Sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in an arid, urban, wastewater-dominated watershed

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enter surface waters from various sources such as wastewater treatment plants, fire-fighting sites, and PFAS-producing and PFAS-using industries. The Las Vegas Wash in Southern Nevada of the United States (U.S.) conveys wastewater effluent from the Las Vegas metropolitan area to Lake Mead, a drinking water source for millions of people in the U.S. Southwest. PFAS have previously been detected in the Las Vegas Wash, but PFAS sources were not identified. In this study, upstream wash tributaries, wastewater treatment effluents, and shallow groundwater wells were sampled in multiple campaigns during dry-weather conditions to investigate possible PFAS sources. Out of 19 PFAS, two short-chain PFAS—perfluoropentanoic acid (48 % of the total molar concentration) and perfluorohexanoic acid (32 %)—comprised the majority of PFAS loading measured in the Las Vegas Wash, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (9 %). On a mass loading basis, the majority of total measured PFAS (approximately 90 %) and at least 48 % of each specific PFAS in the Las Vegas Wash likely entered via municipal wastewater effluents, of which the main source was likely residential wastewater. One of the drainage areas with a major civilian airport was identified as a potential source of relatively enriched perfluorosulfonic acids to a small wash tributary and shallow groundwater samples. Nonetheless, that tributary contributed at most 15 % of any specific PFAS to the mainstem of the Las Vegas Wash. Total PFAS concentrations were relatively low for the small tributary associated with an urban smaller airport and the lack of flow in the tributary channel immediately downgradient of an Air Force base indicates the smaller airport and base were unlikely significant PFAS sources to the Las Vegas Wash. Overall, this study demonstrated effective PFAS source investigation methodology and the importance of wastewater effluent as a PFAS environmental pathway.