title: Decades-scale degradation of commercial, side-chain, fluorotelomer-based polymers in soils and water.
abstract: Fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs) are the primary product of the fluorotelomer industry. Here we report on a 376-day study of the degradability of two commercial acrylate-linked FTPs in four saturated soils and in water. Using an exhaustive serial extraction, we report GC/MS and LC/MS/MS results for 50 species including fluorotelomer alcohols and acids, and perfluorocarboxylates. Modeling of seven sampling rounds, each consisting of ≥5 replicate microcosm treatments, for one commercial FTP in one soil yielded half-life estimates of 65–112 years and, when the other commercial FTP and soils were evaluated, the estimated half-lives ranged from 33 to 112 years. Experimental controls, consisting of commercial FTP in water, degraded roughly at the same rate as in soil. A follow-up experiment, with commercial FTP in pH 10 water, degraded roughly 10-fold faster than the circum-neutral control suggesting that commercial FTPs can undergo OH–-mediated hydrolysis. 8:2Fluorotelomer alcohol generated from FTP degradation in soil was more stable than without FTP present suggesting a clathrate guest–host association with the FTP. To our knowledge, these are the only degradability-test results for commercial FTPs that have been generated using exhaustive extraction procedures. They unambiguously show that commercial FTPs, the primary product of the fluorotelomer industry, are a source of fluorotelomer and perfluorinated compounds to the environment.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Keegan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Naile
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000032:analysis; D000438:Alcohols / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006868:Hydrolysis; D011108:Polymers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D000438:Alcohols; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D011108:Polymers; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants; D014867:Water; C036658:acrylic acid