Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121675
Title (Primary) Evaluation and prediction of anthropogenic impacts on long-term multimedia fate and health risks of PFOS and PFOA in the Elbe River Basin
Author Zhu, X.; Li, H.; Luo, Y.; Li, Y.; Zhang, J.; Wang, Z. ORCID logo ; Yang, W.; Li, R.
Source Titel Water Research
Year 2024
Department CATHYD
Volume 257
Page From art. 121675
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0043135424005761-mmc1.docx
Keywords PFOS and PFOA; Environmental modelling; Emission inventory; Risk assessment; Long-term prediction; Elbe River Basin
Abstract Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have aroused great concern owing to their widespread occurrence and toxic effects. However, their long-term trends and multimedia fate remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics and periodic oscillations of PFOS and PFOA in the Elbe River between 2010 and 2021. Anthropogenic emission inventories and multimedia fugacity model were developed to analyse their historical and future transport fates and quantify related human risks in each medium for the three age groups. The results show that average PFOS and PFOA concentrations in the Elbe River were 4.08 and 3.41 ng/L, declining at the annual rate of 7.36% and 4.98% during the study period, respectively. Periodic oscillations of their concentrations and mass fluxes were most pronounced at 40–60 and 20–40 months. The multimedia fugacity model revealed that higher concentrations occurred in fish (PFOS: 14.29, PFOA: 0.40 ng/g), while the soil was their dominant sink (PFOS: 179, PFOA: 95 tons). The exchange flux between water and sediment was the dominant pathway in multimedia transportation (397 kg/year). Although PFOS and PFOA concentrations are projected to decrease by 22.41% and 50.08%, respectively, from 2021 to 2050, the hazard quotient of PFOS in fish is a low hazard. This study provides information for the assessment of PFOS and PFOA pollution in global watersheds and the development of related mitigation policies, such as banning fish predation in polluted rivers, to mitigate their risks.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29101
Zhu, X., Li, H., Luo, Y., Li, Y., Zhang, J., Wang, Z., Yang, W., Li, R. (2024):
Evaluation and prediction of anthropogenic impacts on long-term multimedia fate and health risks of PFOS and PFOA in the Elbe River Basin
Water Res. 257 , art. 121675 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121675