Perfluoroalkyl substances in the Ebro and Guadalquivir river basins (Spain)
Abstract
Mediterranean rivers are characteristically irregular with changes in flow and located in high population density areas. This affects the concentration of pollutants in the aquatic environments. In this study, the occurrence and sources of 21 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were determined in water, sediment and biota of the Ebro and Guadalquivir river basins (Spain). In water samples, of 21 analytes screened, 11 were found in Ebro and 9 in Guadalquivir. In both basins, the most frequents were PFBA, PFPeA and PFOA. Maximum concentration was detected for PFBA, up to 251.3 ng L(-1) in Ebro and 742.9 ng L(-1) in Guadalquivir. Regarding the sediments, 8 PFASs were detected in the samples from Ebro and 9 in those from Guadalquivir. The PFASs most frequently detected were PFBA, PFPeA, PFOA and PFOS. Maximum concentration in Ebro samples was, in dry weight, for PFOA (32.3 ng g(-1)) and in Guadalquivir samples for PFBA (63.8 ng g(-1)). For biota, 12 PFASs were detected in fish from the Ebro River and only one (PFOS) in that from Guadalquivir. In the Ebro basin, the most frequents were PFBA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFBS, PFOS and PFOSA. Maximum concentration in Ebro samples was, in wet weight, for PFHxA with 1280.2 ng g(-1), and in Guadalquivir samples for PFOS with 79.8 ng g(-1). These compounds were detected in the whole course of the rivers including the upper parts. In some points contamination was due to point sources mostly related to human activities (e.g. ski resorts, military camps, urban areas.). However, there are also some areas clearly affected by diffuse sources as atmospheric deposition.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Dominance of short-chain PFAS including PFHxA, PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFHpA was reported in many studies conducted during this decade.
“Dominance of short-chain PFAS including PFHxA, PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFHpA were reported in many studies conducted during this decade (Table S-7) (Lorenzo et al., 2016; Zhao et al., 2016).”
From Per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a contaminant of emerging concern in surface water: A transboundary review of their occurrences and toxicity effects (2021) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
Extensive PFAS contamination has been reported in surface water, sediments, and aquatic biota from the Ebro and Guadalquivir River basins in Spain.
“Extensive PFAS contamination has been reported in surface water, sediments, and aquatic biota from the Ebro and Guadalquivir River basins in Spain (Lorenzo et al., 2016).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
The maximum measured PFBA concentration was 251.3 ng/L in water from the Ebro River basin and 742.9 ng/L in the Guadalquivir River basin.
“The maximum measured concentration of PFBA was 251.3 ng L−1 and 742.9 ng L−1 in water samples from the Ebro and Guadalquivir River basins, respectively.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
Twelve different PFAS were detected in fish tissue samples from the Ebro River, whereas only PFOS was detected in samples from the Guadalquivir River.
“Twelve different PFAS were detected in fish tissue samples from the Ebro River, whereas only PFOS was detected in samples from the Guadalquivir River.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
In sediments from the Ebro River, PFOA was found at higher concentrations (maximum 32.3 ng/g), whereas PFBA was found at higher concentrations in Guadalquivir River sediments (maximum 63.8 ng/g).
“In the sediments from the Ebro River, PFOA was found in higher concentrations (maximum = 32.3 ng g−1), whereas PFBA was found in higher concentrations in sediment samples from the Guadalquivir River (maximum = 63.8 ng g−1).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
The significantly different concentrations of PFAS in water, sediment, and aquatic biota from the Ebro and Guadalquivir basins suggest that there are different pollution sources for either basin.
“The significantly different concentrations of PFAS in water, sediment, and aquatic biota from these two basins suggest that there are different pollution sources for either basin (Lorenzo et al., 2016).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
A total of 21 PFAS were documented from the Ebro and Guadalquivir River basins, with PFBA, PFPeA, and PFOA most frequently detected.
