title: Short- and long-chain perfluorinated acids in sewage sludge from Shanghai, China.
abstract: Perfluorinated acids (PFAs) are the subject of increasingly intense environmental research. In this study, sewage sludge samples were collected from 25 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shanghai, China to evaluate the levels and profile of C3-C14 PFAs. The results showed a ubiquitous PFAs contamination of sewage sludge in Shanghai with the total PFAs (∑PFAs) range of 126-809 ng g(-1)dw. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was found to be the dominant PFA pollutant and its concentration ranged from 23.2 to 298 ng g(-1)dw, much higher than the levels in other countries. Moreover, concentrations of short-chain PFAs (<C6) in sewage sludge were considerable. Following sludge application in agricultural land, the concentrations of PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are predicted to be 1.08 and 7.53 ng g(-1)dw, respectively, much lower than the corresponding US EPA standards. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to explore the fate of PFAs in sludge-amended soils due to the persistence and bioaccumulation potential of these compounds.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Chao-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiang-Zhou
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid