Four Chemical Trends Will Shape the Next Decade's Directions in Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Research

Overview

Journal Front Chem

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2018 Apr 21

PMID 29675408

Citations 9

Authors

Matthias Kotthoff

Mark Bucking

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a versatile group of ubiquitously occurring chemicals of increasing regulatory concern. The past years lead to an ever expanding portfolio of detected anthropogenic PFAS in numerous products encountered in daily life. Yet no clear picture of the full range of individual substance that comprise PFAS is available and this challenges analytical and engineering sciences. Authorities struggle to cope with uncertainties in managing risk of harm posed by PFAS. This is a result of an incomplete understanding of the range of compounds that they comprise in differing products. There are analytical uncertainties identifying PFAS and estimating the concentrations of the total PFAS load individual molecules remain unknown. There are four major trends from the chemical perspective that will shape PFAS research for the next decade. Mobility: A wide and dynamic distribution of short chain PFAS due to their high polarity, persistency and volatility.Substitution of regulated substances: The ban or restrictions of individual molecules will lead to a replacement with substitutes of similar concern.Increase in structural diversity of existing PFAS molecules: Introduction of e.g., hydrogens and chlorine atoms instead of fluorine, as well as branching and cross-linking lead to a high versatility of unknown target molecules.Unknown "Dark Matter": The amount, identity, formation pathways, and transformation dynamics of polymers and PFAS precursors are largely unknown. These directions require optimized analytical setups, especially multi-methods, and semi-specific tools to determine PFAS-sum parameters in any relevant matrix.

Citing Articles

Rapid biomonitoring of perfluoroalkyl substance exposures in serum by multisegment injection-nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry.

Azab S, Hum R, Britz-McKibbin P Anal Sci Adv. 2024; 1(3):173-182.

PMID: 38716130 PMC: 10989087. DOI: 10.1002/ansa.202000053.

Substantial defluorination of polychlorofluorocarboxylic acids triggered by anaerobic microbial hydrolytic dechlorination.

Jin B, Liu H, Che S, Gao J, Yu Y, Liu J Nat Water. 2024; 1(5):451-461.

PMID: 38405335 PMC: 10888525. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-023-00077-6.

Determination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in the Indoor Dust Matter of the Sicily (Italy) Area: Analysis and Exposure Evaluations.

Barreca S, Mancuso M, Sacristan D, Pace A, Savoca D, Orecchio S Toxics. 2024; 12(1).

PMID: 38250983 PMC: 10819494. DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010028.

PFAS Exposures and the Human Metabolome: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies.

India-Aldana S, Yao M, Midya V, Colicino E, Chatzi L, Chu J Curr Pollut Rep. 2023; 9(3):510-568.

PMID: 37753190 PMC: 10520990. DOI: 10.1007/s40726-023-00269-4.

Practical application guide for the discovery of novel PFAS in environmental samples using high resolution mass spectrometry.

Strynar M, McCord J, Newton S, Washington J, Barzen-Hanson K, Trier X J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2023; 33(4):575-588.

PMID: 37516787 PMC: 10561087. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00578-2.

References

Wang P, Lu Y, Wang T, Zhu Z, Li Q, Meng J . Coupled production and emission of short chain perfluoroalkyl acids from a fast developing fluorochemical industry: Evidence from yearly and seasonal monitoring in Daling River Basin, China. Environ Pollut. 2016; 218:1234-1244. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.079. View

Kwok K, Taniyasu S, Yeung L, Murphy M, Lam P, Horii Y . Flux of perfluorinated chemicals through wet deposition in Japan, the United States, and several other countries. Environ Sci Technol. 2010; 44(18):7043-9. DOI: 10.1021/es101170c. View

Gellrich V, Stahl T, Knepper T . Behavior of perfluorinated compounds in soils during leaching experiments. Chemosphere. 2012; 87(9):1052-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.02.011. View

