Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in wastewater: Significance of unknown precursors, manufacturing shifts, and likely AFFF impacts

Water Research

Volumn 95, Issue , 2016, Pages 142-149

  Houtz, Erika F ^a,b   Sutton, Rebecca ^c   Park, June Soo ^a   Sedlak, Margaret ^c  

^a Environmental Chemistry Laboratory   (United States)

^b Sequoia Foundation   (United States)

^c SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE   (United States)

Author keywords

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF); Poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs); San Francisco Bay; Total oxidizable precursor method; Wastewater effluent

Indexed keywords

BARIUM COMPOUNDS; CARBOXYLATION; EFFLUENT TREATMENT; INDUSTRIAL WATER TREATMENT; MANUFACTURE; WASTEWATER TREATMENT;

AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAM; AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAMS; PERFLUOROALKYL ACIDS; PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES; POLY- AND PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCE; PRECURSOR METHOD; SAN FRANCISCO BAY; TOTAL OXIDIZABLE PRECURSOR METHOD; TREATMENT PLANTS; WASTEWATER EFFLUENTS;

EFFLUENTS;

CARBOXYLIC ACID; HYDROXYL RADICAL; PERFLUOROALKYL ACID; UNCLASSIFIED DRUG; FLUOROCARBON; WATER;

AIRPORT; CONCENTRATION (COMPOSITION); EFFLUENT; FOAM; MANUFACTURING; OXIDATION; WASTEWATER;

AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAM; ARTICLE; BAY; EFFLUENT; FOAM; OXIDATION; PRIORITY JOURNAL; UNITED STATES; WASTE WATER; WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT; WATER POLLUTANT;

CALIFORNIA; SAN FRANCISCO BAY; UNITED STATES;

CARBOXYLIC ACIDS; FLUOROCARBONS; WASTE WATER; WATER; WATER POLLUTANTS, CHEMICAL;

EID: 84960938031     PISSN: 00431354     EISSN: 18792448     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.02.055     Document Type: Article

References (43)

