Tracing Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Based on Life Cycle Analysis along the Coastal Area of Bohai and Yellow Seas, China

Abstract

With the shift of fluorine chemical plants and increased demand for fluorine chemical products, occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in production and application areas has attracted more attention. In this study, 153 soil samples were collected from 21 cities along the urbanizing coastal area of the Bohai and Yellow Seas. PFASs in this area were relatively higher, compared with other study areas. The concentrations ranged from 2.76 to 63.97 ng/g, and those in most sites were between 2.76 and 13.85 ng/g, with a predominance of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Among the 21 coastal cities, contamination of PFASs in Zibo, Nantong and Binzhou were the most serious, which were basically affected by local fluorine chemical plants, equipment manufacturing industry and chemical industry, respectively. The total emissions of PFOA and PFOS were similar, with amount of 4431.2 kg and 4334.7 kg, respectively. Atmospheric deposition was the largest source, accounting for 93.2% of total PFOA and 69.6% of PFOS, respectively. In addition, due to application of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) and sulfluramid, disposal of sewage sludge and stacking of solid waste, emission of PFOA and PFOS to soil was 1616.6 kg, accounting for 9.3% of the whole China. In general, pollution in Jiangsu, Shandong and Tianjin was more serious than those in Liaoning and Hebei, which was consistent with industrialization level and size of industrial sectors emitting PFASs.

Keywords: PFASs; sources; life cycle analysis; soil; coastal area