Screening of perfluoroalkyl substances and organic flame retardants in Swedish Rivers : Screening av perfluoralkylerade ämnen och flamskyddsmedel i svenska vattendrag
Year: 2013
Type: report
Abstract: The occurrence and effects of ubiquitously present persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment is one of the challenges the society is facing today. Two categories of chemicals that have gained increased public attention during the last decades are organic flame retardants (FRs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Many representatives from these compound groups have bioaccumulative, persistent and toxic properties. This has led to a ban of some of these compounds based on international agreements. FRs and PFASs end up in surface waters and sometimes also in ground water due to their widespread distribution, disinclination of getting removed at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and persistence. However, the knowledge of the occurrence, fate, and effect in the environment of FRs and PFASs is still in great need of research, especially for recently introduced compounds (such as novel FRs). The objective of this project was to provide a snapshot of the current pollution situation of PFASs and selected novel FRs in Swedish surface waters. We sampled at 44 sites (representing 41 rivers and streams) along the whole coastline of Sweden and analysed their content of PFASs (all sites) and FRs (25 sites representing 23 rivers). Among the 12 target FRs, 3 could be quantified (2,4,6-TBP, TCIPP, and TPHP). TCIPP was the predominant compound with a level up to 3 900 ng L -1. The 2,4,6-TBP showed higher levels in southern rivers. The river with highest levels of ΣFRs was Fyrisån, and the total riverine input of the targeted FRs into the Baltic Sea was estimated to 38 kg day-1 with Ångermanlandsälven and Norrström as major contributors. It should be noted that these values only include the targeted, relatively novel FRs, while historically more important FRs such as the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are not included. In total 13 PFASs were detected (PFBA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTeDA, FOSA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFOS) among the 25 target compounds. The mean ΣPFAS level of all sampled rivers was 9.5 ng L -1 and the median 4.2 ng L-1, and the highest mean values were found for PFBS and PFHxS (~2 ng L-1 for each compound). Streams in the north (e.g. Alterälven, Öre älv, Gide älv, Lögde älv and Ljungan) showed generally higher fractions of the longer chained perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs; i.e. PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTeDA) whereas in the south the fractions of PFHpA and PFOA were higher. The total riverine input of all PFASs into recipient seas was estimated to 3.2 kg day-1 (1150 kg yr-1). PFOS exceeded the annual average Environmental Quality Standard (AA-EQS; 2013/39/EU) of 0.65 ng L -1 at 12 of 44 sampling sites, which are located in all parts of Sweden (Ume älv at Gubböle, Ångermanälven, Delångersån, Fyrisån, Norrström, Nyköpingsån, Emån, Lyckebyån, Rönneån, Nissan, Viskan and Göta älv at Alelyckan). As this study was a one-time grab sampling campaign for screening purposes, all values should be interpreted with care. A screening study like the current may, however, reveal hot spots. Verification and more detailed studies over a longer time period are recommended for sites with elevated levels. Our study also suggests that upstream monitoring is necessary to reveal important pollution sources.
Language: Swedish
Subfield: Environmental Chemistry
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W277575890