Occurrence of forever chemicals in Chennai waters, India
Open accessAbstract
Abstract Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are considered ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ due to their environmental persistence, bio-accumulative potential, and adverse effects on human health. They are widely employed in producing various goods used in daily life, such as non-stick cookware, cleaning agents, and many industrial applications in aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, and military, all of which ultimately end up in different environmental matrices. India’s rapid economic growth necessitates a comprehensive understanding of its PFAS contamination levels and potential human and ecological exposure. Results The present study reports the quantification of one long-chain and two short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids and three long-chain and two short-chain perfluorosulfonic acids and qualitative analysis using suspect screening in the waters of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Samples were collected from surface and groundwater sources, including the Adyar river, Buckingham canal, Chembarambakkam lake, and the water treatment plant. The concentrations analyzed in all the samples ranged from 0.10 ng/L to 136.27 ng/L. Groundwater had some of the highest concentrations of PFAS. L-PFBS (up to 136.27 ng/L) and PFOA (up to 77.61 ng/L) are present in all the samples. The concentrations of all the target PFAS increased in the 5 to 103% range in the final treated water compared to the raw water of the water treatment plant. This treated water is distributed as a source of drinking water for the residents of Chennai. Additionally, the dominance of short-chain compounds (4–7 carbons) over long-chain compounds (> 7 carbons) was observed. Suspect screening revealed numerous precursors and other fluorinated compounds abundantly present in the samples. Conclusions Our study revealed PFAS levels up to 136.27 ng/L in both surface and groundwater samples from Chennai. These findings raise concerns about potential risks to ecosystems and human well-being. The dominance of short-chain PFAS coupled with abundant precursors and unidentified fluorinated compounds indicates an ongoing shift toward alternatives. Conventional water treatment is ineffective in eliminating these chemicals from the water system; rather, increasing the PFAS concentrations from raw water to treated water necessitates advanced polishing steps. Industrial emissions, untreated domestic wastewater discharge, and open dump sites have been suspected as the significant sources of contamination, highlighting the need for further investigation to fully assess the extent of PFAS contamination in Chennai. Graphical Abstract
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Major sources of PFAS groundwater contamination include industrial discharges, firefighting foams, landfills, and wastewater, which lead to off-site migration and long-term contamination of both groundwater and connected surface waters.
“major sources include industrial discharges, firefighting foams, landfills, and wastewater, which lead to off-site migration and long-term contamination of both groundwater and connected surface waters [129,130].”
From Industrial Applications, Environmental Fate, Human Exposure, and Health Effects of PFAS (2025) · cites this paper as [129]
The Discussion (page unavailable) identifies landfills, wastewater treatment plants, industrial discharges, and firefighting foam as significant PFAS sources, and describes landfill leachate contaminating groundwater. It does not establish the claimed off-site migration or a pathway from contaminated groundwater to connected surface waters; its observations of PFAS in surface waters do not demonstrate that connection. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCurrent monitoring may underestimate the true PFAS burden due to limited analyte coverage and evolving definitions.
“current monitoring may underestimate the true PFAS burden due to limited analyte coverage and evolving definitions”
From Industrial Applications, Environmental Fate, Human Exposure, and Health Effects of PFAS (2025) · cites this paper as [129]
The Conclusions (page unavailable) say that only eight target PFAS were quantified and that suspect screening found numerous precursors and unidentified fluorinated compounds requiring further investigation. This supports the concern that limited analyte coverage may understate contamination, but the paper does not link underestimation to evolving PFAS definitions. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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References 41 · Cited by 45
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- Authors
- Koulini, G. V., & Nambi, I. M.
- Affiliations
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Nambi, Indumathi M.
- ORCID
- Koulini, G. V.
- Venue
- Environmental Sciences Europe
- Published
- 2024-03-25
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2190-4715 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4393157230
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 6
- FWCI
- 5.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Environmental Sciences Europe (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (Ministry of Education), Government of India. (SB22230893CEPMRF008204)
- Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (Ministry of Human Resource Development), Government of India. (SPARC/2018-2019/P678/SL)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Fluoride Effects and Removal
- Keywords
- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS contamination, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorosulfonic acid, groundwater contamination, surface water contamination, drinking water treatment, water treatment plant effluent, suspect screening, short-chain PFAS, Chennai
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