[Occurrence Characteristics, Bioaccumulation, and Ecological Risk of PFASs in Rivers Receiving Different Effluents]

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology
• Pollution Science

Context:

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic pollutants with widespread industrial applications.
• PFASs contaminate various environmental media, including rivers and aquatic organisms, posing ecological security threats.
• Understanding PFAS occurrence and risk is crucial for environmental management.

Purpose:

• To investigate the occurrence characteristics of PFASs in river water and fish across different river types.
• To evaluate the environmental risks associated with PFAS contamination in aquatic ecosystems.
• To identify major pollution sources and accumulation patterns of PFASs in fish.

Summary:

• PFASs were detected in all studied rivers, with concentrations ranging from 37.44 to 167.37 ng·L⁻¹.
• Urban wastewater and airport rainwater were identified as primary sources, with short-chain PFASs dominating (58.7%).
• Carnivorous fish exhibited the highest PFAS accumulation (136.87 ng·g⁻¹), particularly in brain and liver tissues. Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimeric acid (GenX) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed high bioaccumulation potential.

Impact:

• PFASs pose a low-to-medium ecological risk (RQ < 0.080), with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) being the main contributor (75.31%).
• While fish consumption presents a low risk to human health, the widespread presence and accumulation of PFASs highlight the need for continued monitoring and mitigation strategies.
• This study provides critical data for assessing the environmental impact of PFASs and informing regulatory actions.