Cited by 289Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances researchLandfill Environmental Impact StudiesChemical Analysis and Environmental Impact

Contamination of groundwater with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from legacy landfills in an urban re-development precinct

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Hepburn, Emily, Madden, Casey, Szabo, Drew, Coggan, Timothy L., Clarke, Bradley, Currell, Matthew·2019·Environmental Pollution

Abstract

The extent of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater surrounding legacy landfills is currently poorly constrained. Seventeen PFAS were analysed in groundwater surrounding legacy landfills in a major Australian urban re-development precinct. Sampling locations (n = 13) included sites installed directly in waste material and down-gradient from landfills, some of which exhibited evidence of leachate contamination including elevated concentrations of ammonia-N (≤106 mg/L), bicarbonate (≤1,740 mg/L) and dissolved methane (≤10.4 mg/L). Between one and fourteen PFAS were detected at all sites and PFOS, PFHxS, PFOA and PFBS were detected in all samples. The sum of detected PFAS (∑14PFAS) varied from 26 ng/L at an ambient background site to 5,200 ng/L near a potential industrial point-source. PFHxS had the highest median concentration (34 ng/L; range: 2.6-280 ng/L) followed by PFOS (26 ng/L; range: 1.3-4,800 ng/L), PFHxA (19 ng/L; range: <LOQ - 46 ng/L) and PFOA (12 ng/L; range: 1.7-74 ng/L). Positive correlations between ∑14PFAS, PFOA and other perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) (e.g. PFHxA) with typical leachate indicators including ammonia-N and bicarbonate were observed. In contrast, no such correlations were found with perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) (e.g., PFOS and PFHxS). In addition, a strong positive linear correlation (R2 = 0.69) was found between the proportion of PFOA in the sum of detected perfluorinated alkylated acids (PFOA/∑PFAA) and ammonia-N concentrations in groundwater. This is consistent with previous research showing relatively high PFOA/∑PFAA in municipal landfill leachates, and more conservative behaviour (e.g. less sorption and reactivity) of PFCAs during subsurface transport compared to PFSAs. PFOA/∑PFAA in groundwater may therefore be a useful indicator of municipal landfill-derived PFAA. One site with significantly elevated PFOS and PFHxS concentrations (4,800 and 280 ng/L, respectively) appears to be affected by point-source industrial contamination, as landfill leachate indicators were absent.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.02.018

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Bolton, 2013, Precinct-scale urban renewal – challenges and opportunities, Remediat. Aust., 14, 18
  2. Leonard, 2006, Hydrogeology of the Melbourne area, Aust. GeoMech., 41, 63

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Authors
Hepburn, E., Madden, C., Szabo, D., Coggan, T. L., Clarke, B., & Currell, M.
Affiliations
RMIT University (AU)
Corresponding author
Hepburn, Emily
Venue
Environmental Pollution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-05
Volume
248
Pages
101-113
ISSN
0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2913329182
Cited by
289
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 5
FWCI
11.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment
  • Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Programme
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 › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
Keywords
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, groundwater contamination, landfill leachate, urban regeneration, PFOS, PFHxS, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFBS, ammonia-N, dissolved methane
MeSH terms
Australia, Carboxylic Acids, Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Sulfonic Acids, Urban Renewal, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Groundwater, Waste Disposal Facilities

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