Perfluorinated Compounds in the Cape Fear Drainage Basin in North Carolina

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 41; no. 15; pp. 5271 - 5276
• Main Authors: Nakayama, Shoji, Strynar, Mark J, Helfant, Laurence, Egeghy, Peter, Ye, Xibiao, Lindstrom, Andrew B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Alkanesulfonic Acids - analysis; Analysis methods; Analytical chemistry; Animals; Applied sciences; Basins; Caprylates - analysis; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Drainage; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Exposure; Environmental monitoring; Environmental testing; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorocarbons - analysis; Freshwater; Geography; Natural water pollution; North Carolina; Other chromatographic methods; Pollution; Pollution studies; Pollution, environment geology; Reproducibility of Results; Rivers - chemistry; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Water treatment and pollution; North Carolina; Cape Fear River; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Cape Fear; USA, North Carolina; USA, South Carolina, Cape Fear; Solid phase extraction; Chemical analysis; Drainage basins; HPLC chromatography; Sulfonate; Persistent organic pollutant; Analysis method; Carboxylic acid; Surface water; Organic fluorine compounds; Stream; Water pollution; Mass spectrometry; Organic compounds; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es070792y

Concern over perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs), e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is due to a number of recent studies which show that the PFCs are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic in animals. Despite sustained interest in this topic, little information is available concerning the environmental distributions of the compounds. In this study, a new method was developed for the analysis of 10 target PFCs and its performance was examined in a systematic evaluation of surface water in the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina. One hundred samples from 80 different locations were collected during the spring of 2006. Detectable levels of the target PFCs were found in all samples, and were comparable to values reported previously, with maximum PFOS at 132 ng/L, PFOA at 287 ng/L, perfluorononanoic acid (C9) at 194 ng/L, and perfluoroheptanoic acid (C7) at 329 ng/L. In general, the lowest concentrations of the PFCs were found in the smallest tributaries while the highest levels were found in middle reaches of the Drainage Basin. Variability of PFC concentrations suggests a series of source inputs throughout the Basin. Seventeen sample sites (22%) had PFOS concentrations greater than 43 ng/L, a conservative safe water concentration estimated to be protective of avian life. In addition, a total of 26 sites (32%) had PFOA concentrations above 40 ng/L.