title: Spatial distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids in the Pearl River of southern China.
abstract: An intensive campaign was conducted in September 2012 to collect surface water samples along the tributaries of the Pearl River in southern China. Thirteen perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), including perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs, C4-C11) and perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs, C4, C6-C8, and C10), were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography/negative electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/(-)ESI-MS/MS). The concentrations of total PFAAs (ΣPFAAs) ranged from 3.0 to 52 ng L(-1), with an average of 19±12 ng L(-1). The highest concentrations of ΣPFAAs were detected in the surface water of the Dong Jiang tributary (17-52 ng L(-1)), followed by the main stream (13-26 ng L(-1)) and the Sha Wan stream (3.0-4.5 ng L(-1)). Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the three most abundant PFAAs and on average accounted for 20%, 24%, and 19% of ΣPFAAs, respectively. PFBS was the most abundant PFAA in the Dong Jiang tributary, and PFOA was the highest PFAA in the samples from the main stream of the Pearl River. A correlation was found between PFBS and PFOA, which suggests that both of these PFAAs originate from common source(s) in the region. Nevertheless, the slope of PFBS/PFOA was different in the different tributaries sampled, which indicates a spatial difference in the source profiles of the PFAAs.
authors: College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Yingyi
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Senchao
authors: S
authors: Lai
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Zhao
authors: Fobang
authors: F
authors: Liu
authors: Hongwei
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Shichun
authors: S
authors: Zou
authors: Zhiyong
authors: Z
authors: Xie
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Ebinghaus
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: PFAAs; Pearl River; Spatial variation; Surface water