1. Ahrens L., Felizeter S., Sturm R., Xie Z., Ebinghaus R. Polyfluorinated compounds in waste water treatment plant effluents and surface waters along the River Elbe. Ger. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2009, 58:1326-1333. 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.04.028.
2. Air Force Civil Engineering Center Final Preliminary Assessment Report for Perfluorinated Compounds at Travis Air Force Base Fairfield, CA May 2015.
3. Appleman T.D., Higgins C.P., Quiñones O., Vanderford B.J., Kolstad C., Zeigler-Holady J.C., Dickenson E.R.V. Treatment of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in U.S. full-scale water treatment systems. Water Res. 2014, 51:246-255. 10.1016/j.watres.2013.10.067.
4. Awad E., Zhang X., Bhavsar S.P., Petro S., Crozier P.W., Reiner E.J., Fletcher R., Tittlemier S.A., Braekevelt E. Long-term environmental fate of perfluorinated compounds after accidental release at Toronto airport. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:8081-8089. 10.1021/es2001985.
5. Backe W.J., Day T.C., Field J.A. Zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic fluorinated chemicals in aqueous film forming foam formulations and groundwater from U.S. military bases by nonaqueous large-volume injection HPLC-MS/MS. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47:5226-5234. 10.1021/es3034999.
6. Boulanger B., Vargo J.D., Schnoor J.L., Hornbuckle K.C. Evaluation of perfluorooctane surfactants in a wastewater treatment system and in a commercial surface protection product. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2005, 39:5524-5530. 10.1021/es050213u.
7. Commission Regulation No 552/2009 Off. J. Eur. Union 2009, 164:7-31.
8. Giesy J.P., Kannan K. Global distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate in wildlife. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2001, 35:1339-1342. 10.1021/es001834k.
9. Guo R., Sim W.J., Lee E.S., Lee J.H., Oh J.E. Evaluation of the fate of perfluoroalkyl compounds in wastewater treatment plants. Water Res. 2010, 44:3476-3486. 10.1016/j.watres.2010.03.028.
10. Harding-Marjanovic K.C., Houtz E.F., Yi S., Field J.A., Sedlak D.L., Alvarez-Cohen L. Aerobic biotransformation of fluorotelomer thioether amido sulfonate (lodyne) in AFFF-amended microcosms. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2015, 49:7666-7674. 10.1021/acs.est.5b01219.
11. Houde M., De Silva A.O., Muir D.C.G., Letcher R.J. Monitoring of perfluorinated compounds in aquatic biota: an updated review. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:7962-7973. 10.1021/es104326w.
12. Houtz E.F., Sedlak D.L. Oxidative conversion as a means of detecting precursors to perfluoroalkyl acids in urban runoff. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46:9342-9349. 10.1021/es302274g.
13. Houtz E.F., Higgins C.P., Field J.A., Sedlak D.L. Persistence of perfluoroalkyl acid precursors in AFFF-impacted groundwater and soil. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47:8187-8195. 10.1021/es4018877.
14. Huset C.A., Chiaia A.C., Barofsky D.F., Jonkers N., Kohler H.P.E., Ort C., Giger W., Field J.A. Occurrence and mass flows of fluorochemicals in the Glatt Valley Watershed. Switz. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008, 42:6369-6377. 10.1021/es703062f.
15. Kärrman A., Elgh-Dalgren K., Lafossas C., Møskeland T. Environmental levels and distribution of structural isomers of perfluoroalkyl acids after aqueous fire-fighting foam (AFFF) contamination. Environ. Chem. 2013, 8:372. 10.1071/EN10145.
16. Kato K., Wong L.-Y., Jia L.T., Kuklenyik Z., Calafat A.M. Trends in exposure to polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in the U.S. population: 1999-2008. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:8037-8045. 10.1021/es1043613.
17. Klosterhaus S., Yee D., Sedlak M., Sutton R. Contaminants of Emerging Concern in SF Bay: a Summary of Occurrence Data and Identification of Data Gaps 2013, SFEI Final Report Contribution No. 698.
18. Lee H., D'Eon J., Mabury S.A. Biodegradation of polyfluoroalkyl phosphates as a source of perfluorinated acids to the environment. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 47:3305-3310.
19. Lindstrom A.B., Strynar M.J., Delinsky A.D., Nakayama S.F., McMillan L., Libelo E.L., Neill M., Thomas L. Application of WWTP biosolids and resulting perfluorinated compound contamination of surface and well water in Decatur, Alabama, USA. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:8015-8021. 10.1021/es1039425.
20. McGuire M.E., Schaefer C., Richards T., Backe W.J., Field J.A., Houtz E.F., Sedlak D.L., Guelfo J.L., Wunsch A., Higgins C.P. Evidence of remediation-induced alteration of subsurface poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance distribution at a former firefighter training area. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014, 48:6644-6652. 10.1021/es5006187.
21. Meyer T., De Silva A.O., Spencer C., Wania F. Fate of perfluorinated carboxylates and sulfonates during snowmelt within an urban watershed. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:8113-8119. 10.1021/es200106q.
22. Moody C.A., Martin J.W., Kwan W.C., Muir D.C.G., Mabury S.A. Monitoring perfluorinated surfactants in biota and surface water samples following an accidental release of fire-fighting foam into Etobicoke Creek. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2002, 36:545-551. 10.1021/es011001+.
