Occurrence of PFCs and PBDEs in Landfill Leachates from Across Canada

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are both classes of persistent organic pollutants with potential major health and environmental concerns. Many PBDE- and PFC-containing products are ultimately discarded in landfills. In samples from 28 landfills and dumpsites across Canada, PBDEs and PFCs were detected in almost all landfill leachate samples, with concentrations up to 1,020 and 21,300 ng/L, respectively. Mean concentrations were 166 ng/L for PBDEs and 2,950 ng/L for PFCs. Landfill leachates from southern Canada generally had greater concentrations of PBDEs and PFCs than those from northern Canada. The dominant compounds were decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) (mean contribution 52 %) for the PBDEs and perfluorohexanoic acid (mean contribution 25 %) for the PFCs. There were strong correlations for some compounds within each contaminant class, such as the major congeners in the penta-BDE commercial mix (BDE-47, BDE-99, and BDE-100). Estimated average ∑PBDE and ∑PFC loadings from an urban landfill to the environment were calculated to be 3.5 and 62 tonnes/year, respectively.