Background concentrations and spatial distribution of PFAS in surface waters and sediments of the greater Melbourne area, Australia

Tanya Paige; Thishakya De Silva; Saman Buddhadasa; Shiva Prasad; Dayanthi Nugegoda; Vincent Pettigrove

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140791

Background concentrations and spatial distribution of PFAS in surface waters and sediments of the greater Melbourne area, Australia

Chemosphere. 2024 Feb:349:140791. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140791. Epub 2023 Nov 27.

Authors

Tanya Paige¹, Thishakya De Silva², Saman Buddhadasa², Shiva Prasad³, Dayanthi Nugegoda⁴, Vincent Pettigrove⁴

Affiliations

¹ Aquatic Environmental Stress (AQUEST) Research Group, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia. Electronic address: s3370552@student.rmit.edu.au.
² National Measurement Institute, 1/153 Bertie St, Port Melbourne, Victoria, 3207, Australia.
³ National Measurement Institute, 105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia.
⁴ Aquatic Environmental Stress (AQUEST) Research Group, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia.

PMID: 38029939
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140791

Abstract

A survey of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was conducted in Melbourne, Australia to determine background concentrations in residential, industrial, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and rural land uses. Surface water and sediment samples collected from 65 sites with different catchment land uses were analysed for thirty-three PFAS. Twenty-two out of thirty-three targeted PFAS were detected, with at least one PFAS species was detected in 98% water samples and 8% sediment samples. One site was determined to have point-source pollution from an airport (surface water Σ₃₃PFAS = 4261 ng/L) and was excluded from statistical analyses. The median Σ₃₃PFAS concentration in surface water was 63.5 ng/L and the average was 78.6 ng/L (range < DL-526 ng/L). PFAS species with the highest median concentrations were PFBA (11.3 ng/L), PFHxA (9.2 ng/L), PFOA (8.3 ng/L), PFOS (8.0 ng/L), PFPeA (7.5 ng/L), PFHpA (3.2 ng/L), and PFHxS (2.9 ng/L). The average Σ₄PFAS in sediments was 0.35 ng/g d.w. (range = <DL-6.7 ng/g) and the congeners detected were PFOS, N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA, and N-EtFOSE. Significantly higher concentrations of all PFAS were found in urban areas than rural, except for PFBA which was evenly dispersed throughout all areas. Short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and the PFSA, PFBS were evenly dispersed throughout urban and industrial areas. PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA were higher, but not significantly, in residential catchments than industrial catchments. Industrial areas had significantly higher concentrations of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs), PFPeS, PFHxS, and PFOS, and 6:2 FTS than other urbanised areas. The distribution of PFAS throughout catchment types in this study displayed similar trends to other studies including findings of PFBA in background areas. Ongoing monitoring of defined catchments is recommended to improve understanding of PFAS sources and changes in environmental profiles, and to assess the implications of its occurrence throughout the environment.

Keywords: FTS; Land use; PFAS; PFOA; PFOS; Urban.

MeSH terms

Alkanesulfonic Acids* / analysis
Australia
Environmental Monitoring
Fluorocarbons* / analysis
Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated / analysis
Water / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Fluorocarbons
Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
Water
Alkanesulfonic Acids