title: Evidence of remediation-induced alteration of subsurface poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance distribution at a former firefighter training area.
abstract: Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of fluorinated chemicals that are utilized in firefighting and have been reported in groundwater and soil at several firefighter training areas. In this study, soil and groundwater samples were collected from across a former firefighter training area to examine the extent to which remedial activities have altered the composition and spatial distribution of PFASs in the subsurface. Log Koc values for perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), estimated from analysis of paired samples of groundwater and aquifer solids, indicated that solid/water partitioning was not entirely consistent with predictions based on laboratory studies. Differential PFAA transport was not strongly evident in the subsurface, likely due to remediation-induced conditions. When compared to the surface soil spatial distributions, the relative concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and PFAA precursors in groundwater strongly suggest that remedial activities altered the subsurface PFAS distribution, presumably through significant pumping of groundwater and transformation of precursors to PFAAs. Additional evidence for transformation of PFAA precursors during remediation included elevated ratios of perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) to PFOS in groundwater near oxygen sparging wells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States.
authors.forename: Meghan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Trenton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Will J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Backe
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Houtz
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Sedlak
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Guelfo
authors.forename: Assaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wunsch
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D061388:Firefighters; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D005843:Geography; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D013023:South Dakota; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid