Article

Perfluoroalkyl Contaminants in the Canadian Arctic:  Evidence of Atmospheric Transport and Local Contamination

Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada, and Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Drive, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2007, 41 (10), pp 3529–3536
DOI: 10.1021/es062709x
Publication Date (Web): April 18, 2007
Copyright © 2007 American Chemical Society

Abstract

Perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) have been hypothesized to reach remote locations such as the Canadian Arctic either indirectly as volatile precursor chemicals that undergo atmospheric transport and subsequent degradation, or directly via oceanic and atmospheric transport of the PFSAs and PFCAs themselves. Water, sediment, and air samples were collected from three Arctic lakes (Amituk, Char, and Resolute) on Cornwallis Island, Nunavut, Canada. Samples were analyzed for PFSAs and PFCAs, precursor chemicals including the fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and polyfluorinated sulfonamides (FSAs), and precursor degradation products such as the fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylates (FTUCAs). PFSAs and PFCAs were detected in water and sediment of all three Arctic lakes (concentrations ranged from nondetect to 69 ng/L and nondetect to 85 ng/g dry weight, respectively). FTOHs and FSAs were observed in air samples (mean concentrations ranged from 2.8 to 29 pg/m3), and confirm that volatile precursors are reaching Arctic latitudes. The observation of degradation products, including FTUCAs observed in sediment and atmospheric particles, and N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide (NEtFOSA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) in air samples, indicate that degradation of the FTOHs and FSAs is occurring in the Arctic environment. PFSAs and PFCAs were also observed on atmospheric particles (mean concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 5.9 pg/m3). In addition, results of this study also indicate that local perfluoroalkyl contamination of Resolute Lake, which is located downstream of an airport wastewater input, has occurred.

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Article Views: 1,114 Times
Received 13 November 2006
Date accepted 4 March 2007
Published online 18 April 2007
Published in print 1 May 2007
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