Certain Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Associated with Aqueous Film Forming Foam Are Widespread in Canadian Surface Waters
Abstract
The presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) commonly associated with aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) at sites without known AFFF contamination is a largely unexplored area, which may reveal widespread environmental contaminants requiring further investigation. Sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) screening for 23 classes of PFASs, followed by quantitative analysis was used to investigate surface waters from rural, urban, and AFFF-impacted sites in Canada. The PFASs detected included perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide (FTSAm), fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaines (FTABs), fluorotelomer betaines (FTBs), 6:2 fluorotelomer mercaptoalkylamido sulfonate sulfone (FTSAS-SO 2 ), 6:2 fluorotelomerthiohydroxyl ammonium sulfoxide (FTSHA-SO), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylamine (FTAA) and C3 to C6 perfluoroalkane sulfonamido amphoterics. Detection of FHxSA in all urban and AFFF-impacted sites (0.04–19 ng/L) indicates the widespread presence of rarely considered perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) precursors in Canadian waters. FTABs and FTBs were especially abundant with up to 16–33 ng/L of 6:2 FTAB in urban and AFFF-impacted water suggesting it may have additional applications, while FTBs were only in AFFF-impacted sites (qualitative; ∑FTBs 80 ng/L). The distributions of PFASs moving downstream along the AFFF-impacted Welland River and between water and sediment suggested differences in the persistence of various AFFF components and enhanced sorption of long-chain fluorotelomer betaines. Total organofluorine combustion-ion chromatography (TOF-CIC) revealed that fluorotelomer betaines were a substantial portion of the organofluorine in some waters and 36–99.7% of the total organofluorine was not measured in the targeted analysis.
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Much lower concentrations of 6:2 FTAB are typically reported in urban and AFFF-impacted water systems in Canada up to 33 ng/L and in a French river which receives wastewater from a training site using AFFFs up to 968 ng/L.
“Much lower concentrations of 6:2 FTAB are typically reported in urban and AFFF-impacted water system in Canada up to 33 ng/L ( D' Agostino et al. , 2017 ) and in a French river which receives wastewater from a training site using AFFFs up to 968 ng/L”
From Release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a waste management facility fire to an urban creek (2022) · cites this paper as D'Agostino et al., 2017
The wide presence of FHxSA in the first campaign might refer to the current use of FHxSA in the used firefighting foam.
“The wide presence of FHxSA in the first campaign might refer to the current use of FHxSA in the used firefighting foam”
From Release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a waste management facility fire to an urban creek (2022) · cites this paper as D'Agostino et al., 2017
FHxSA has been reported in water samples impacted by the use of AFFF in Canada in a maximum concentration of 19 ng/L.
“FHxSA has been reported in water samples which have been impacted by the use of AFFF in Canada in a maximum concentration of 19 ng/L”
From Release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a waste management facility fire to an urban creek (2022) · cites this paper as D'Agostino et al., 2017
The FHxSA concentrations indicate widespread presence of PFHxS precursors in Canadian waters.
“The concentrations of FHxSA in all urban and AFFF-impacted sites ranged from 0.04–19 ng L−1, indicating the widespread presence of perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) precursors in the Canadian waters (D’Agostino and Mabury, 2017).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as D’Agostino and Mabury, 2017
FHxSA concentrations in all urban and AFFF-impacted Canadian sites ranged from 0.04-19 ng/L.
“The concentrations of FHxSA in all urban and AFFF-impacted sites ranged from 0.04–19 ng L−1, indicating the widespread presence of perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) precursors in the Canadian waters (D’Agostino and Mabury, 2017).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as D’Agostino and Mabury, 2017
In a 2017 study, 23 different PFAS were detected in surface water from rural, urban, and AFFF-impacted sites in Canada, with FHxSA most prevalent.
“In a study published in 2017, surface water collected from rural, urban, and AFFF-impacted sites in Canada was analyzed using sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and 23 different PFAS were detected, of which perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA) was most prevalent.”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution (2022) · cites this paper as D’Agostino and Mabury, 2017
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- Authors
- D’Agostino, L. A., & Mabury, S. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Mabury, Scott A.
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2017-11-17
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 23
- Pages
- 13603-13613
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2767998122
- Cited by
- 198
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 7
- FWCI
- 6.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Toronto
- Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- 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, aqueous film-forming foam, Canada
- MeSH terms
- Canada, Chromatography, Liquid, Fluorocarbons, Water, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Rivers
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