Perfluorinated compounds in a river basin from QingHai-Tibet Plateau: Occurrence, sources and key factors

The occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in different environmental media in the QingHai-Tibet Plateau has been limitedly investigated. In this study, the water, sediments, soils and agricultural product samples were collected in the Huangshui River basin, and contents of the PFCs and values of water parameters were determined. This study investigated dominantly regulating factors of the distribution of PFCs in the water emphatically, explored the sources and assessed potential risks of the PFCs integrally. The results showed that perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid presented high maximum concentrations of 3207.42, 3015.96, 1941.89 and 826.4 ng L-1 in the water, respectively. There were 12 PFCs detected in crops, with the maximum concentration of 5206.86 ng g-1 for PFBA. The significantly positive correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between the concentrations of PFBA in crops and that in adjacent rivers, indicating that the irrigation most likely contributed to the accumulation of PFBA in the studied crops. The occurrence of the PFCs in the water during the dry season was dominantly regulated by fluorescent dissolved organic matters via the hydrophobic interaction, while it was primarily regulated by the total nitrogen and electrical conductivity via electrostatic interaction during the wet season. The PFCs in the water were mainly from the wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants and carpet factories, while the resuspension of the PFCs in sediments was also an important contribution especially in wet season. The PFCs in the river has posed sustained risk to the public health, especially children.

Automated summary

The study found high concentrations of PFCs in the water of the Huangshui River basin, with 12 PFCs detected in crops, showing a significant positive correlation with adjacent rivers. The PFCs in the water mainly came from wastewater discharged from treatment plants and carpet factories, with resuspension in sediments also playing a significant role.