Abstract
The application of contaminated paper sludge on arable land in southwest Germany caused the occurrence of a broad range of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on soil. Recently, the dead-end transformation products (TPs) perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid were detected in groundwater and drinking water. The precursors and other transformation products mostly remained unknown. Therefore, HRMS screening by Kendrick mass analysis and assignment of homologous series in combination with suspect screening were applied to identify original PFASs and their TPs in four different soil samples from sites where contaminated paper sludge was applied. In total, twelve compound classes comprising more than 61 PFASs could be fully or tentatively identified. The data reveal that contamination mainly originates from polyfluorinated dialkylated phosphate esters (from 4:2/6:2 to 12:2/14:2), N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol–based phosphate diesters (only C8/C8) and transformation products of these precursors. Contamination patterns can be attributed to PFASs used for paper impregnation and can vary slightly from site to site.Graphical abstract
Highlights
Poly- and perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs) are anthropogenic compounds with an increasing environmental significance [1]
Contaminated soil samples were analyzed for PFAS precursors and transformation products (TPs) by LC-QTOF-MS
Accurate mass data have been evaluated by Kendrick mass analysis for compounds characterized by homologous series (HS) with CF2, CF2O, and C2F4O repeating units
Summary
Poly- and perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs) are anthropogenic compounds with an increasing environmental significance [1]. Two of the best studied PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), accumulate in the liver, lung, and kidney of rats and are proposed to be a big threat to humans and biota [14, 15]. Their major manufacturer 3M has phased out the production of these two substances between 2000 and 2002 [1], yet other PFASs such as ammonium 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro2-(heptafluoropropoxy)-propanoate (GenX) have replaced these compounds [16]. Studies performed by Gomis et al [17] and Sun et al [18] even indicate a higher toxicity and a lower sorption on activated carbon for GenX than for PFOA, highlighting the importance of both legacy and novel PFASs
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