Distribution of perfluorinated compounds in surface water from Hanjiang River in Wuhan,China

This study provided the first spatial distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in Hanjiang River in Wuhan, China (HR). Surface water samples, collected from 23 sites in HR were analyzed for eight PFCs. The total concentrations of PFCs ranged from 8.90 to 568 ng L⁻¹, while perfluoropentanoic acid (PFOA, <LOQ − 256 ng L⁻¹) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, <LOQ − 88.9 ng L⁻¹) dominated. All data were found to be normally distributed in the river. Similar spatial distribution tendencies were found among perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) and significant correlations were observed among PFCAs, while no significant correlations were found between PFOS and PFCAs. The distributions of PFCs were highly influenced by the industrial discharge and urban activities. The flux of PFCs from HR to the Yangtze River was estimated in the range of 16.9–127 kg yr⁻¹. More than a half of the samples studied could not meet the drinking water standards and avian wildlife values, suggesting further studies of characterizing PFCs and their potential risk to human were needed.     

Removal of PFOS, PFOA and other perfluoroalkyl acids at water reclamation plants in South East Queensland Australia

This paper examines the fate of perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs) and carboxylic acids (PFCAs) in two water reclamation plants in Australia. Both facilities take treated water directly from WWTPs and treat it further to produce high quality recycled water. The first plant utilizes adsorption and filtration methods alongside ozonation, whilst the second uses membrane processes and advanced oxidation to produce purified recycled water. At both facilities perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were the most frequently detected PFCs. Concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in influent (WWTP effluent) ranged up to 3.7 and 16 ng L⁻¹ respectively, and were reduced to 0.7 and 12 ng L⁻¹ in the finished water of the ozonation plant. Throughout this facility, concentrations of most of the detected perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) remained relatively unchanged with each successive treatment step. PFOS was an exception to this, with some removal following coagulation and dissolved air flotation/sand filtration (DAFF). At the second plant, influent concentrations of PFOS and PFOA ranged up to 39 and 29 ng L⁻¹. All PFCs present were removed from the finished water by reverse osmosis (RO) to concentrations below detection and reporting limits (0.4-1.5 ng L⁻¹). At both plants the observed concentrations were in the low parts per trillion range, well below provisional health based drinking water guidelines suggested for PFOS and PFOA.     

Occupational exposure to synthetic musks in barbershops,compared with the common exposure in the dormitories and households

Synthetic musks (SMs) have been widely used as fragrance ingredients in personal care and sanitary commodities. Due to their high volatility and particle-binding affinity, the indoor dust is a major reservoir of SMs, and dust ingestion could be an important exposure way to special populations, such as hairdressers. In spite of the known toxicity of SMs, there is no information regarding the occurrence of SMs in barbershop dusts and the exposure of hairdressers through indoor dust ingestion. In the present study, the levels of two nitro musks and five polycyclic musks were measured from indoor dust samples collected from barbershops, and some other indoor dust samples were also collected from dormitories, bathhouses and households for comparison. The concentrations of ∑SMs in barbershop dusts were 10–100 times higher than those from the other three indoor microenvironments. Polycyclic musks accounted for 89.4% of ∑SMs on average in all samples, of which two compounds, HHCB and AHTN jointly dominated 97.9% of polycyclic musks. The levels of HHCB and AHTN varied from 12.2 to 8.39 × 10⁵ and from 13.2 to 3.49 × 10⁵ ng g⁻¹, respectively. The daily intakes (DIs) of ∑SMs through house dust ingestion were estimated using the model of high dust ingestion and worst-case exposure (P95), and the corresponding exposure rates were 2791, 135 and 727 ng d⁻¹ for the hairdressers, general population and toddlers. SMs were also detected in blood samples collected from the hairdressers and normal adults (n = 50 and 10, respectively). There was no significant difference between these two groups. Despite the absence of higher SM concentrations in hairdresser’s blood, we should not overlook the potential occupational health risks due to their high SMs ingestion rate.     

