title: Perfluorinated compounds in the surface waters of Puget Sound, Washington and Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds, British Columbia.
abstract: Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are persistent organic contaminants detected in various environmental matrices including sediment, air, biota, and water. The objectives of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of these contaminants within the surface waters of the Pacific Northwest region and through relative concentrations and ratios, to assess their possible sources. Surface waters were extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were the most commonly detected PFCs. Total PFC concentrations detected ranged from 1.5 to 41 ng L-1. Surprisingly, levels of PFCs in the more urbanized Puget Sound waters were comparable to those measured from the more rural region of Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds in British Columbia. The ratio of PFHpA/PFOA were also similar between the two regions, suggesting that the burden of PFCs throughout the region results from direct input from regional sources.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Program, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, 1900 Commerce Street, Box 358436, Tacoma 98402, United States; Center for Urban Waters, 326 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421-1801, United States. Electronic address: jdingpan@uw.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joyce Dinglasan-Panlilio
authors.affiliation: Center for Urban Waters, 326 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421-1801, United States.
authors.forename: Shristi S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.affiliation: Center for Urban Waters, 326 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421-1801, United States.
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D001955:British Columbia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014861:Washington; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Clayoquot Sound; PFOA; PFOS; Pacific Northwest; Perfluorinated compounds; Puget Sound