Houtz E, Sedlak D . Oxidative conversion as a means of detecting precursors to perfluoroalkyl acids in urban runoff. Environ Sci Technol. 2012; 46(17):9342-9. DOI: 10.1021/es302274g. View

Xiao F . Emerging poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in the aquatic environment: A review of current literature. Water Res. 2017; 124:482-495. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.07.024. View

Wang Z, Cousins I, Scheringer M, Hungerbuhler K . Fluorinated alternatives to long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and their potential precursors. Environ Int. 2014; 60:242-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.021. View

Scott B, Spencer C, Mabury S, Muir D . Poly and perfluorinated carboxylates in North American precipitation. Environ Sci Technol. 2006; 40(23):7167-74. DOI: 10.1021/es061403n. View

Russell M, Hoogeweg G, Webster E, Ellis D, Waterland R, Hoke R . TFA from HFO-1234yf: accumulation and aquatic risk in terminal water bodies. Environ Toxicol Chem. 2012; 31(9):1957-65. DOI: 10.1002/etc.1925. View

Liu J, Mejia Avendano S . Microbial degradation of polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in the environment: a review. Environ Int. 2013; 61:98-114. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.022. View

10.

Arp H, Brown T, Berger U, Hale S . Ranking REACH registered neutral, ionizable and ionic organic chemicals based on their aquatic persistency and mobility. Environ Sci Process Impacts. 2017; 19(7):939-955. DOI: 10.1039/c7em00158d. View

11.

Yeung L, Miyake Y, Taniyasu S, Wang Y, Yu H, So M . Perfluorinated compounds and total and extractable organic fluorine in human blood samples from China. Environ Sci Technol. 2008; 42(21):8140-5. DOI: 10.1021/es800631n. View

12.

Kotthoff M, Muller J, Jurling H, Schlummer M, Fiedler D . Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer products. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2015; 22(19):14546-59. PMC: 4592498. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4202-7. View

13.

Benskin J, Ikonomou M, Gobas F, Begley T, Woudneh M, Cosgrove J . Biodegradation of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (EtFOSE) and EtFOSE-based phosphate diester (SAmPAP diester) in marine sediments. Environ Sci Technol. 2013; 47(3):1381-9. DOI: 10.1021/es304336r. View

14.

Olsen G, Chang S, Noker P, Gorman G, Ehresman D, Lieder P . A comparison of the pharmacokinetics of perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) in rats, monkeys, and humans. Toxicology. 2008; 256(1-2):65-74. DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2008.11.008. View

15.

Reemtsma T, Berger U, Arp H, Gallard H, Knepper T, Neumann M . Mind the Gap: Persistent and Mobile Organic Compounds-Water Contaminants That Slip Through. Environ Sci Technol. 2016; 50(19):10308-10315. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03338. View

16.

Fromme H, Wockner M, Roscher E, Volkel W . ADONA and perfluoroalkylated substances in plasma samples of German blood donors living in South Germany. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2017; 220(2 Pt B):455-460. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.12.014. View

17.

Olsen G, Burris J, Ehresman D, Froehlich J, Seacat A, Butenhoff J . Half-life of serum elimination of perfluorooctanesulfonate,perfluorohexanesulfonate, and perfluorooctanoate in retired fluorochemical production workers. Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115(9):1298-305. PMC: 1964923. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10009. View

18.

Wang Z, DeWitt J, Higgins C, Cousins I . A Never-Ending Story of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)?. Environ Sci Technol. 2017; 51(5):2508-2518. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04806. View

19.

Heydebreck F, Tang J, Xie Z, Ebinghaus R . Alternative and Legacy Perfluoroalkyl Substances: Differences between European and Chinese River/Estuary Systems. Environ Sci Technol. 2015; 49(14):8386-95. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b01648. View

20.

Scott B, Moody C, Spencer C, Small J, Muir D, Mabury S . Analysis for perfluorocarboxylic acids/anions in surface waters and precipitation using GC--MS and analysis of PFOA from large-volume samples. Environ Sci Technol. 2006; 40(20):6405-10. DOI: 10.1021/es061131o. View