Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in municipal solid waste landfill leachates from western China

Landfill leachate has been documented as a significant source of trace organic pollutants, comprising an expansive family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This study presents the findings on the distribution of 13 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) and 4 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) in leachates from 6 municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in western China. The total concentrations of 17 PFAS in sampled leachates ranged from 1805 to 43,310 ng/L, and 15 compounds were detected in all samples. The short-chain compounds perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS, mean mass fraction 23.1%) and perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA, mean mass fraction 20.6%) were dominant. There were higher PFAS concentrations in leachates from operating landfills (mean: 12,194 ng/L) compared to closed landfills (mean: 2747 ng/L), but there was no significant difference between young (<10 years) and old landfills (> 10 years). Moderate to weak correlations were observed between PFAS concentrations and leachate properties, e.g., TN, NH4+-N, TOC, and pH. This is the first report on the distribution of PFAS in landfill leachates from western China. The results have identified landfill leachate as an underestimated source of PFAS in the environment and have contributed to a more comprehensive evaluation on PFAS presence across China.

Automated summary

This study investigates the distribution of PFAS in landfill leachates from 6 municipal solid waste landfills in western China and identifies leachate as an underestimated source of PFAS in the environment. The findings contribute to a comprehensive evaluation of PFAS presence across China.