Occurrence of Perfluoroalkyl Compounds in Surface Waters from the North Pacific to the Arctic Ocean
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) were determined in 22 surface water samples (39-76°N) and three sea ice core and snow samples (77-87°N) collected from North Pacific to the Arctic Ocean during the fourth Chinese Arctic Expedition in 2010. Geographically, the average concentration of ∑PFC in surface water samples were 560 ± 170 pg L(-1) for the Northwest Pacific Ocean, 500 ± 170 pg L(-1) for the Arctic Ocean, and 340 ± 130 pg L(-1) for the Bering Sea, respectively. The perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were the dominant PFC class in the water samples, however, the spatial pattern of PFCs varied. The C(5), C(7) and C(8) PFCAs (i.e., perfluoropentanoate (PFPA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA)) were the dominant PFCs in the Northwest Pacific Ocean while in the Bering Sea the PFPA dominated. The changing in the pattern and concentrations in Pacific Ocean indicate that the PFCs in surface water were influenced by sources from the East-Asian (such as Japan and China) and North American coast, and dilution effect during their transport to the Arctic. The presence of PFCs in the snow and ice core samples indicates an atmospheric deposition of PFCs in the Arctic. The elevated PFC concentration in the Arctic Ocean shows that the ice melting had an impact on the PFC levels and distribution. In addition, the C(4) and C(5) PFCAs (i.e., perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), PFPA) became the dominant PFCs in the Arctic Ocean indicating that PFBA is a marker for sea ice melting as the source of exposure.
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PFPnA, PFHpA, and PFOA were the dominant PFASs in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and PFPnA dominated in the Bering Sea.
“Perfluoropentanoate (PFPnA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), and PFOA were the dominant PFASs in the Northwest Pacific Ocean and PFPnA dominated in the Bering Sea”
From Short- and long-chain perfluoroalkyl substances in the water, suspended particulate matter, and surface sediment of a turbid river (2016) · cites this paper as Cai et al., 2012
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- Authors
- Cai, M., Zhao, Z., Yin, Z., Ahrens, L., Huang, P., Cai, M., Yang, H., He, J., Sturm, R., Ebinghaus, R., & Xie, Z.
- Affiliations
- Tongji University (CN)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (DE)
- Xiamen University (CN)
- SOA Key Laboratory for Polar Science, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai 200136, China
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research GmbH, Institute of Coastal Research, Max-Planck Straße 1, D-21502 Geesthacht, Germany
- Corresponding author
- Cai, Minghong
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2011-12-14
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 661-668
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W1979394840
- Cited by
- 154
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 4.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration
- 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 › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Keywords
- perfluorinated compounds, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, perfluorooctanoic acid, Arctic Ocean, North Pacific, Bering Sea, sea ice, snow and ice cores, atmospheric deposition, sea ice melting, long-range transport, East Asian emissions
- MeSH terms
- Arctic Regions, Environmental Monitoring, Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated, Pacific Ocean, Seawater, Water Pollutants, Chemical
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