Occurrence and source characterization of perfluorochemicals in an urban watershed

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are used in numerous applications, mainly as surfactants, and occur ubiquitously in the environment as complex mixtures. This study was undertaken to characterize the occurrence and sources of commonly detected PFC compounds in surface waters of the Marina catchment, a watershed that drains an urbanized section of Singapore. Of the 19 target PFCs, 13 were detected with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (5-31 ng L⁻¹) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (1-156 ng L⁻¹) being the dominant components. Other compounds detected included perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (C7-C12) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (C6 and C8). Sulfonamide compounds detected 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA), 2-(N-methylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) acetic acid (N-MeFOSAA), perfluorooctanesulfonamido acetic acid (FOSAA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (FOSA) were putative transformation products of N-EtFOSE and N-MeFOSE, the N-ethylated and N-methylated ethyl alcohol derivatives, respectively. Surface water concentrations were generally higher during dry weather than during storm water flow: the median concentrations of total PFCs in dry and wet weather were 57 and 138 ng L⁻¹ compared to 42 and 79 ng L⁻¹, respectively, at Stamford and Alexandra canal, suggesting the presence of a continuous source(s) which is subject to dilution during storm events. In rain water, median concentrations were 6.4 ng L⁻¹, suggesting rain contributed from 12-25% to the total PFC load for non-point source sites. The longitudinal concentration profile along one of the canals revealed a point source of sulfonated PFCs (PFOS), believed to originate from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Sources were characterized using principal component analysis (PCA) and by plotting PFHxS/PFOA against PFOS/PFOA. Typical surface waters exhibit PFOS/PFOA and PFHxS/PFOA ratios below 0.9 and 0.5, respectively. PCA plots reveal waters impacted by “non-typical” PFC sources in Alexandra canal.     

Bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls in workplace dust and its implication for risk assessment

Human exposure to bioaccessible PCBs via indoor dust is limited around the world. In the present study, the workplace dust sample from commercial office, hospital, secondary school, shopping mall, electronic factory and manufacturing plant were collected from Hong Kong for PCBs analyses. Total PCBs concentrations ranged from 46.8 to 249 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 107 ng g⁻¹. Manufacturing plant showed the highest concentration among all of sampling sites. PCB 77 was found as the dominant congeners. The bioaccessibility of PCBs in small intestinal juice ranging from 8.3% to 26.0% was significantly higher than that in gastric condition, ranging from 4.8% to 12.4%. In addition, significant negative correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between K_OW and bioaccessibility for all workplace dust samples. Risk assessment indicated that the averaged daily dose of dioxin-like PCBs via non-dietary intake of workplace dust, considering the bioaccessibility of PCBs, were much lower than the TDI of dioxins (2.3 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw⁻¹ d⁻¹) established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.     

Analysis of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates in vacuum cleaner dust samples in Japan

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has long been an environmental contaminant of concern owing to its potential health risk. However, exposure to perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) other than PFOA is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the concentrations of PFCAs in vacuum cleaner dust in Japan to measure the PFCAs contamination in an indoor environment. Most of the 77 samples contained PFCAs with 6-13 carbon atoms. The median concentration of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA, 23.2 ng g⁻¹) was highest among PFCAs, followed by PFOA (20.8 ng g⁻¹) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA, 12.9 ng g⁻¹). The 90th percentile concentrations of PFNA, PFUnDA and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were 948, 283 and 110 ng g⁻¹, respectively, and these were detected at greater concentrations than neighboring, even-numbered PFCAs. The proportion of long-chain PFCAs in vacuum cleaner dust from Japan was relatively higher than those reported for other countries. Factor analysis showed three independent factors. Odd-numbered long chain PFCAs (PFNA, PFUnDA and PFTrDA), which can correspond to factor 1, were major components of PFCAs in vacuum cleaner dust. Short chain PFCAs (factor 2) and even numbered long chain PFCAs (factor 3) were also statistically separated. These findings suggest that there are several sources of PFCAs with different origins in indoor environment. Further investigations into the origins of PFCAs are needed to evaluate indoor contamination with PFCAs.     

