PFAS Experts Symposium: Statements on regulatory policy,chemistry and analytics,toxicology, transport/fate,and remediation for per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination issues

Sixty leading members of the scientific, engineering, regulatory, and legal communities assembled for the PFAS Experts Symposium in Arlington, Virginia on May 20 and 21, 2019 to discuss issues related to per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on the quickly evolving developments of PFAS regulations, chemistry and analytics, transport and fate concepts, toxicology, and remediation technologies.  The Symposium created a venue for experts with various specialized skills to provide opinions and trade perspectives on existing and new approaches to PFAS assessment and remediation in light of lessons learned managing other contaminants encountered over the past four decades. The following summarizes several consensus points developed as an outcome of the Symposium:

• Regulatory and policy issues: The response by many states and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to media exposure and public pressure related to PFAS contamination is to relatively quickly initiate programs to regulate PFAS sites. This includes the USEPA establishing relatively low lifetime health advisory levels for PFAS in drinking water and even more stringent guidance and standards in several states. In addition, if PFAS are designated as hazardous substances at the federal level, as proposed by several Congressional bills, there could be wide‐reaching effects including listing of new Superfund sites solely for PFAS, application of stringent state standards, additional characterization and remediation at existing sites, reopening of closed sites, and cost renegotiation among PRPs.
• Chemistry and analytics: PFAS analysis is confounded by the lack of regulatory‐approved methods for most PFAS in water and all PFAS in solid media and air, interference with current water‐based analytical methods if samples contain high levels of suspended solids, and sample collection and analytical interference due to the presence of PFAS in common consumer products, sampling equipment, and laboratory materials.
• Toxicology and risk: Uncertainties remain related to human health and ecological effects for most PFAS; however, regulatory standards and guidance are being established incorporating safety factors that result in part per trillion (ppt) cleanup objectives. Given the thousands of PFAS that may be present in the environment, a more appropriate paradigm may be to develop toxicity criteria for groups of PFAS rather than individual PFAS.
• Transport and fate: The recalcitrance of many perfluoroalkyl compounds and the capability of some fluorotelomers to transform into perfluoroalkyl compounds complicate conceptual site models at many PFAS sites, particularly those involving complex mixtures, such as firefighting foams. Research is warranted to better understand the physicochemical properties and corresponding transport and fate of most PFAS, of branched and linear isomers of the same compounds, and of the interactions of PFAS with other co‐contaminants such as nonaqueous phase liquids. Many PFAS exhibit complex transport mechanisms, particularly at the air/water interface, and it is uncertain whether traditional transport principles apply to the ppt levels important to PFAS projects. Existing analytical methods are sufficient when combined with the many advances in site characterization techniques to move rapidly forward at selected sites to develop and test process‐based conceptual site models.
• Existing remediation technologies and research: Current technologies largely focus on separation (sorption, ion exchange, or sequestration). Due to diversity in PFAS properties, effective treatment will likely require treatment trains. Monitored natural attenuation will not likely involve destructive reactions, but be driven by processes such as matrix diffusion, sorption, dispersion, and dilution.

The consensus message from the Symposium participants is that PFAS present far more complex challenges to the environmental community than prior contaminants. This is because, in contrast to chlorinated solvents, PFAS are severely complicated by their mobility, persistence, toxicological uncertainties, and technical obstacles to remediation—all under the backdrop of stringent regulatory and policy developments that vary by state and will be further driven by USEPA. Concern was expressed about the time, expense, and complexity required to remediate PFAS sites and whether the challenges of PFAS warrant alternative approaches to site cleanups, including the notion that adaptive management and technical impracticability waivers may be warranted at sites with expansive PFAS plumes. A paradigm shift towards receptor protection rather than broad scale groundwater/aquifer remediation may be appropriate.     

淡水湖泊营养状态监测新方法——叶绿素比值模型

选取铜绿微囊藻、鱼腥藻、蛋白核小球藻、汉氏菱形藻、薄甲藻和小定鞭金藻作为湖泊水体从富营养状态到贫营养状态的代表藻种,用热乙醇-反复冻融-分光光度法测定其叶绿素a、b、c的浓度,通过分析叶绿素(chl)的比值、藻类种群组成和水体营养水平之间的响应关系,建立了叶绿素比值模型作为评价水体营养状态的一种新方法.在计算单种藻类chlb/chla、chlc/chla比值的基础上,结合目前我国湖泊水体不同营养水平藻类种群组成的统计数据,得到不同营养状态下多种藻类同时存在时水体chlb/chla和chlc/chla比值的变化曲线.结果表明,在中营养和贫营养水体中,chlc/chla值随营养水平的降低呈明显单调上升的趋势;在富营养化水体中,chlb/chla值随营养水平的降低而呈明显单调上升的趋势.根据这个规律,提出了判断水体营养水平的新标准,即:当chlc/chla0.30时,水体为贫营养;当0.18chlc/chla0.30时,水体为中营养;当chlc/chla0.18时,水体为富营养,此时,需要借助chlb/chla的值进行进一步的判断:当chlb/chla0.14时,水体为轻度富营养化;当0.08chlb/chla0.14时,水体为中度富营养化;当chlb/chla0.08时,水体为重度富营养化.以白洋淀为研究案例,分析结果表明,叶绿素比值模型判断和综合营养状态指数法判断结果相符.因此,叶绿素比值模型可以作为简单、快捷、准确的评价我国淡水湖泊营养状态的方法.     

