TY - JOUR

T1 - Identification of perfluoroalkyl acid sources in Swiss surface waters with the help of the artificial sweetener acesulfame

AU - Müller, Claudia E.

AU - Gerecke, Andreas C.

AU - Alder, Alfredo C.

AU - Scheringer, Martin

AU - Hungerbühler, Konrad

N1 - Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2011/5/1

Y1 - 2011/5/1

N2 - Anthropogenic perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), especially the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are ubiquitously found in surface waters around the globe. Emissions from households, industries and also atmospheric transport/deposition are discussed as the possible sources. In this study, these sources are evaluated using Switzerland as the study area. Forty-four surface water locations in different rivers and an Alpine lake were investigated for 14 PFAAs, four precursors and acesulfame, an artificial sweetener used as a population marker. Concentrations of individual PFAAs were generally low, between 0.02 and 10 ng/L. Correlation analysis showed that some PFAAs concentrations correlated well with population and less with catchment area, indicating that emissions from population, i.e., from consumer products, is the most important source to surface waters in Switzerland. The correlation with the population marker acesulfame confirmed this observation but highlighted also a few elevated PFAA levels, some of which could be attributed to industrial emissions.

AB - Anthropogenic perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), especially the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are ubiquitously found in surface waters around the globe. Emissions from households, industries and also atmospheric transport/deposition are discussed as the possible sources. In this study, these sources are evaluated using Switzerland as the study area. Forty-four surface water locations in different rivers and an Alpine lake were investigated for 14 PFAAs, four precursors and acesulfame, an artificial sweetener used as a population marker. Concentrations of individual PFAAs were generally low, between 0.02 and 10 ng/L. Correlation analysis showed that some PFAAs concentrations correlated well with population and less with catchment area, indicating that emissions from population, i.e., from consumer products, is the most important source to surface waters in Switzerland. The correlation with the population marker acesulfame confirmed this observation but highlighted also a few elevated PFAA levels, some of which could be attributed to industrial emissions.

KW - Chemistry

KW - Carboxylic Acids

KW - Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated

KW - Fresh Water

KW - Switzerland

KW - Population Density

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical

KW - Thiazines

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.035

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.035

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 21310517

VL - 159

SP - 1419

EP - 1426

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

SN - 0269-7491

IS - 5

ER -