Abstract
The concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Finnish aquatic environment were measured in riverine waters and in inland, coastal and open sea fish. In addition, the PFAS load to the Baltic Sea from 11 rivers was calculated. Measurements show that PFASs, including restricted perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), are widely present in the Finnish aquatic environment. At three out of 45 sampling sites, the concentration of PFOS in fish exceeded the environmental quality standard (EQS) of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The annual average (AA) ∑23PFAS concentration in surface waters ranged from 1.8 to 42 ng L−1 and the concentration of PFOS exceeded the AA-EQS in three out of 13 water bodies. In European perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), the ∑PFAS concentration ranged from 0.98 to 1 µg kg−1 f.w. (fresh weight) and from 0.2 to 2.4 µg kg−1 f.w., respectively. The highest concentrations in both surface water and fish were found in waters of southern Finland. The riverine export of ∑10PFAS to the Baltic Sea from individual rivers ranged from 0.4 kg yr−1 to 18 kg yr−1. PFAS concentrations in fish of point-source-polluted sites and coastal sites were higher compared to fish of open sea or diffusely polluted sites. The PFAS profiles in surface waters of background sites were different from other sites. This study shows that PFASs are widely found in the Finnish aquatic environment. Different PFAS profiles in samples from background areas and densely populated areas indicate diverse sources of PFASs. Although atmospheric deposition has a substantial influence on PFAS occurrence in remote areas, it is not the dominant source of all PFASs to the aquatic environment of Finland. Rather, wastewaters and presumably contaminated land areas are major sources of PFASs to this aquatic environment.
Highlights
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used as surfactants in various branches of manufacturing, such as in the metal, textile, paper and electrical industries
Were detected in the highest concentrations, which were 2.7-fold and 2.9-fold, respectively, greater than those of concentrations in corresponding surface water samples. These results show that the surface water sampling process is prone to contamination by PFASs, and specific attention should be directed to the handling of samples in the field
Higher concentrations of short-chained perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) in the rivers of southern Finland compared to the rivers of northern Finland are most likely a consequence of denser population and industrial activities, which leads to larger usage of products containing PFASs
Summary
PFASs are used as surfactants in various branches of manufacturing, such as in the metal, textile, paper and electrical industries. Firefighting foams are a major application of PFASs. PFASs end up in the environment from point sources (e.g., wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)), contaminated land areas (e.g., firefighting training sites, sites where WWTP sludge has been used) or from diffuse sources (e.g., atmospheric deposition, scattered dwellings). There are no measurements on atmospheric deposition or a database on the locations of firefighting training areas in Finland. PFASs are highly persistent in the environment. The estimated photochemical half-life of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is 256–25,000 years [1]. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is extremely recalcitrant against photolysis, hydrolysis and biodegradation [2].
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