Perfluorinated compounds in Haihe River and Dagu Drainage Canal in Tianjin, China

In this study, nine perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were investigated in water and sediment of Haihe River (HR) and Dagu Drainage Canal (DDC), Tianjin, China. The total PFCs in water samples from DDC (40-174 ng L⁻¹) was much greater than those from HR (12-74 ng L⁻¹). PFC contamination was severe at lower reaches of HR due to industry activities, while high PFCs were found in the middle of DDC due to the effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the predominant PFCs in aqueous phase. The total PFCs in sediments from DDC (1.6-7.7 ng g⁻¹ dry weight) were lower as compared to HR (7.1-16 ng g⁻¹), maybe due to the dredging of sediment in DDC conducted recently. PFOS was the major PFC in HR sediments followed by PFOA; while PFHxA was the major PFC in DDC sediments. Organic carbon calibrated sediment-water distribution coefficients (K_OC) were calculated for HR. The Log K_OC ranged from 3.3 to 4.4 for C7-C11 perfluorinated carboxylic acids, increasing by 0.1-0.6 log units with each additional CF₂ moiety. The log K_OC for 8:2 fluorotelomer unsaturated acid was reported for the first time with a mean value of 4.0. The log Koc of PFOS was higher than perfluoronanoic acid by 0.8 log units.     

Mass flows of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in central wastewater treatment plants of industrial zones in Thailand

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are fully fluorinated organic compounds, which have been used in many industrial processes and have been detected in wastewater and sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) around the world. This study focused on the occurrences of PFCs and PFCs mass flows in the industrial wastewater treatment plants, which reported to be the important sources of PFCs. Surveys were conducted in central wastewater treatment plant in two industrial zones in Thailand. Samples were collected from influent, aeration tank, secondary clarifier effluent, effluent and sludge. The major purpose of this field study was to identify PFCs occurrences and mass flow during industrial WWTP. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS were used for the analysis. Total 10 PFCs including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoronanoic acid (PFNA), perfluordecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) were measured to identify their occurrences. PFCs were detected in both liquid and solid phase in most samples. The exceptionally high level of PFCs was detected in the treatment plant of IZ1 and IZ2 ranging between 662-847 ng L⁻¹ and 674-1383 ng L⁻¹, respectively, which greater than PFCs found in most domestic wastewater. Due to PFCs non-biodegradable property, both WWTPs were found ineffective in removing PFCs using activated sludge processes. Bio-accumulation in sludge could be the major removal mechanism of PFCs in the process. The increasing amount of PFCs after activated sludge processes were identified which could be due to the degradation of PFCs precursors. PFCs concentration found in the effluent were very high comparing to those in river water of the area. Industrial activity could be the one of major sources of PFCs contamination in the water environment.     

Diastereoisomer- and enantiomer-specific determination of hexabromocyclododecane in fish oil for food and feed

Fish oils are one of the main sources of ω-3 fatty acids. However, they can present elevated levels of some lipophilic pollutants, such as hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs). Since data about HBCDs in fish oil samples are very limited, in this study, 25 samples of fish oil for feed and food have been analyzed. Total HBCDs, as well as, α-, β- and γ-diastereoisomers have been determined. Total HBCDs ranged from 0.09 to 26.8 ng g⁻¹, with higher concentrations in fish oil for feed (average value of 9.69 ng g⁻¹) than those for food (1.14 ng g⁻¹). Concentrations of α-HBCD (average value of 4.12 ng g⁻¹ in feed samples and 0.48 ng g⁻¹ in food samples) and γ-HBCD (5.05 and 0.43 ng g⁻¹ respectively) were higher than that of β-HBCD (0.52 and 0.19 ng g⁻¹ respectively) in most of the samples. However, none of them was predominant in the samples. Concentrations of HBCDs were compared to concentrations of other pollutants and correlation between dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs levels and HBCDs levels were observed. Intake of HBCDs was calculated for fish oil with human consumption purposes and it ranged from 0.08 to 5.38 ng HBCDs d⁻¹, which could contribute significantly to HBCDs total intake. Enantiomeric fractions were also determined. No clear enrichment was observed for γ-HBCD, while (−)-α-HBCD enrichment was detected in some samples.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in indoor air originating from sealants in contaminated and uncontaminated apartments within the same housing estate

