Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the atmosphere of Shenzhen, China: Spatial distribution, sources and health risk assessment

Baolin Liu; Hong Zhang; Dan Yao; Juying Li; Liuwei Xie; Xinxuan Wang; Yanping Wang; Guoqing Liu; Bo Yang

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.07.012

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the atmosphere of Shenzhen, China: Spatial distribution, sources and health risk assessment

Chemosphere. 2015 Nov:138:511-8. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.07.012. Epub 2015 Jul 21.

Authors

Baolin Liu¹, Hong Zhang², Dan Yao³, Juying Li⁴, Liuwei Xie³, Xinxuan Wang⁵, Yanping Wang⁵, Guoqing Liu³, Bo Yang⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Physics Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; College of Chemistry, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China; College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300222, China.
² College of Physics Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: zhangh@szu.edu.cn.
³ College of Physics Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
⁴ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
⁵ College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300222, China.

PMID: 26203866
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.07.012

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the atmosphere of Shenzhen, China. 11 PFCs, including two perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs, C6 and C8) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs, C4-12) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS). Total PFC concentrations (∑ PFCs) in the atmospheric samples ranged from 3.4 to 34 pg m(-3) with an average of 15 pg m(-3). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were the two most abundant PFCs and on average accounted for 35% and 22% of ∑ PFCs, respectively. ∑ PFCs and total PFCA concentrations (∑ PFCAs) showed a tendency of low-lying East West, while the distribution of total PFSA concentrations (∑ PFSAs) was uniform. Higher concentrations of ∑ PFCs were found in Bao'an District which had very well-developed manufacturing industries. PCA model was employed to quantitatively calculate the contributions of sources. The results showed that PFOA-factor, long chain PFCs-factor and PFOS-factor were the three main source categories for PFCs in the atmosphere. Meanwhile, long-distance transport of pollutants from southeastern coastal areas might be another source of PFCs in Shenzhen atmosphere. PFCs in the atmosphere were more positively correlated with the levels PM10 than PM2.5, which indicated PFCs were more likely to adhere to particles with relatively large sizes. The hazard ratios of noncancer risk through breathing based on PFOS and PFOA concentrations were calculated and were less than unity, suggesting that PFCs concentrations may pose no or immediate threat to the residents in Shenzhen.

Keywords: Environmental health risk assessment; Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs); Source appointment; Spatial distribution.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / analysis*
Atmosphere / chemistry*
China
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Environmental Monitoring*
Fluorocarbons / analysis*
Health*
Humans
Risk Assessment
Spatial Analysis*
Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

Air Pollutants
Fluorocarbons