Transport of Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from an arctic glacier to downstream locations: Implications for sources
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been globally detected in various environmental matrices, yet their fate and transport to the Arctic is still unclear, especially for the European Arctic. In this study, concentrations of 17 PFAS were quantified in two ice cores (n=26), surface snow (n=9) and surface water samples (n=14) collected along a spatial gradient in Svalbard, Norway. Concentrations of selected ions (Na(+), SO4(2-), etc.) were also determined for tracing the origins and sources of PFAS. Perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were the dominant compounds found in ice core samples. Taking PFOA, PFNA and perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS) as examples, higher concentrations were detected in the middle layers of the ice cores representing the period of 1997-2000. Lower concentrations of C8-C12 perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) were detected in comparison with concentrations measured previously in an ice core from the Canadian Arctic, indicating that contamination levels in the European Arctic are lower. Average PFAS concentrations were found to be lower in surface snow and melted glacier water samples, while increased concentrations were observed in river water downstream near the coastal area. Perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) was detected in the downstream locations, but not in the glacier, suggesting existence of local sources of this compound. Long-range atmospheric transport of PFAS was the major deposition pathway for the glaciers, while local sources (e.g., skiing activities) were identified in the downstream locations.
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A significant increasing trend of PFNA was also observed in an ice core (dated: 1991-2006) sampled from Svalbard.
“A significant increasing trend of PFNA was also observed in an ice core (dated: 1991-2006) sampled from Svalbard [37].”
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PFAS Molecules: A Major Concern for the Human Health and the Environment
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“Due to the wide range of applications and longlasting global production, PFAS are detectable in drinking water, soil (Brusseau, Anderson, and Guo 2020; Kabore et al. 2018; Rankin et al. 2016) and even Arctic ice (Kwok et al. 2013).”
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- Authors
- Kwok, K. Y., Yamazaki, E., Yamashita, N., Taniyasu, S., Murphy, M. B., Horii, Y., Petrick, G., Kallerborn, R., Kannan, K., Murano, K., & Lam, P. K. S.
- Affiliations
- City University of Hong Kong (HK)
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (JP)
- Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (JP)
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE)
- New York State Department of Health (US)
- Hosei University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Yamashita, Nobuyoshi
- Lam, Paul K.S.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-03
- Volume
- 447
- Pages
- 46-55
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2062835684
- Cited by
- 170
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 4.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Climate change and permafrost
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Polar Research and Ecology
- Keywords
- perfluorinated compounds, PFAS, ice cores, Svalbard, long-range transport, PFAS sources, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOS, perfluorononanoate, PFHxS, surface snow, glacial meltwater, river water, European Arctic
- MeSH terms
- Arctic Regions, Canada, Caprylates, Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated, Snow, Sulfonic Acids, Svalbard, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Ice Cover
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