Perfluorinated compounds in sediment samples from the wastewater canal of Pančevo (Serbia) industrial area

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 91; no. 10; pp. 1408 - 1415
• Main Authors: Beškoski, Vladimir P., Takemine, Shusuke, Nakano, Takeshi, Slavković Beškoski, Latinka, Gojgić-Cvijović, Gordana, Ilić, Mila, Miletić, Srdjan, Vrvić, Miroslav M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: adsorption; Applied sciences; Chemical Industry; Danube River; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; fertilizers; Fluorocarbons - analysis; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Industrial wastewater canal; oils; perfluorocarbons; PFCs; PFOS; point source pollution; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Sediment; sediments; Serbia; Soil and sediments pollution; sulfonates; surface water; Waste Water - chemistry; wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Serbia; Black Sea; Danube River; Europe; Industrial wastewater canal; PFCs; Sediment; Danube River; PFOS; Emerging contaminant; Organic perhalocompound; Sediments; Sulfonate; Persistent organic pollutant; Pollution; Carboxylic acid; Industrial waste water; Industrial area; Fluorine Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.12.079

► This is the first report of the presence of PFCs in the samples from Serbia. ► PFOS up to 5.7ngg−1 dw and total PFCs up to 6.3ngg−1 dw were detected. ► Compared to other worldwide reports high levels of PFOS were found in the sediment. ► A mass load of 1.38kgyear−1 PFOS discharged in Danube River has been calculated. ► Our work contributes to identification of PFCs pollution of the Danube River Basin. Perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were analyzed in sediment samples from the wastewater canal draining the industrial complex of Pančevo, Serbia (oil refinery, petrochemical plant, and fertilizer factory). The canal is directly connected to Europe’s second largest river, the Danube, which drains its water into the Black Sea. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) up to 5.7ngg−1 dry weight (dw) and total Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) up to 6.3ngg−1 dw were detected. Compared to other reports, high levels of PFOS were found, even though PFCs are not used in the industrial production associated with this canal. The PFOS concentration in water was recalculated using the adsorption coefficient, KOC from literature. Using the average output of wastewater from the canal, a mass load of 1.38kg PFOS per year discharged in the Danube River has been calculated, which undoubtedly points to the contribution to global persistent organic pollution of surface waters originating from this industrial place.