Determining global background soil PFAS loads and the fluorotelomer-based polymer degradation rates that can account for these loads.

In recent years, fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs) have been the dominant product of the fluorotelomer industry. For the last decade, whether FTPs degrade to toxic perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) has been vigorously contested, with early studies arguing that FTPs have half-lives >1000 years, and others concluding decadal half-lives. Given this FTP half-life discrepancy of 10- to >100-fold, here we investigate whether environmental loads of long-chain PFCAs might offer an independent approach to assess FTP half-lives.

Polyfluorinated compounds: past, present, and future.

Interest and concern about polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and an increasing number of other related compounds is growing as more is learned about these ubiquitous anthropogenic substances. Many of these compounds can be toxic, and they are regularly found in the blood of animals and humans worldwide. A great deal of research has been conducted in this area, but a surprising amount remains unknown about their distribution in the environment and how people ultimately become exposed.

Application of WWTP biosolids and resulting perfluorinated compound contamination of surface and well water in Decatur, Alabama, USA.

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been produced and used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products for many decades. Their resistance to degradation has led to their widespread distribution in the environment, but little is known about how humans become exposed. Recent studies have demonstrated that the application of PFC contaminated biosolids can have important effects on local environments, ultimately leading to demonstrable human exposures.

Concentrations, distribution, and persistence of perfluoroalkylates in sludge-applied soils near Decatur, Alabama, USA.

Sludges generated at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Decatur, Alabama have been applied to agricultural fields for more than a decade. Waste-stream sources to this WWTP during this period included industries that work with fluorotelomer compounds, and sludges from this facility have been found to be elevated in perfluoroalkylates (PFAs). With this knowledge, the U.

Analysis of perfluorinated chemicals in sludge: method development and initial results.

A fast, rigorous method was developed to maximize the extraction efficacy for ten perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorooctanesulfonate from waste-water-treatment sludge and to quantitate using liquid chromatography, tandem-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). First, organic solvents were tested for extraction efficiency, including acetonitrile (ACN), methanol (MeOH), isopropanol (IPA), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and 50/50 ACN/MeOH (v/v). Among the extractants tested, 50/50 ACN/MeOH yielded the best results for our combined criteria of extraction efficacy and solvent-handling convenience.

Observation of a commercial fluorinated material, the polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters, in human sera, wastewater treatment plant sludge, and paper fibers.

Sources of human exposure to perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are not well-characterized. Polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acids (PAPs) are fluorinated surfactants used in human food contact paper products. PAPs can migrate into food and food simulants, and their bioavailability and biotransformation into PFCAs has been demonstrated using a rat model.

Perfluorinated phosphonic acids in Canadian surface waters and wastewater treatment plant effluent: discovery of a new class of perfluorinated acids.

The environmental prevalence of a new class of perfluorinated acids, the perfluorinated phosphonic acids (PFPAs), was determined in Canadian surface waters and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. For quality control and comparison, the C8- to C11-perfluorinated carboxylic acids and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid were included in the analysis. Water samples were extracted using weak anion-exchange solid-phase extraction cartridges.

Perfluorinated compounds in human breast milk from several Asian countries, and in infant formula and dairy milk from the United States.

The occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in human blood is known to be widespread; nevertheless, the sources of exposure to humans, including infants, are not well understood. In this study, breast milk collected from seven countries in Asia was analyzed (n=184) for nine PFCs, including perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). In addition, five brands of infant formula (n=21) and 11 brands of dairy milk (n=12) collected from retail stores in the United States were analyzed, for comparison with PFC concentrations previously reported for breast milk from the U.