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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in final treated solids (Biosolids) from 190 Michigan wastewater treatment plants.

Authors :
Link GW
Reeves DM
Cassidy DP
Coffin ES
Source :
Journal of hazardous materials [J Hazard Mater] 2024 Feb 05; Vol. 463, pp. 132734. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Oct 06.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Trends in concentration, distribution, and variability of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in biosolids are characterized using an extensive dataset of 350 samples from 190 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Michigan. All samples are comprised of final treated solids generated at the end of the wastewater treatment process. Concentrations of both individual and Σ <subscript>24</subscript> PFAS are lognormally distributed, with Σ <subscript>24</subscript> PFAS concentrations ranging from 1-3200 ng/g and averaging 108 ± 277 ng/g dry wt. PFAS with carboxyl and sulfonic functional groups comprise 29% and 71% of Σ <subscript>24</subscript> PFAS concentrations, respectively, on average. Primary sample variability in concentration is associated with long-chain PFAS with higher tendency for partitioning to biosolids. Short-chain carboxylic compounds, most notably PFHxA, are responsible for secondary concentration variability. Usage of FTSA and PFBS replacements to long-chain sulfonic compounds also contributes to variance in biosolids concentrations. Sulfonamide precursor compounds as a collective group are detected at a similar frequency as PFOS and often have higher concentrations. Trends in PFAS enrichment for individual PFAS vary at least 3 orders-of-magnitude and generally increase with compound hydrophobicity; however, partitioning of PFAS onto solids in WWTPs is a complex process not easily described nor constrained using experimentally-derived partitioning coefficients.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br /> (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1873-3336
Volume :
463
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Journal of hazardous materials
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
37922581
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132734