Stockholm Arlanda Airport as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to water, sediment and fish

Chemosphere. 2015 Jun:129:33-8. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.03.136. Epub 2014 May 10.

Abstract

Fire training facilities are potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to the nearby environment due to the usage of PFAS-containing aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs). The multimedia distribution of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs), perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTSA) was investigated near a fire training facility at Stockholm Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The whole body burden of PFASs in European perch (Perca fluviatilis) was 334±80μg absolute and was distributed as follows: Gonad>liver≈muscle>blood>gill. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and sediment/water partition coefficient (Kd) increased by 0.6-1.7 and 0.2-0.5 log units, respectively, for each additional CF2 moiety for PFCAs and PFSAs. PFAS concentrations in water showed no significant decreasing trend between 2009 and 2013 (p>0.05), which indicates that Stockholm Arlanda Airport may be an important source for long-term contamination of the nearby environment with PFASs.

Keywords: Aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs); Bioconcentration factor (BCF); Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs); Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); Sediment/water partition coefficient (K(d)).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Airports*
  • Animals
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Fishes* / metabolism
  • Flame Retardants / analysis*
  • Fluorocarbon Polymers / analysis*
  • Fluorocarbons / analysis*
  • Geologic Sediments / analysis*
  • Sulfonamides / analysis*
  • Sweden
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Flame Retardants
  • Fluorocarbon Polymers
  • Fluorocarbons
  • Sulfonamides
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • perfluorooctanesulfonamide