Twenty-four congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in 83 air samples and 20 elastic sealants samples of apartments with PCB-containing sealants. In addition, PCBs were measured in 21 air samples from reference apartments located in an uncontaminated section of the same estate. The PCB_tot levels in the air of the contaminated section were 168-3843 ng m⁻³ (mean: 1030 ng m⁻³), while the mean levels in the reference apartments were 6.03 ng m⁻³. The sum of the 24 measured PCB congeners in sealants from the contaminated section was 187-221 680 mg kg⁻¹. Principal component analysis revealed four groups among the sealant samples with different congener compositions, only two of which were clearly similar to known PCB mixtures, while two were not. Significant correlations and intercorrelations were observed between the lower chlorinated congeners in air and sealant, e.g. for PCB 28_air and 28_seal (p = 0.04) and for PCB 28_air and 52_air, 52_seal. However, no correlation was observed between the lower chlorinated congeners and the sums of PCB (∑PCB₆ or ∑PCB₂₄) or the higher chlorinated congeners. Analysis of air concentrations in relation to questionnaire data indicated that the indoor air levels could be reduced by increased cleaning and airing frequencies.     

First assessment of population exposure to perfluorinated compounds in Flanders, Belgium

With the objective to evaluate exposure of the population in Flanders (Belgium) to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), we measured perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in settled dust in homes and offices, in a selection of food items from local origin, in drinking-water and in human serum. We complemented the data with results from a literature survey. Based on this dataset we calculated intake by children and adults from food, drinking-water, settled dust and soil, and air. Dietary exposure dominated overall intake. For adults, average dietary intake equalled 24.2 (P95 40.9) ng PFOS kg⁻¹ d⁻¹ and 6.1 (P95 9.6) ng PFOA kg⁻¹ d⁻¹, whereas for children the dietary intake was about 3 times higher. Predicted intake is high when compared to assessments in other countries, and to serum levels from Flanders, but comparable to the intakes published by The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2008. Intake of PFOS and PFOA remained below the Tolerable Daily Intake.     

Polyfluorinated compounds in the atmosphere along a cruise pathway from the Japan Sea to the Arctic Ocean

Neutral polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in high-volume air samples collected on board the research vessel Snow Dragon during the 4th Chinese National Arctic Expedition from the Japan Sea to the Arctic Ocean in 2010. Four volatile and semi-volatile PFASs (fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), fluorotelomer acids (FTAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASAs), and sulfonamidoethanols (FASEs)) were analyzed respectively in the gas and particle phases. FTOHs were the dominant PFASs in the gas phase (61-358 pg m⁻³), followed by FTAs (5.2-47.9 pg m⁻³), FASEs (1.9-15.0 pg m⁻³), and FASAs (0.5-2.1 pg m⁻³). In the particle phase, the dominant PFAS class was FTOHs (1.0-9.9 pg m⁻³). The particle-associated fraction followed the general trend of FASEs > FASAs > FTOHs. Compared with other atmospheric PFAS measurements, the ranges of concentrations of ∑FTOH in this study were similar to those reported from Toronto, north America (urban), the northeast Atlantic Ocean, and northern Germany. Significant correlations between FASEs in the gas phase and ambient air temperature indicate that cold surfaces such as sea-ice, snowpack, and surface seawater influence atmospheric FASEs.     

Partitioning behaviour of perfluorinated alkyl contaminants between water, sediment and fish in the Orge River (nearby Paris, France)

This paper reports on the partitioning behaviour of 15 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), including C₄-C₁₀ sulfonates and C₅-C₁₄ carboxylic acids, between water, sediment and fish (European chub, Leuciscus cephalus) in the Orge River (nearby Paris). Total PFC levels were 73.0 ± 3.0 ng L⁻¹ in water and 8.4 ± 0.5 ng g⁻¹ in sediment. They were in the range 43.1-4997.2 ng g⁻¹ in fish, in which PFC tissue distribution followed the order plasma > liver > gills > gonads > muscle. Sediment-water distribution coefficients (log K_d) and bioaccumulation factors (log BAF) were in the range 0.8-4.3 and 0.9-6.7, respectively. Both distribution coefficients positively correlated with perfluoroalkyl chain length. Field-based biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) are also reported, for the first time for PFCs other than perfluorooctane sulfonate. log BSAF ranged between −1.3 and 1.5 and was negatively correlated with the perfluoroalkyl chain length in the case of carboxylic acids.     

