Tributary Loading and Sediment Desorption as Sources of PFAS to Receiving Waters

• DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00348
• Publication Date: 2022-02-10T21:43:38Z
• Authors: Sarah Balgooyen; Christina K. Remucal
• Keywords: Sink (geography)

Transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Great Lakes is great importance as this large freshwater system provides drinking water over 40 million people. Tributary PFAS loading poorly characterized, role sediments a source or sink largely unknown. We quantified 10 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in (4–1310 ng/L) sediment (below detection 3255 ng/kg) 41 tributaries Green Bay Lake Michigan. demonstrate that tributary discharge plays major contribution receiving waters. In system, three rivers (i.e., Fox, Menominee, Peshtigo Rivers) contribute two-thirds total PFAA despite their relatively low concentrations. This circumvents current regulatory focus on sites with high composition linked likely sources, including fire-fighting foam manufacturer, other industrial activities, airports. addition discharge, we show can transport via desorption. Perfluorooctanesulfonate rapidly desorbs from contaminated riverbed when equilibrated Michigan water, indicating may act if concentrations are reduced by pollution mitigation methods.