Presence of Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in River and Drinking Water near a Fluorochemical Production Plant in the Netherlands

TLDR

The study examined legacy and emerging PFASs in river water upstream and downstream of a Dutch fluorochemical plant and in control sites. Drinking water samples were also collected from nearby municipalities and other Dutch regions. GenX was detected at all downstream sites (up to 812 ng L⁻¹, 13 times higher than the sum of PFCA and PFSA) and in drinking water from three municipalities (up to 11 ng L⁻¹), while 11 other PFASs were found only downstream and polyfluoroalkyl sulfonates were ubiquitous, indicating the plant as the source.

Abstract

The present study investigated the presence of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in river water collected in 2016 up- and downstream from a fluorochemical production plant, as well as in river water from control sites, in The Netherlands. Additionally, drinking water samples were collected from municipalities in the vicinity from the production plant, as well as in other regions in The Netherlands. The PFOA replacement chemical GenX was detected at all downstream river sampling sites with the highest concentration (812 ng/L) at the first sampling location downstream from the production plant, which was 13 times higher than concentrations of sum perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids and perfluoroalkanesulfonates (∑PFCA+∑PFSA). Using high resolution mass spectrometry, 11 polyfluoroalkyl acids belonging to the C2nH2nF2nO2, C2nH2n+2F2nSO4 or C2n+1H2nF2n+4SO4 homologue series were detected, but only in downstream water samples. These emerging PFASs followed a similar distribution as GenX among the downstream sampling sites, suggesting the production plant as the source. Polyfluoroalkyl sulfonates (C2nH2F4nSO3) were detected in all collected river water samples, and therefore appear to be ubiquitous contaminants in Dutch rivers. GenX was also detected in drinking water collected from 3 out of 4 municipalities in the vicinity of the production plant, with highest concentration at 11 ng/L. Drinking water containing the highest level of GenX also contained two C2nH2nF2nO2 homologues.