Background levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants in humans from Taiwan: Perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have recently received attention due to their widespread contamination of the environment. PFOS and PFOA are stable in the environment and resistant to metabolism, hydrolysis, photolysis and biodegradation. PFOS and PFOA have been found in human blood and tissue samples from both occupationally exposed workers and the general worldwide population. This study aimed to determine the background levels of PFOS and PFOA in the Taiwanese population, investigate related factors, and compare exposure in Taiwan to that in other countries. The concentration of PFOS in the 59 serum samples collected from the general population in Taiwan ranged from 3.45 to 25.65 ng mL⁻¹ (median: 8.52), and the concentration of PFOA ranged from 1.55 to 7.69 ng mL⁻¹ (median: 3.22). There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.51; p < 0.0001) between PFOS and PFOA concentrations. Males had higher concentrations of PFOA and PFOS than females. PFOS levels in serum increased with age. This study is the first investigation to reveal the PFOS and PFOA levels of serum samples in the general population of Taiwan. The levels of PFOS and PFOA in Taiwanese serum samples were comparable with those from other countries (PFOS: 5.0–35 ng mL⁻¹, PFOA: 1.5–10 ng mL⁻¹).     

Spatial distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids in the Pearl River of Southern China

An intensive campaign was conducted in September 2012 to collect surface water samples along the tributaries of the Pearl River in southern China. Thirteen perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), including perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs, C4–C11) and perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs, C4, C6–C8, and C10), were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography/negative electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/(-)ESI–MS/MS). The concentrations of total PFAAs (ΣPFAAs) ranged from 3.0 to 52 ng L⁻¹, with an average of 19 ± 12 ng L⁻¹. The highest concentrations of ΣPFAAs were detected in the surface water of the Dong Jiang tributary (17–52 ng L⁻¹), followed by the main stream (13–26 ng L⁻¹) and the Sha Wan stream (3.0–4.5 ng L⁻¹). Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the three most abundant PFAAs and on average accounted for 20%, 24%, and 19% of ΣPFAAs, respectively. PFBS was the most abundant PFAA in the Dong Jiang tributary, and PFOA was the highest PFAA in the samples from the main stream of the Pearl River. A correlation was found between PFBS and PFOA, which suggests that both of these PFAAs originate from common source(s) in the region. Nevertheless, the slope of PFBS/PFOA was different in the different tributaries sampled, which indicates a spatial difference in the source profiles of the PFAAs.     

Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole in cork bark

Organochlorine pesticides are persistent lipophilic organic pollutants and tend to accumulate in growing plants. During growth, cork is in contact with the open air for long periods (9-12 years). Owing to the previous widespread use of organochlorine pesticides and their high persistence in the environment, there is a risk that residues of such pesticides may be present in cork.In this study, the concentrations of 14 organochlorine pesticides—all of which are indicators of environmental pollution—were analyzed in cork bark samples from three regions in Spain and one in Portugal. In addition, the concentrations of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) were also analyzed.Our results show only very low concentrations of lindane, γ-HCH (<2.6 ng g⁻¹) and its byproducts α-HCH (<3.5 ng g⁻¹) and β-HCH (<0.6 ng g⁻¹).Among the DDT and its metabolites, only two were found: p,p′-DDT was found in a cork sample from Extremadura (0.1 ng g⁻¹) and p,p′-DDE was present at a maximum concentration of 2.9 ng g⁻¹ in a cork sample from Castile-La Mancha. However, all concentrations were well below the legal limit established by Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 (10 ng g⁻¹ in foodstuffs). We can conclude, therefore, that the cork samples we studied complied with food safety standards.     

Risk assessment for human consumption of perfluorinated compound-contaminated freshwater and marine fish from Hong Kong and Xiamen

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made fluoro-surfactants that are identified as global pollutants and can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. Two aspects of risk assessment were conducted in this study, including exposure and response. Exposure was estimated by using the concentrations of PFCs in fish and applying standard exposure factors. Among different PFCs, PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA and PFTrDA were detected. Total concentrations of PFC in fish ranged from 0.27-8.4 ng g⁻¹ to 0.37-8.7 ng g⁻¹ respectively in Hong Kong and Xiamen. The calculated hazard ratio (HR) of PFOS for all fish was less than 1.0. However, the HR for mandarin fish in Hong Kong and bighead carp, grass carp and tilapia in Xiamen, had HR values of approximately 0.5, indicating that frequent consumption of these 4 more contaminated fish species might pose an unacceptable risk to human health. Our data support the notion that the released/disposed chemical pollutants into water systems make fish a source of environmental toxicants to humans. The risks and potential effects of PFCs to health of coastal population in the Pearl River Delta are of concern.     

