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Regulatory Implications of PFAS
Published in David M. Kempisty, LeeAnn Racz, Forever Chemicals, 2021
Some might argue that the Federal government has been slow to react to PFAS problems. From the drinking water perspective, the Federal government began taking steps to address two PFAS in 2009 with the release of Provisional Health Advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at 400 ppt and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at 200 ppt (EPA 2009a). Additionally, in 2009, EPA listed PFOA and PFOS on the final Third Contaminant Candidate List (CCL3, EPA 2009b). As the next step, in 2012, to develop national occurrence data as previously discussed, EPA included six PFAS on the final Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3, EPA 2012). The six PFAS were PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, and PFBS. The UMCR3 monitoring started in January 2013 and was completed in December 2015.
Urban Sources of Micropollutants: from the Catchment to the Lake
Published in Nathalie Chèvre, Andrew Barry, Florence Bonvin, Neil Graham, Jean-Luc Loizeau, Hans-Rudolf Pfeifer, Luca Rossi, Torsten Vennemann, Micropollutants in Large Lakes, 2018
Jonas Margot, Luca Rossi, D. A. Barry
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a large family of synthetic chemicals used in many types of household products that utilise their properties for creating water-repellent, grease-repellent and dirt-repellent surfaces. They are, for instance, used in non-stick cookware (polytetrafluoroethylene - PTFE - known as Teflon®), water-proofing sprays, Gore-Tex® clothing, stain- or water-resistant textiles (clothes, carpets, tablecloths, upholstered furniture), some cosmetics (nail polish, eye make-up), floor polish and waxes, window cleaners, degreasers or paper packages for oily foodstuffs (pizza and popcorn boxes) (KemI, 2006). PFCs are a complex group of organic compounds characterised by a carbon chain in which all hydrogen atoms have been replaced by fluorine atoms. This characteristic makes PFCs very persistent in the environment and non-biodegradable. The PFC perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was categorised as a persistent organic pollutant in the Stockholm Convention and as a priority hazardous substance in the EU beause of its very high persistence in the environment, its bioaccumulation potential and its toxicity. Its use is now restricted in many countries and its production has decreased drastically in recent years. The PFC, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has also recently received more interest based on its toxic and eco-toxic properties and its high persistence (Post et al., 2012). PFOA and PFOS are among the most abundant PFCs observed in raw municipal wastewaters with average concentrations around 5-50 ng l−1. The sum of the concentrations of the most common PFCs is usually reported in the range of 30-150 ng l 1 (Ahrens et al., 2009; Arvaniti et al., 2012; Bossi et al., 2008; Guo et al., 2010).
Pollution Sources and Drinking Water Protection
Published in Rong Yue, Fundamentals of Environmental Site Assessment and Remediation, 2018
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA—C7F15COOH or C8) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS—C8F17SO3H) are the most notable compounds of the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a group of anthropogenic chemicals with past and current uses in industrial processes and consumer products. They are extremely recalcitrant and persistent in the environment and occur ubiquitously in environments worldwide.
Survey on the current leachate treatments of public municipal solid waste landfills and the potential impact of per- and polyfluorinatedalkyl substances in the Eastern and Northwestern United States
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2023
Mert Gokgoz, Wuhuan Zhang, Nimna Manage, Mery Mbengue, Stephanie Bolyard, Jiannan Chen
Although there was an interim guidance document published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 for non-consumer products, as of the survey date, there were no regulations for PFASs concentrations in landfill leachate before discharge to the disposal facilities, nor are there regulations to manage the disposal and destruction of these molecules (EPA 2022). Some of the short-chain PFASs are considered to be potential source of contamination due to higher uptake than longer chains. Recently, EPA announced the proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for 6 PFAS, including PFOA (MCL = 4 ppt), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS, MCL = 4 ppt), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA, hazardous index = 1), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, hazardous index = 1), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS, hazardous index = 1), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS, hazardous index = 1) (EPA 2023). These lower limits could eventually impact the leachate discharge levels upstream of WWTPs, and such change could begin that affect leachate treatment decisions by landfills and impact the costs of landfill operations.
Bacterial community in a freshwater pond responding to the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
Published in Environmental Technology, 2020
Dongqing Zhang, Weilan Zhang, Yanna Liang
As a consequence, PFOA is expected to be frequently detected in surface water and ground water. In Germany, PFOA was detected at the concentration of up to 33,900 ng L−1 in a creek near the contaminated upstream of Ruhr River, and at up to 519 ng L−1 in drinking water from the Moehne Rivers [10]. In North Carolina, USA, PFOA was reported at a median and maximum concentrations of 12.6 and 287 ng L−1 in Cape Fear River, and more than 82.3% of samples throughout this river contained PFOA at a concentration of >1 ng L−1 [7]. To reduce the environmental health hazards associated with long-chain PFAS, in 2016, U.S. EPA issued drinking water health advisory levels of 70 ng L−1 for the two most prominent and frequently detected compounds, i.e. PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) [11]. However, environmental contamination and human exposure to PFOA are anticipated to continue in the foreseeable future, due to its persistence and formation from precursor compounds [5].
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and male reproductive health: a systematic review of the epidemiological evidence
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 2020
Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen, Josefine Rahbæk Larsen, Laura Deen, Esben Meulengracht Flachs, Katia Keglberg Hærvig, Sidsel Dan Hull, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg
The story of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has long been recounted as a nonstick nightmare. Following the introduction of PFAS in industrial products and processes in the 1940s, these chemicals quickly gained global usage as potent synthetic surfactants (IARC 2017; Olsen et al. 1998). Thus, PFAS were commonly found in coated cookware, food packaging, cosmetics, textiles, carpets, paints, lubricants, and firefighting foams (IARC 2017; Kotthoff et al. 2015). With the extensive production of especially perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), compounds eventually spread as bio-persistent environmental pollutants to air, dust, soil, and water around the world (EPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency 2018; IARC 2017). Exposure therefore, continues despite restrictions implemented in the last decades on production of several PFAS (Chemical Watch – Global risk and regulation news 2019).