23. Moody C.A., Hebert G.N., Strauss S.H., Field J.A. Occurrence and persistence of perfluorooctanesulfonate and other perfluorinated surfactants in groundwater at a fire-training area at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, USA. J. Environ. Monit. 2003, 5:341-345. 10.1039/b212497a.
24. Pacific Institute The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the California Coast 2009.
25. Paul A.G., Jones K.C., Sweetman A.J. A first global production, emission, and environmental inventory for perfluorooctane sulfonate. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2009, 43:386-392. 10.1021/es802216n.
26. Place B.J., Field J.A. Identification of novel fluorochemicals in aqueous film-forming foams used by the US military. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46:7120-7127. 10.1021/es301465n.
27. Rhoads K.R., Janssen E.M.-L., Luthy R.G., Criddle C.S. Aerobic biotransformation and fate of N -ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanol (N -EtFOSE) in activated sludge. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008, 42:2873-2878. 10.1021/es702866c.
28. Schultz M.M., Barofsky D.F., Field J.A. Quantitative determination of fluorotelomer sulfonates in groundwater by LC MS/MS. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2004, 38:1828-1835. 10.1021/es035031j.
29. Schultz M.M., Higgins C.P., Huset C.A., Luthy R.G., Barofsky D.F., Field J.A. Fluorochemical mass flows in a municipal wastewater treatment facility. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2006, 40:7350-7357. 10.1021/es061025m.
30. Sedlak M.D., Greig D.J. Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in wildlife from an urban estuary. J. Environ. Monit. 2012, 14:146. 10.1039/c1em10609k.
31. Sepulvado J.G., Blaine A.C., Hundal L.S., Higgins C.P. Occurrence and fate of perfluorochemicals in soil following the land application of municipal biosolids. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:8106-8112. 10.1021/es103903d.
32. U.S.EPA.Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 2010/2015 PFOA Stewardship Program October 2006, http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/stewardship/.
33. U.S.EPA Significant New Uses Rule: Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonates and Long-chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylate Chemical Substances October 2013, http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0268-0034.
34. Wang M., Park J.-S., Petreas M. Temporal changes in the levels of perfluorinated compounds in California women's serum over the past 50 years. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45:7510-7516. 10.1021/es2012275.
35. Wang N., Liu J., Buck R.C., Korzeniowski S.H., Wolstenholme B.W., Folsom P.W., Sulecki L.M. 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge of waste water treatment plants. Chemosphere 2011, 82:853-858. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.11.003.
36. Wang Z., Cousins I.T., Scheringer M., Buck R.C., Hungerbühler K. Global emission inventories for C4-C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA) homologues from 1951 to 2030, part I: production and emissions from quantifiable sources. Environ. Int. 2014, 70:62-75. 10.1016/j.envint.2014.04.013.
37. Wang Z., Cousins I.T., Scheringer M., Hungerbühler K. Hazard assessment of fluorinated alternatives to long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and their precursors: status quo, ongoing challenges and possible solutions. Environ. Int. 2015, 75:172-179. 10.1016/j.envint.2014.11.013.
38. Weiner B., Yeung L.W.Y., Marchington E.B., D'Agostino L.A., Mabury S.A. Organic fluorine content in aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) and biodegradation of the foam component 6:2 fluorotelomercaptoalkylamido sulfonate (6:2 FTSAS). Environ. Chem. 2013, 10:486-493. 10.1071/EN13128.
39. Wu X.(May), Bennett D.H., Calafat A.M., Kato K., Strynar M., Andersen E., Moran R.E., Tancredi D.J., Tulve N.S., Hertz-Picciotto I. Serum concentrations of perfluorinated compounds (PFC) among selected populations of children and adults in California. Environ. Res. 2015, 136:264-273. 10.1016/j.envres.2014.09.026.
40. Ye F., Tokumura M., Islam M.S., Zushi Y., Oh J., Masunaga S. Spatial distribution and importance of potential perfluoroalkyl acid precursors in urban rivers and sewage treatment plant effluent - case study of Tama River. Jpn. Water Res. 2014, 67C:77-85. 10.1016/j.watres.2014.09.014.
41. Yeung L.W.Y., Robinson S.J., Koschorreck J., Mabury S.A. Part I. A temporal study of PFCAs and their precursors in human plasma from two German cities 1982-2009. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47:3865-3874. 10.1021/es303716k.
42. Yeung L.W.Y., Robinson S.J., Koschorreck J., Mabury S.A. Part II. A temporal study of PFOS and its precursors in human plasma from two German cities in 1982-2009. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47:3875-3882. 10.1021/es4004153.
43. Zushi Y., Masunaga S. Identifying the nonpoint sources of perfluorinated compounds using a geographic information system based approach. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2009, 28:691. 10.1897/08-194.1.