Occurrence, mass loading, and post-control temporal trend of legacy perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the middle and lower Yangtze River

Jie Li; Enhang Liang; Xuming Xu; Nan Xu

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115966

Occurrence, mass loading, and post-control temporal trend of legacy perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the middle and lower Yangtze River

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Feb:199:115966. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115966. Epub 2023 Dec 27.

Authors

Jie Li¹, Enhang Liang², Xuming Xu³, Nan Xu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: lijie0320@sdu.edu.cn.
² College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China.
³ Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: xunan@pkusz.edu.cn.

PMID: 38150975
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115966

Abstract

Present study focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) occurrence in dry and wet seasons in the middle and lower Yangtze River (YZR) and changing temporal trends after years of control. Results revealed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was 75 % of total PFAS concentrations (∑₁₁PFASs). ∑₁₁PFASs were ranged 0.20-28.49 ng/L and 1.17-112.84 μg/kg in water and sediment. The logK_oc of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids was positive with the carbon chain length (p < 0.05, r² = 0.78). A meta-analysis of results from 16 peer-reviewed publications about PFASs in the YZR showed that fluorochemical industries strongly influenced the high PFAS levels in the detected scenes. PFOA was still the primary pollutant. Individual PFAS in the lower reach was higher than those in the middle reach. The mass loading of PFASs imported into the sea was 10.80 t/y. This study will help develop effective approaches for controlling emerging pollutants in the YZR.

Keywords: Human health risk; Legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; Mass loading; Middle and lower Yangtze River; Spatial distribution.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

Alkanesulfonic Acids* / analysis
Caprylates*
China
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollutants* / analysis
Fluorocarbons* / analysis
Rivers / chemistry
Water / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Water
perfluorooctanoic acid
Fluorocarbons
Environmental Pollutants
Alkanesulfonic Acids
Caprylates