Occurrence survey and spatial distribution of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl surfactants in groundwater, surface water, and sediments from tropical environments
Abstract
The occurrence and spatial distribution of 22 selected perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in surface water (n=75), groundwater (n=80) and surficial sediment (n=15) were investigated for the first time in the tropical areas constituted by the French Overseas Territories (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion). Descriptive statistics and correlations between PFASs were evaluated through the use of specific statistical treatments to handle left-censored data ("non-detects"). PFASs were ubiquitous in these samples and detection frequencies as high as 79% for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 65% for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were reported in surface waters. ∑PFASs was in the range<LOD-77ngL-1 (median=1.8ngL-1) in surface waters and <LOD-638ngL-1 (median=0.56ngL-1) in groundwater. PFOS and PFOA dominated PFAS composition profiles in surface water, while shorter-chain compounds prevailed in groundwater, highlighting their higher transfer potential through infiltration processes and the possible influence of precursors. Elevated levels of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA) and short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates were found in groundwater near several industrial facilities such as oil refineries or electricity power plants. This may be related to the existence of firefighting operations involving the use of aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) that contain precursors to such compounds. These findings would also tend to confirm recent trends regarding the increasing proportion of C 4- or C 6-based perfluoroalkyl acids, their precursors, or even shorter-chain congeners at PFAS hot spots.
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Among water bodies without acute contamination sources, PFAS are more common in surface water than groundwater.
“Among water bodies without acute contamination sources, the PFAS content of surface water is much more extensively surveyed than that of groundwater, and PFAS are more common in surface water than groundwater (Munoz et al., 2017; Sims et al., 2022).”
From PFAS in Iowa drinking water sources: Chemical and geospatial patterns (2025) · cites this paper as Munoz et al., 2017
Munoz et al. (2017) first confirmed that PFAS were present in French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion, with concentrations significantly lower than those detected in metropolitan France.
“This research was the first to confirm that PFAS were present in these regions; however, concentrations were significantly lower than those detected in metropolitan France.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Munoz et al., 2017
PFAS were detected in groundwater close to several industrial sites, including oil refineries and electrical power plants, but the highest concentration of PFOS was detected in sediment and surface water samples.
“PFAS were detected in groundwater close to several industrial sites, including oil refineries and electrical power plants, but the highest concentration of PFOS was detected in sediment and surface water samples.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Munoz et al., 2017
Most PFAS contamination in the tropical areas studied by Munoz et al. was attributed to firefighting training activities near the sites.
“Most PFAS contamination was attributed to the firefighting training activities which took place near those sites (KEMI, 2015; Munoz et al., 2017).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as Munoz et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Munoz, G., Labadie, P., Botta, F., Lestremau, F., Lopez, B., Geneste, E., Pardon, P., Dévier, M.-H., & Budzinski, H.
- Affiliations
- Université de Bordeaux (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Budzinski, Hélène
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 607-608
- Pages
- 243-252
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2740915461
- Cited by
- 156
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 6.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Oskar-Bordeaux (Universite de Bordeaux) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments
- French National Research Agency
- INTERREG ORQUE SUDOE (SOE3/P2/F591)
- Aquitaine Region
- European Union
- European Regional Development Fund
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Synthesis and properties of polymers
- Keywords
- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, spatial distribution, groundwater contamination, surface water contamination, surface sediments, tropical conditions, French overseas territories, PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, fluorotelomer sulfonates, aqueous film-forming foam, industrial pollution, non-detects, left-censored data
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