Modeling the Global Fate and Transport of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Precursor Compounds in Relation to Temporal Trends in Wildlife Exposure
Abstract
A global-scale fate and transport model was applied to investigate the historic and future trends in ambient concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and volatile perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (POSF)-based precursor compounds in the environment. First, a global emission inventory for PFOS and its precursor compounds was estimated for the period 1957-2010. We used this inventory as input to a global-scale contaminant fate model and compared modeled concentrations with field data. The main focus of the simulations was to examine how modeled concentrations of PFOS and volatile precursor compounds respond to the major production phase-out that occurred in 2000-2002. Modeled concentrations of PFOS in surface ocean waters are generally within a factor of 5 of field data and are dominated by direct emissions of this substance. In contrast, modeled concentrations of the precursor compounds considered in this study are lower than measured concentrations both before and after the production phase-out. Modeled surface ocean water concentrations of PFOS in source regions decline slowly in response to the production phase-out while concentrations in remote regions continue to increase until 2030. In contrast, modeled concentrations of precursor compounds in both the atmosphere and surface ocean water compartment in all regions respond rapidly to the production phase-out (i.e., decline quickly to much lower levels). With respect to wildlife biomonitoring data, since precursor compounds are bioavailable and degrade to PFOS in vivo, it is at least plausible that declining trends in PFOS body burdens observed in some marine organisms are attributable to this exposure pathway. The continued increases in PFOS body burdens observed in marine organisms inhabiting other regions may reflect exposure primarily to PFOS itself, present in the environment due to production and use of this compound as well as degradation of precursor compounds.
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The lower PFOS levels reflect a continued decline in environmental PFOS burdens in North America after production ended in 2002.
“and reflects the continued decline in environmental PFOS burdens in North America following elimination of production in 2002.25,26”
From Source Attribution of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Surface Waters from Rhode Island and the New York Metropolitan Area (2016) · cites this paper as [26]
PFOS was historically used as a mist/fume control agent in metal plating, in surface coatings, and as the major component in AFFFs for fighting petroleum-related fires.
“PFOS was historically used as a mist/fume control agent in metal plating, in surface coatings and as the major component in AFFFs for fighting petroleum related fire.25,26,34”
From Source Attribution of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Surface Waters from Rhode Island and the New York Metropolitan Area (2016) · cites this paper as [26]
PFSAs are fully dissociated anions in environmental media and tend to accumulate in surface waters.
“PFSAs are fully dissociated anions in environmental media [53] and tend to accumulate in surface waters [31]”
Sources of PFSAs include release during manufacture and use, as well as from the degradation of various precursor substances.
“Similar to PFCAs, sources of PFSAs include release during manufacture and use, as well as from the degradation of various precursor substances [5,31].”
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“However, the production of longer chain PFASs has likely continued for some years after 2002 (Armitage et al. 2009), and the production of PFOS has continued in China (Zhang et al. 2013).”
Background
- Authors
- Armitage, J. M., Schenker, U., Scheringer, M., Martin, J. W., MacLeod, M., & Cousins, I. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Alberta (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Cousins, Ian T.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2009-11-12
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 24
- Pages
- 9274-9280
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2070014858
- Cited by
- 181
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 7.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- DuPont
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
- Keywords
- PFOS, fate and transport modeling, global emission inventory, atmospheric transport, marine organisms, bioaccumulation, temporal trends, persistent organic pollutants
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animals, Wild, Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Pollutants, Fluorocarbons, Models, Theoretical, Alkanesulfonic Acids
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