Fate of Perfluorinated Carboxylates and Sulfonates During Snowmelt Within an Urban Watershed
Abstract
The transport dynamics of perfluorinated carboxylic acids and sulfonates during snowmelt in the highly urbanized Highland Creek watershed in Toronto, Canada was investigated by analyzing river water, bulk snow, and groundwater, sampled in February and March 2010, by means of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Perfluorohexanoate, perfluorooctanoate, and perfluorooctane sulfonate were dominant in river water, with concentrations of 4.0-14 ng·L(-1), 2.2-7.9 ng·L(-1), and 2.1-6.5 ng·L(-1), respectively. Relatively high levels of perfluorohexanoate may be related to the recent partial replacement in various consumer products of perfluorooctyl substances with shorter-chained perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Highest PFC concentrations were found within the more urbanized part of the drainage area, suggestive of residential, industrial, and/or traffic-related sources. The riverine flux of PFCs increased during the snowmelt period, but only approximately one-fifth of the increased flux can be attributed to PFCs present in the snowpack, mostly because concentration in snow are generally quite low compared to those in river water. The remainder of the increased flux must be due to the mobilization of PFCs by the high flow conditions prevalent during snowmelt. Run-off behavior was clearly dependent on perfluoroalkyl chain length: Dilution with relatively clean snowmelt water caused a drop in the river water concentrations of short-chain PFCs at high flow during early melting…
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Most of these studies focused on a single watercourse with one or two events.
“Further, most of these studies focused on a single watercourse (Meyer et al., 2011; Müller et al., 2011; Zushi et al., 2008; Zushi and Masunaga, 2009) with one (Meyer et al., 2011; Müller et al., 2011) or two (Zushi and Masunaga, 2009) events.”
From Stormwater discharges affect PFAS occurrence, concentrations, and spatial distribution in water and bottom sediment of urban streams (2025) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2011
The relevance of stormwater as a pathway for PFAS to urban streams is largely unknown.
“However, the relevance of stormwater as a pathway for PFAS to urban streams is largely unknown.”
From Stormwater discharges affect PFAS occurrence, concentrations, and spatial distribution in water and bottom sediment of urban streams (2025) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2011
Only a few studies have specifically investigated changes in urban streams resulting from rainfall-runoff events.
“only a few have specifically investigated changes in urban streams resulting from rainfall-runoff events (Meyer et al., 2011; Müller et al., 2011; Nguyen et al., 2011; Zushi et al., 2008; Zushi and Masunaga, 2009).”
From Stormwater discharges affect PFAS occurrence, concentrations, and spatial distribution in water and bottom sediment of urban streams (2025) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2011
Previous studies in Toronto, Yokohama, and areas near Zürich reported increased concentrations of PFAS, particularly long-chain PFAS, during runoff events.
“Previous studies carried out in streams passing through urbanized areas, such as Toronto, Canada (Meyer et al., 2011), Yokohama, Japan (Zushi et al., 2008; Zushi and Masunaga, 2009), and areas near Zürich, Switzerland (Müller et al., 2011), reported increased concentrations of PFAS, particularly long-chain PFAS, during runoff events.”
From Stormwater discharges affect PFAS occurrence, concentrations, and spatial distribution in water and bottom sediment of urban streams (2025) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2011
Although these studies did not report total PFAS concentrations, they suggest, similar to this study, that urban stormwater carries PFAS from urban areas to watercourses.
“Although these studies did not report total PFAS concentrations, they suggest, similar to this study, that urban stormwater carries PFAS from urban areas to watercourses.”
From Stormwater discharges affect PFAS occurrence, concentrations, and spatial distribution in water and bottom sediment of urban streams (2025) · cites this paper as Meyer et al., 2011
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Oxidative Conversion as a Means of Detecting Precursors to Perfluoroalkyl Acids in Urban Runoff
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“Previous studies carried out in streams passing through urbanized areas, such as Toronto, Canada (Meyer et al., 2011), Yokohama, Japan (Zushi et al., 2008; Zushi and Masunaga, 2009), and areas near Zürich, Switzerland (Müller et al., 2011), reported increased concentrations of PFAS, particularly…”
Influential
- Authors
- Meyer, T., De Silva, A. O., Spencer, C., & Wania, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050 Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A6
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Meyer, Torsten
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2011-06-21
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 19
- Pages
- 8113-8119
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2314173845
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- University of Toronto Scarborough
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- perfluorinated carboxylic acids, perfluorinated sulfonates, snowmelt, urban watersheds, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOS, riverine fluxes, groundwater contamination, water solubility, impervious surfaces
- MeSH terms
- Canada, Carboxylic Acids, Cities, Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Freezing, Geography, Snow, Sulfonic Acids, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Water Supply, Phase Transition, Rivers, Groundwater
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