Bisphenol A in human placental and fetal liver tissues collected from Greater Montreal area (Quebec) during 1998-2008

In this study, the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in human placental and fetal liver samples collected from 1998 to 2008 was investigated to provide a more detailed analysis of the transfer of BPA across the placenta and fetal exposure to BPA. The average concentrations in placental samples were 12.6 ng g⁻¹ for free BPA, 17.2 ng g⁻¹ for BPA-glu, and 30.2 ng g⁻¹ for total BPA. The highest concentrations in placental samples were 165 ng g⁻¹ for free BPA, 178 ng g⁻¹ for BPA-glu, and 280 ng g⁻¹ for total BPA. Samples with higher levels of BPA-glu had higher levels of free BPA in general. Fetal age was observed to have a significant effect on BPA-glu levels in placental samples, but not on free or total BPA. The percentages of free BPA relative to total BPA for the placental samples varied considerably from 4.2% to 100%, suggesting that the ability of maternal liver and/or the placenta to conjugate BPA is highly variable during early to mid-gestation. The average concentrations in fetal liver samples were 9.02 ng g⁻¹ for free BPA, 19.1 ng g⁻¹ for BPA-glu, and 25.8 ng g⁻¹ for total BPA. The highest concentrations in fetal liver samples were 37.7 ng g⁻¹ for free BPA, 93.9 ng g⁻¹ for BPA-glu, and 123 ng g⁻¹ for total BPA. The percentages of free BPA level relative to total BPA for all fetal liver samples varied from 12.4% to 99.1%, indicating extensive variability in the ability of the human feto-placental unit to glucuronidate BPA.     

Polyfluorinated telomers in indoor air of Japanese houses

The fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) have been detected in various environmental compartments, including indoor and outdoor air, in North America and Europe. In our previous studies, FTOHs were detected at a relative higher concentration in outdoor air in the Keihan (Kyoto–Osaka, one of the major industrial zones) area, Japan compared to reported data. The exposure level of FTOHs in indoor air in the Keihan area remains unclear. In the present study, indoor air FTOH concentrations were investigated using a passive air sampler containing activated carbon felts. The indoor air sampling was conducted in 49 households of the Keihan area, during winter and summer 2008. Most samples contained 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOAc. The median concentration of 8:2 FTOH (5.84 ng m^?3) was highest among fluorotelomers, followed by those of 10:2 FTOH (1.12 ng m^?3), 6:2 FTOH (0.29 ng m^?3), and others. Significant correlations among fluorotelomers were observed in collected samples. The association between housing conditions and 8:2 FTOH concentrations showed that samples collected from bed rooms have higher 8:2 FTOH concentrations than those collected from other locations. In addition, samples collected in winter showed lower levels of 8:2 FTOH than those collected in summer. These findings suggest that 8:2 FTOH is the predominant component among fluorotelomers in indoor air, and that there are emission sources of fluorotelomers in indoor environments of the Keihan area. Further investigations into the origins of fluorotelomers are needed to evaluate indoor contamination with fluorotelomers.     

Waste water treatment plants as sources of polyfluorinated compounds, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and musk fragrances to ambient air

To investigate waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) as sources of polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and synthetic musk fragrances to the atmosphere, air samples were simultaneously taken at two WWTPs and two reference sites using high volume samplers. Contaminants were accumulated on glass fiber filters and PUF/XAD-2/PUF cartridges, extracted compound-dependent by MTBE/acetone, methanol, or hexane/acetone and detected by GC-MS or HPLC-MS/MS. Total (gas + particle phase) concentrations ranged from 97 to 1004 pg m⁻³ (neutral PFCs), <MQL to 13 pg m⁻³ (ionic PFCs), 5781 to 482,163 pg m⁻³ (musk fragrances) and <1 to 27 pg m⁻³ (PBDEs) and were usually higher at WWTPs than at corresponding reference sites, revealing that WWTPs can be regarded as sources of musk fragrances, PFCs and probably PBDEs to the atmosphere. Different concentrations at the two WWTPs indicated an influence of WWTP size or waste water origin on emitted contaminant amounts.