Distribution and release of PFAS from AFFF-impacted asphalt: How does it compare to concrete?

Yijing Li; Trent A Key; Phong H N Vo; Scott Porman; Anita Thapalia; Jeffrey T McDonough; Stephanie Fiorenza; Craig M Barnes; Jochen F Mueller; Phong K Thai

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133627

Distribution and release of PFAS from AFFF-impacted asphalt: How does it compare to concrete?

J Hazard Mater. 2024 Mar 15:466:133627. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133627. Epub 2024 Jan 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, QLD 4102, Australia.
² ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., Spring, TX 77389, USA.
³ Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, QLD 4102, Australia; Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
⁴ Mobil Oil Australia, Melbourne, VIC 3008, Australia.
⁵ ExxonMobil Environmental and Property Solutions Company, Spring, TX 77389, USA.
⁶ ERM, Denver, CO 80202, USA.
⁷ Arcadis North America, Houston, TX 77042, USA.
⁸ Airservices Australia, 25 Constitution Avenue, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
⁹ Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, QLD 4102, Australia. Electronic address: p.thai@uq.edu.au.

PMID: 38301440
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133627

Abstract

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)-impacted asphalt and concrete may serve as potential secondary sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the environment through surficial leaching. We aimed to understand the vertical distribution and surficial release of PFAS from AFFF-impacted asphalt and concrete cores collected from various locations (∼10-70 m distance between samples). Among the PFAS analyzed, 6:2 FTS was observed as having the highest concentration in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm) of concrete (225 µg kg^-1) and in the runoff from the concrete (2600 ng L^-1). PFOS was detected at the highest concentration in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm) of asphalt (47 µg kg^-1) and associated runoff (780 ng L^-1). The total mass of PFAS released during three rainfall simulations accounts for a fraction of the total mass in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm), ranging from 0.10 - 9.8% and 0.078 - 2.4% for asphalt and concrete cores, respectively. Asphalt exhibited a higher release rate than concrete, demonstrated by the higher total release coefficient of PFAS (4 - 16 m^-2) compared to that of concrete cores (1 - 5 m^-2). These results suggested that, similar to concrete, AFFF-impacted asphalt may be a secondary source of PFAS to the environment.

Keywords: Asphalt; Concrete; Leaching; PFAS; Release rate; Runoff.