“The authors documented a total of 21 PFAS from these river basins, PFBA, perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and PFOA were the most frequently detected.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Lorenzo et al., 2016
Cites
Buck, R. C., Franklin, J., Berger, U., Conder, J. M., Cousins, I. T., de Voogt, P., Jensen, A. A., Kannan, K., Mabury, S. A., & van Leeuwen, S. P. (2011) · Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management · doi:10.1002/ieam.258 · Cited by 4,641 · see citing works
Zhou, Z., Liang, Y., Shi, Y., Xu, L., & Cai, Y. (2013) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es402120y · Cited by 324 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food
Panel), E. P. O. C. I. T. F. C. (. C., Schrenk, D., Bignami, M., Bodin, L., Chipman, J. K., del Mazo, J., Grasl‐Kraupp, B., Hogstrand, C., Hoogenboom, L. (., Leblanc, J., et al. (2020) · EFSA Journal · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6223 · Cited by 989 · see citing works
Kurwadkar, S., Dane, J., Kanel, S. R., Nadagouda, M. N., Cawdrey, R. W., Ambade, B., Struckhoff, G. C., & Wilkin, R. (2022) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151003 · Cited by 937 · see citing works
Podder, A., Sadmani, A. H. M. A., Reinhart, D., Chang, N.-B., & Goel, R. (2021) · Journal of Hazardous Materials · doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126361 · Cited by 623 · see citing works
Zhao, P., Xia, X., Dong, J., Xia, N., Jiang, X., Li, Y., & Zhu, Y. (2016) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.221 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
Burkhard, L. P. (2021) · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · doi:10.1002/etc.5010 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
Emerging contaminants in Indian environmental matrices—A review
Philip, J. M., Aravind, U. K., & Aravindakumar, C. T. (2018) · Chemosphere · doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.09.120 · Cited by 214 · see citing works
Campo, J., Lorenzo, M., Pérez, F., Picó, Y., Farré, M. L., & Barceló, D. (2016) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2016.03.010 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Self-citationAnalytical challenges to determine emerging persistent organic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems
Lorenzo, M., Campo, J., & Picó, Y. (2018) · TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.trac.2018.04.003 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Self-citationLiu, J., Zhao, X., Liu, Y., Qiao, X., Wang, X., Ma, M., Jin, X., Liu, C., Zheng, B., Shen, J., et al. (2019) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109454 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Chen, H., Reinhard, M., Nguyen, T. V., You, L., He, Y., & Gin, K. Y.-H. (2017) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.091 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Si, Y., Huang, J., Liang, Z., Liu, G., Chen, D., Guo, Y., & Wang, F. (2021) · Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology · doi:10.1007/s00244-021-00855-x · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances in Portuguese Rivers: Spatial-Temporal Monitoring
Barbosa, M. O., Ratola, N., Homem, V., Pereira, M. F. R., Silva, A. M. T., Ribeiro, A. R. L., Llorca, M., & Farré, M. (2023) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules28031209 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationBuljovcic, M., Antic, I., Kadokami, K., & Skrbic, B. (2022) · Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society · doi:10.2298/jsc220427061b · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Lorenzo, M., Campo, J., Farré, M., Pérez, F., Picó, Y., & Barceló, D.
- Affiliations
- Universitat de València (ES)
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Lorenzo, María
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 540
- Pages
- 191-199
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1062760371
- Cited by
- 95
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8
- FWCI
- 5.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Universitat de Girona Digital Repository (Universitat de Girona) (publishedVersion)
- Repositori UJI (Universitat Jaume I) (publishedVersion)
- RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Funders
- Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CSD2009-00065)
- EMERFOR (GCL2011-29703-C02-02)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Keywords
- perfluorinated compounds, PFAS contamination, Ebro Valley, Guadalquivir River basin, river pollution, river sediments, fish tissue contamination, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorobutanoic acid, PFOS, atmospheric deposition, point and diffuse pollution sources, Mediterranean rivers
- MeSH terms
- Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Spain, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Geologic Sediments, Rivers
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
