title: Deriving environmental quality standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and related short chain perfluorinated alkyl acids.
abstract: The evidence that in Northern Italy significant sources of perfluoroalkylacids (PFAA) are present induced the Italian government to establish a Working Group on Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for PFAA in order to include some of them in the list of national specific pollutants for surface water monitoring according to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). The list of substances included perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and related short chain PFAA such as perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), perfluoropentanoate (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) and perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), which is a substitute of perfluorooctanesulfonate. For each of them a dossier collects available data on regulation, physico-chemical properties, emission and sources, occurrence, acute and chronic toxicity on aquatic species and mammals, including humans. Quality standards (QS) were derived for the different protection objectives (pelagic and benthic communities, predators by secondary poisoning, human health via consumption of fishery products and water) according to the European guideline. The lowest QS is finally chosen as the relevant EQS. For PFOA a QS for biota was derived for protection from secondary poisoning and the corresponding QS for water was back-calculated, obtaining a freshwater EQS of 0.1μgL-1. For PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA and PFBS threshold limits proposed for drinking waters were adopted as EQS.
authors.affiliation: IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute, Via del Mulino 19, 20861 Brugherio, Italy. Electronic address: valsecchi@irsa.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valsecchi
authors.affiliation: ISPRA- Environmental Metrology Unit, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: ISS-National Health Institute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crebelli
authors.affiliation: IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute, Via del Mulino 19, 20861 Brugherio, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polesello
authors.affiliation: IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute, Via del Mulino 19, 20861 Brugherio, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rusconi
authors.affiliation: IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute, Via del Mulino 19, 20861 Brugherio, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
authors.affiliation: IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute,Via Salaria Km 29,300, Monterotondo Scalo Rome, 00015, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Preziosi
authors.affiliation: ISS-National Health Institute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carere
authors.affiliation: ISS-National Health Institute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lucentini
authors.affiliation: ISS-National Health Institute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.affiliation: ISPRA- Environmental Metrology Unit, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balzamo
authors.affiliation: ISPRA- Environmental Metrology Unit, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Simeone
authors.affiliation: Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea, Via Cristoforo Colombo 44, 00147 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aste
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D033161:Government Regulation; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid
keywords: Environmental quality standard; Hazard/risk assessment; PFOA; Perfluorinated compounds; Short chain perfluoroalkyl acids