TY - JOUR

T1 - Determination of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in water and suspended particulate matter in the river Elbe and North Sea, Germany

AU - Ahrens, Lutz

AU - Plassmann, Merle

AU - Xie, Zhiyong

AU - Ebinghaus, Ralf

PY - 2009/6

Y1 - 2009/6

N2 - The distribution of polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in the dissolved and particulate phase and their discharge from the river Elbe into the North Sea were studied. The PFCs quantified included C 4-C 8 perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), C 6 and C 8 perfluorinated sulfinates (PFSiAs), C 4-C 12 perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoro-3,7-dimethyl-octanoic acid (3,7m 2-PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and n-ethyl perfluroctane sulfonamidoethanol (EtFOSE). PFCs were mostly distributed in the dissolved phase, where perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) dominated with 2.9-12.5 ng/L. In the suspended particulate matter FOSA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed the highest concentrations (4.0 ng/L and 2.3 ng/L, respectively). The total flux of ∑PFCs from the river Elbe was estimated to be 802 kg/year for the dissolved phase and 152 kg/year for the particulate phase. This indicates that the river Elbe acts as a source of PFCs into the North Sea. However, the concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) in the North Sea were higher than that in the river Elbe, thus an alternative source must exist for these compounds.

AB - The distribution of polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in the dissolved and particulate phase and their discharge from the river Elbe into the North Sea were studied. The PFCs quantified included C 4-C 8 perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), C 6 and C 8 perfluorinated sulfinates (PFSiAs), C 4-C 12 perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoro-3,7-dimethyl-octanoic acid (3,7m 2-PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and n-ethyl perfluroctane sulfonamidoethanol (EtFOSE). PFCs were mostly distributed in the dissolved phase, where perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) dominated with 2.9-12.5 ng/L. In the suspended particulate matter FOSA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed the highest concentrations (4.0 ng/L and 2.3 ng/L, respectively). The total flux of ∑PFCs from the river Elbe was estimated to be 802 kg/year for the dissolved phase and 152 kg/year for the particulate phase. This indicates that the river Elbe acts as a source of PFCs into the North Sea. However, the concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) in the North Sea were higher than that in the river Elbe, thus an alternative source must exist for these compounds.

KW - Chemistry

KW - Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

KW - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

KW - Polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs)

KW - Surface water

KW - Water-particulate partitioning

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67149144425&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11783-009-0021-8

DO - 10.1007/s11783-009-0021-8

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 3

SP - 152

EP - 170

JO - Frontiers of Environmental Science and Engineering

JF - Frontiers of Environmental Science and Engineering

SN - 2095-2201

IS - 2

ER -