Jia Xuan, Li Xiaotong, Zhou Longfei, Hui Yamei, Li Wenchao, Cai Yaqi, Shi Yali
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Environ Sci Technol. 2023 Apr 4;57(13):5264-5274. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08995. Epub 2023 Mar 20.
The occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was investigated inside two manufacturing facilities in China. Levels, profiles, and spatial distribution of the detected PFAS were found to be distinctly site-specific and influenced by the area's historic function, production structure of the plant, downpour-induced accidental pollution, and variations in the adsorption and transport of compounds. Very high concentrations of PFAS [mainly C4 and C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs)] were found in topsoil and groundwater from both plants, with the highest values of 4.89 × 10 μg/kg dw and 1.10 × 10 μg/L, respectively. Elevated concentrations of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) in this study were attributed to their unintentional formation during the electrochemical fluorination process, which might be an overlooked source of PFCA. PFAS generally showed decreasing trends from shallow layers to the bottom of the soil core and demonstrated some downward migrations at different soil depths with time, and C4-C8 PFAS presented a deeper seepage than their long-chain homologues. Total organic carbon appeared to be more important for PFAS sorption to the topsoil than to the soil core. Workers were at potential risk of exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid via soil at production and storage related sites. This study provides a critical reference for the systematic control of PFAS pollution around manufacturing facilities and a proof for an overlooked source of PFCA.
对中国两家制造工厂内部的全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）的存在情况进行了调查。发现所检测到的PFAS的含量、分布特征和空间分布具有明显的场地特异性，并且受到该地区历史功能、工厂生产结构、暴雨引发的意外污染以及化合物吸附和迁移变化的影响。在两家工厂的表层土壤和地下水中均发现了非常高浓度的PFAS[主要是C4和C8全氟烷基磺酸（PFSA）]，最高值分别为4.89×10μg/kg干重和1.10×10μg/L。本研究中全氟烷基羧酸（PFCA）浓度升高归因于其在电化学氟化过程中无意形成，这可能是一个被忽视的PFCA来源。PFAS通常呈现出从土壤浅层到土壤芯底部逐渐降低的趋势，并且随着时间的推移在不同土壤深度表现出一些向下迁移，C4 - C8 PFAS的渗流深度比其长链同系物更深。总有机碳对于PFAS吸附到表层土壤似乎比对土壤芯更为重要。在生产和储存相关场地，工人存在通过土壤接触全氟辛烷磺酸的潜在风险。本研究为制造工厂周围PFAS污染的系统控制提供了关键参考，并证明了一个被忽视的PFCA来源。
