Distribution, partitioning behavior and positive matrix factorization-based source analysis of legacy and emerging polyfluorinated alkyl substances in the dissolved phase, surface sediment and suspended particulate matter around coastal areas of Bohai Bay, China
Abstract
The concentrations and spatial occurrences of 17 legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 4 emerging PFAS in the coastal water-dissolved phase, surface sediment phase and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the coastal areas of Bohai Bay were investigated. In addition, the partition behaviors of PFAS in the water-SPM system and water-sediment system and the potential sources of PFAS in the marine environment were revealed. The total concentrations of PFAS (∑PFAS) in the water-dissolved phase, surface sediment and SPM were 20.5-684 ng/L, 2.69-25.0 ng/g dry weight (dw) and 4.39-527 ng/g dw, respectively. The level of PFAS contamination in the coastal areas of Shandong Province was higher than that in other areas. The average partition coefficients (log K d ) of PFAS in the water-SPM system and water-sediment system were 1.56-3.57 and 0.72-2.95, respectively. Long-chain PFAS and PFECHS (perfluoroethylcyclohexane sulfonate) have a higher log K d than that of short-chain PFAS. PFAS with short carbon chains were mainly detected in the water-dissolved phase, but long-chain PFAS mainly occurred in the surface sediment and SPM phases. Source analysis based on the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model found that erosion inhibitor factories, aqueous film-forming foam factories, metal plating plants, fluoropolymer chemical manufacture and food contact materials were the main sources of PFAS in Bohai Bay. These results improved our understanding of the partitioning beha…
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The ΣPFASaq concentration, except in upstream regions, far exceeded reported concentrations in other studies by at least 2 orders of magnitude.
“Comparatively, the ΣPFASaq concentration (except in upstream regions) was found to far exceed the reported concentration in other studies by at least 2 orders of magnitude”
From Partitioning behavior of short-chain legacy and novel perfluorinated substances (PFAS) between dissolved and particulate phases in a river-estuary-coast continuum (2025) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2019
The φ values observed in this study were lower than those in some previous studies, probably due to low salinity in downstream and estuarine regions in the Xiaoqing River compared to the open ocean.
“The φ values observed in our study were lower than those in some previous studies (Ding et al., 2018; Liu et al., 2019), probably due to low salinity in downstream and estuarine regions in the Xiaoqing River compared to the situation in the open ocean.”
From Partitioning behavior of short-chain legacy and novel perfluorinated substances (PFAS) between dissolved and particulate phases in a river-estuary-coast continuum (2025) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2019
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Wu, N., Li, W., & Niu, Z.
- Affiliations
- Tianjin University (CN)
- Nankai University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Niu, Zhiguang
- Venue
- Environmental Pollution
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-03
- Volume
- 246
- Pages
- 34-44
- ISSN
- 0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2902457432
- Cited by
- 191
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 35 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 7
- FWCI
- 6.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (2012ZX07203-002-005)
- National Basic Research Program of China (2016YFC0401108)
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
- Keywords
- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, legacy PFAS, emerging PFAS, partitioning behavior, dissolved phase, surface sediments, suspended particulate matter, source apportionment, positive matrix factorization, coastal water pollution, Bohai Bay, long-chain PFAS, aqueous film-forming foam, food contact materials
- MeSH terms
- China, Environmental Monitoring, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Fluorocarbons, Models, Chemical, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Geologic Sediments, Particulate Matter, Bays
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