Tokiwadai Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh. Electronic address: habibullah-al-sj@ynu.jp.
² Department of Oceanography, Earth & Environmental Science Faculty, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
³ Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-9 Tokiwadai Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh.
⁵ Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-9 Tokiwadai Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan.
⁶ Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-9 Tokiwadai Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan.

PMID: 27450955
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.104

Abstract

This study reports the first evidence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in surface waters and sediments collected from the coastal area of Bangladesh. Fifteen target PFAAs, including C4-14-PFCAs (perfluoroalkyl carboxylates) and C4, C6, C8, and C10-PFSAs (perfluoroalkyl sulfonates), were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS. The ΣPFAAs in surface water and sediment samples were in the range of 10.6 to 46.8ng/L and 1.07 to 8.15ng/gdw, respectively. PFOA in water (3.17-27.8ng/L) and PFOS in sediment samples (0.60-1.14ng/gdw) were found to be the most abundant PFAAs, and these concentrations were comparable to or less than most other reported values, particularly those recorded from the coastal areas of China, Japan, Korea and Spain. The majority of the monitored PFAAs did not show clear seasonal variation. The southeastern part (Cox's Bazar and Chittagong) of the Bangladeshi coastal area was more contaminated with PFAAs than the southern (Meghna Estuary) and southwestern parts (Sundarbans). Industrial and municipal wastewater effluents, ship breaking and port activities were identified as potential sources of the PFAA contamination in this region. Field-based sediment water distribution coefficients (KD) were calculated and corrected for organic carbon content (KOC), which reduced the variability between samples. The values of log KD (1.63-2.88) and log KOC (4.02-5.16) were higher than previously reported values, which may indicate that the partitioning of PFAAs in a tropical coastal ecosystem is different from other ecosystems, such as temperate and sub-tropical regions. Although a preliminary environmental hazard assessment indicated that PFOA or PFOS levels do not currently exceed the acute safety thresholds, we should keep in mind that they are bioavailable and can accumulate in the food chain. Therefore, the ubiquity of PFAAs in the coastal area of Bangladesh warrants further studies characterizing their specific sources and the potential long-term risks they present to both humans and wildlife.

Keywords: Hazard assessment; Partitioning; Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs); Sediment; Surface water; Tropical coastal area.

MeSH terms

Alkanesulfonates / analysis*
Alkanesulfonates / toxicity
Aquatic Organisms / drug effects
Bangladesh
Bays / analysis*
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments / analysis*
Plankton / drug effects
Risk Assessment
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

Alkanesulfonates
Water Pollutants, Chemical