Relationships between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and physical-chemical parameters in aqueous landfill samples
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Variable chemistries of liquids from landfills can potentially impact levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The objective of the current study was to evaluate relationships between physical-chemical properties (bulk measurements, oxygen demand components, and metals) and PFAS concentrations in different types of aqueous landfill samples. Aqueous landfill samples were collected from 39 landfill facilities in Florida, United States. These samples included leachates from landfills that receive different waste types, such as municipal solid waste incineration ash (MSWA), construction and demolition debris (C&D), and municipal solid waste (MSW). Additional aqueous landfill samples were sourced from treated landfill leachate, gas condensate, stormwater, and groundwater from within and near the landfill boundaries. Results showed significant correlations (p < 0.05) between ∑26 PFAS and alkalinity (r s = 0.83), total organic carbon (TOC) (r s = 0.84), and ammonia (r s = 0.79) for all leachate types. Other physical-chemical parameters that were significantly correlated (r s > 0.60, p < 0.05) with PFAS included specific conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and to a lesser extent, total dissolved solids (TDS) and total solids (TS). For gas condensates, PFAS was significantly correlated with TOC. Stormwater and groundwater, within and near the landfill boundaries, had considerably lower levels of PFAS and had a minimal correlation between PFAS and physical-chemical parameters. Although PFAS concentrations and physical-chemical parameters and their correlations varied between different types of aqueous landfill samples, results suggest that physical-chemical properties can be useful indicators of relative PFAS concentrations within a leachate type. More research is needed to validate the mechanisms that relate physical-chemical parameters to PFAS concentrations in landfill leachates.
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The R2 value for the correlation between the PFAS concentration and TOC in the gas condensate for all samples (R2 = 0.50) was less than that for samples within Florida landfills (R2 = 0.79).
“The only exception was that the R2 value for the correlation between the PFAS concentration and TOC in the gas condensate for all samples (R2 = 0.50) was less than that for samples within Florida landfills (R2 = 0.79).”
From Evaluation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill liquids from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin (2024) · cites this paper as Zhang et al., 2023
Section 3.5 reports a strong correlation between Σ26 PFAS and TOC in gas condensate (Spearman’s rₛ = 0.89) from the study’s Florida landfill samples. It does not report the claimed R² values of 0.79 and 0.50 or compare the Florida samples with an all-samples group, so the numerical comparison is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.78)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the previous study (Zhang et al., 2023), significant and strong correlations were observed between PFAS concentrations and alkalinity, TOC, and ammonia.
“In the previous study (Zhang et al., 2023), significant and strong correlations were observed between PFAS concentrations and alkalinity, TOC, and ammonia (Fig. 3).”
From Evaluation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill liquids from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin (2024) · cites this paper as Zhang et al., 2023
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- Authors
- Zhang, H., Chen, Y., Liu, Y., Bowden, J. A., Tolaymat, T. M., Townsend, T. G., & Solo-Gabriele, H. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- University of Florida (US)
- Environmental Protection Agency (US)
- Venue
- Chemosphere
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-07
- Volume
- 329
- Pages
- 138541
- ISSN
- 0045-6535 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10680781
- OpenAlex
- W4361225931
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 2.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- Locations
- Chemosphere (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Landfill Environmental Impact Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Studies
- Keywords
- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, landfill leachate, stormwater, groundwater contamination, physicochemical parameters, alkalinity, total organic carbon, ammonia, chemical oxygen demand, specific conductance, municipal solid waste incineration ash, construction and demolition waste, waste types
- MeSH terms
- Fluorocarbons, Refuse Disposal, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Incineration, Solid Waste, Waste Disposal Facilities
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