Fate and transport of perfluoro- and polyfluoroalkyl substances including perfluorooctane sulfonamides in a managed urban water body
Abstract
Transport and fate of perfluoro- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in an urban water body that receives mainly urban runoff was investigated. Water, suspended solids, and sediment samples were collected during the monsoon (wet) and inter-monsoon (dry) season at different sites and depths. Samples were analyzed for C7 to C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylate homologues (PFCAs) (PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFDoA), perfluorohexane, perfluorooctane, and 6:2-fluorotelomer sulfonate (PFHxS, PFOS, and 6:2FtS, respectively), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), N-ethyl FOSA (sulfluramid), N-ethyl sulfonamidoethanol (N-EtFOSE), and N-methyl and N-ethyl sulfonamidoacetic acid (N-EtFOSAA and N-MeFOSAA, respectively). Concentrations in wet samples were only slightly higher. The sum total PFAS (ΣPFAS) concentrations dissolved in the aqueous phase and sorbed to suspended solids (SS) ranged from 107 to 253 ng/L and 11 to 158 ng/L, respectively. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFDA contributed most (approximately 90 %) to the dissolved ΣPFASs. N-EtFOSA dominated the particulate PFAS burden in wet samples. K D values of PFOA and PFOS calculated from paired SS and water concentrations varied widely (1.4 to 13.7 and 1.9 to 98.9 for PFOA and PFOS, respectively). Field derived K D was significantly higher than laboratory K D suggesting hydrophobic PFASs sorbed to SS resist desorption. The ΣPFAS concentrations in the top sedimentary layer ranged from 8 to 42 μg/kg and indicated preferential accumulation of the strongly sorbing long-chain PFASs. The occurrence of the metabolites N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA and FOSA in the water column and sediments may have resulted from biological or photochemical transformations of perfluorooctane sulfonamide precursors while the absence of FOSA, N-EtFOSA and 6:2FtS in sediments was consistent with biotransformation.
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The concentration of PFAA on suspended particles in surface runoff is difficult to quantify because sorbed PFAA resist desorption for analysis.
“High concentrations of PFAA were observed on suspended particles in surface runoff (Xiao et al., 2012), but their concentration is difficult to quantify as the sorbed PFAA resist desorption for analysis (Nguyen et al., 2016).”
From Perfluoroalkyl acids on suspended particles: Significant transport pathways in surface runoff, surface waters, and subsurface soils (2021) · cites this paper as Nguyen et al., 2016
PFOA was the most abundant PFAS detected in the aqueous phase of an urban water reservoir in Singapore, followed by PFOS and PFHxS.
“PFOA was the most abundant PFAS detected in the aqueous phase, followed by PFOS and PFHxS, with average concentrations of 58, 31, and 25 ng L−1, respectively (Nguyen et al., 2016).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Nguyen et al., 2016
Average concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS in the aqueous phase of an urban water reservoir in Singapore were 58, 31, and 25 ng L−1, respectively.
“PFOA was the most abundant PFAS detected in the aqueous phase, followed by PFOS and PFHxS, with average concentrations of 58, 31, and 25 ng L−1, respectively (Nguyen et al., 2016).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Nguyen et al., 2016
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“In general, PFOS is the substance most frequently found in sediment as reported by others (Ahrens et al., 2015; Chen et al., 2017; Nguyen et al., 2016).”
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- Authors
- Nguyen, T. V., Reinhard, M., Chen, H., & Gin, K. Y.-H.
- Affiliations
- Public Utilities Board (SG)
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- Corresponding author
- Reinhard, Martin
- Venue
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research
- Published
- 2016-05-05
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 10382-10392
- ISSN
- 0944-1344 (ISSN-L)
- 1614-7499
- OpenAlex
- W2345657146
- Cited by
- 54
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5
- FWCI
- 2.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Foundation Singapore (SG)
- Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) program
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- PFAS fate and transport, urban runoff, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOS, sediment sorption, suspended solids, seasonal variation, monsoon, PFAS degradation
- MeSH terms
- Biotransformation, Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated, Singapore, Sulfonamides, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Water Supply, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Geologic Sediments
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