title: Spatial distribution and fate of perfluoroalkyl substances in sediments from the Pearl River Estuary, South China.
abstract: In this study, 54 sediment samples were collected from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) in Southern China to study the spatial distribution and patterns of PFASs in this region. PFAS concentrations in the sediment samples ranged from nd (below detection limit) to 2.41 ng g(-1) dw (dry weight) with an average value of 0.79 ng g(-1) dw. PFAS concentrations were higher at the nearshore sampling sites than in the others. Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) were the two dominant compounds among the target PFASs, which may be due to their production and use as PFOS substitutes in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) areas. Significant linear relationships were found between total PFAS concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC) (R=0.30, p<0.05). The preliminary environmental risk assessment indicated that PFOS and PFOA in the regional sediments posed no significant ecological risk to the benthic organisms at present levels.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Jianjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: ywwang@rcees.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yawei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Baowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Guibin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C108042:perfluorobutane
keywords: PFASs; Pearl River Estuary; Risk assessment; Sediment