Perfluorosulfonates and perfluorocarboxylates in snow and rain in Dalian, China.
Samples of precipitation events (snow and rain) in Dalian, a typical coastal town in China, were analyzed for perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) to investigate atmospheric contamination by these compounds. In the snow event on December 16, 2006, samples were collected from 21 different sites and in another 6 precipitation events, samples were collected from a single location. Four PFSAs (C4, C6, C8, C10) and seven PFCAs (C6-12) were analyzed. Among the homologues, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) concentrations were the highest with a geometric mean (GM) of 145 ng/L (n=21) during the snow event on December 16, 2006, followed by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) with a GM of 24.7 ng/L (n=21). Concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA) were more than two orders of magnitude lower than that of PFOS. Other PFSAs and PFCAs were found to be below the limit of detection in all the samples. In other 6 precipitation events, PFSAs and PFCAs were detected approximately in the same order of magnitude in both snow and rain. The results indicate that wet deposition may be a potential transport mechanism of perfluorinated chemicals in the environment.
Liu
Wei
W
School of Environmental and Biological Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, MOE, Dalian 116024, China.
Jin
YiHe
Y
Quan
Xie
X
Sasaki
Kazuaki
K
Saito
Norimitsu
N
Nakayama
Shoji F
SF
Sato
Itaru
I
Tsuda
Shuji
S
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers / Q000032:analysis*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011891:Rain / Q000737:chemistry*; D012914:Snow / Q000737:chemistry*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C040402:perfluorosulfonic acid