Atmospheric concentrations and trends of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) over 7 years of sampling in the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) network. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rauert, Cassandra; Shoieb, Mahiba; Schuster, Jasmin K.; Eng, Anita; Harner, Tom
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 238(2018)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 102
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances -- Volatile methyl siloxanes -- GAPS network -- Atmospheric trends; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) were monitored at 21 sites in the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network. Atmospheric concentrations previously reported from 2009 were compared to concentrations measured at these sites in 2013 and 2015, to assess trends over 7 years of monitoring. Concentrations of the fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorinated sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSAs and FOSEs) were stable at these sites from 2009 to 2015 with no significant difference (p > 0.05) in concentrations. Elevated concentrations of all the neutral PFAS were detected at the urban sites as compared to the polar/background sites. The perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), meanwhile, saw a significant increase (p < 0.001) in concentrations from 2009 to 2015. The perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) had elevated concentrations in 2015, however, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Concentrations of the PFSAs and the PFCAs were similar at all location types, showing the global reach of these persistent compounds. Concentrations of the cyclic VMS (cVMS) were at least an order of magnitude higher than the linear VMS (lVMS) and the PFAS. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) saw a weak significant increase in concentrations from 2009 to 2013 (p < 0.05), however, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3) had a strong significant decrease in concentrations from 2009 to 2015 (p < 0.01). Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: PFSA concentrations are significantly increasing at 21 GAPS sites, from 2009 to 2015. PFCA concentrations were also generally higher in 2015 but not significant. Neutral PFAS concentrations were stable at these GAPS sites from 2009 to 2015. D3 significantly decreased and the other siloxanes were stable or increased. Concentrations at the polar sites were similar to all the background sites. Abstract : Atmospheric concentrations of PFAS and VMS were monitored at 21 GAPS sites from 2009 to 2015 and environmental decreases post implementation of regulatory actions are still not being observed.