Deep seepage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through the soil of a firefighter training site and subsequent groundwater contamination
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are utilized in specific firefighting foams. The objectives of this study were i) to map PFAS distribution in the soil and groundwater of a firefighter training site active for more than 3 decades, ii) to locate the main points of entry of PFASs into the aquifer and iii) to identify which PFASs seeped most deeply into the soil. A total of 44 soil cores and 17 groundwater samples were collected. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTSA) and 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB) were the most predominant PFASs in surface soil. The highest total PFAS concentrations (up to 357 μg/g) were measured in two areas. Both areas were considered as potential points of entry of PFASs into the aquifer since PFASs were detected in soil 15 m below the surface, despite the presence of clay layers. The highest total PFAS concentrations were recorded in the monitoring wells located in the perimeter of the firefighter training site and in the spring located downgradient in the direction of groundwater flow. They ranged from 300 to 8300 ng/L. The fluorotelomer 6:2 FTAB was quantified in 6 monitoring wells, suggesting that this FT can reach a water table 20 m below the ground's surface.
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The deepest profiles were reported by Dauchy et al. (2019), which extended to 15 meters below ground surface.
“The deepest profiles were reported by Dauchy et al. (2019), which extended to 15 meters below ground surface.”
From PFAS concentrations in soils: Background levels versus contaminated sites (2020) · cites this paper as Dauchy et al. (2019)
The transformation to PFAAs from precursors associated with AFFF release has been documented in the subsurface.
“The transformation to PFAAs from precursors associated with AFFF release has been documented in the subsurface (Anderson et al., 2016; Dauchy et al., 2019).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mass flux and mass balance at an aqueous film-forming foam release site in semiarid eastern New Mexico, USA (2025) · cites this paper as Dauchy et al., 2019
The TOP assay was most recently applied to groundwater samples to evaluate seepage of PFAS through soil of a firefighter training site to assess groundwater contamination.
“Most recently, the TOP assay was applied to groundwater samples to evaluate seepage of PFAS through the soil of a firefighter training site to assess groundwater contamination [100].”
From Worldwide trends in tracing poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment (2019) · cites this paper as [100]
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- Authors
- Dauchy, X., Boiteux, V., Colin, A., Hémard, J., Bach, C., Rosin, C., & Munoz, J.-F.
- Affiliations
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Dauchy, Xavier
- Venue
- Chemosphere
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-01
- Volume
- 214
- Pages
- 729-737
- ISSN
- 0045-6535 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2895672753
- Cited by
- 192
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 7.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chemosphere (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- French Ministry of Health (DGS 216)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Keywords
- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS contamination, firefighting foam, groundwater contamination, soil contamination, deep seepage, PFOS, entry points, clay layer, observation wells
- MeSH terms
- Flame Retardants, Fluorocarbons, Humans, Soil, Soil Pollutants, Sulfonic Acids, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Groundwater, Firefighters
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