乌梁素海叶绿素a与理化因子的统计分析

利用2008年6月—10月乌梁素海水体叶绿素a浓度与环境理化因子的测定结果,分析了叶绿素a的时空分布特征.运用分层聚类分析法将乌梁素海现有的20个测点分成四类,找出各类测点及总测点中与叶绿素a显著相关的理化因子,建立了多元逐步回归方程.2008年乌梁素海各测点叶绿素a的平均值为6.31 mg.m-3,变幅1.54—26.87 mg.m-3;夏季最高,秋季居中,春季最低,整个区域呈现较明显的东北高西南低的分布趋势.应用SPSS统计分析软件进行相关分析的结果表明叶绿素a与BOD5、悬浮物、浊度、总磷都呈极显著相关,与透明度呈极显著负相关,与pH值和溶氧呈显著负相关.综合逐步回归方程表明,影响乌梁素海叶绿素a的理化因子因不同类型的测点各有所不同,但主要的影响因子有浊度、悬浮物、总磷、总氮、硝酸盐氮和亚硝酸盐氮.     

TiO2纳米棒对四环素的光催化降解

采用一步水热法合成了钛酸纳米材料,并以此为前驱体,通过二次水热处理制备了新型材料.使用XRD,TEM,N2吸附等温线等手段对催化剂进行了表征.结果表明,两种材料都为棒状纳米催化剂,其中二次水热材料为锐钛矿.光催化降解四环素结果表明两种催化剂都具有较高活性,二次水热纳米棒反应速率常数为一次水热材料的7倍;动力学实验表明TiO2纳米棒对四环素的光催化反应符合Langmuire-Hin-shelwood模型.     

水葫芦内生细菌脂肪酸生物标记特性研究（Characteristics of PLFA Biomarkers for the Endophyte Bacteria inside Eichhornia crassipe（Mart.）Solms）

应用基于微生物细胞脂肪酸成分鉴定的全自动微生物鉴定系统,鉴定水葫芦内生细菌25株,分属15个属.共检测到27个脂肪酸生物标记(PLFAs),这些生物标记分为4种类型,即(1)高频次分布:在25株细菌中出现13～22次,属于细菌总体类群(general)的生物标记.(2)中频次分布:在25株细菌中出现5～7次,可以用于代表细菌属类群(genus)识别生物标记.(3)低频次分布:在细菌中的分布概率较小,可以用于指示特定细菌种间差异的生物标记.(4)微频次分布:仅在一种细菌种类出现,是细菌种(species)特征生物标记.利用脂肪酸生物标记分析同属细菌不同种的差异,可将微杆菌属分为2类,第1类包括菌株9Microbacterium barkeri和11Microbacterium imperiale,这两个菌株17:0ISO和14:0ISO的脂肪酸生物标记含量均为0.第2类包括10Microbacterium esteraromaticum、12Microbacterium lacticum和13Microbacterium liquefaciens,这3个菌株均含有17:0ISO脂肪酸生物标记而区别于第一类菌株.利用脂肪酸生物标记的差异对25株内生细菌进行聚类分析,可将水葫芦内生细菌类群分为4类.不同植物内生菌群落中存在着特异的生物标记,利用特征脂肪酸生物标记的分析方法,分析水葫芦内生细菌的群体特性,对于植物内生菌微生物群落的研究具有重要意义.     

刍议新邵县松梢螟的发生与防治

松梢螟是新邵县松类树种的原发性害虫,在中、成龄松林内长期存在.近年来,松梢螟逐步扩散、蔓延为害,甚至局部暴发.通过对新邵县松梢螟的为害情况进行调查,对其生物学特性及发生规律进行了初步研究,探析了防治工作中存在的问题,对综合防控松梢螟危害提出了相应的对策.表1,参6.     

崇明县土壤主要理化指标的空间分布与变异特征

于上海市崇明县(崇明岛、长兴岛、横沙岛3岛)采集0～20 cm表层土壤样品128个,采用经典统计学和地统计学相结合的方法,分析土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷、有效钾含量和土壤电导率、容重、pH值等数据,研究土壤特性的空间分布规律.结果表明:崇明3岛有效磷和电导率的分布具有强变异性,pH值的变异强度最弱,其他土壤特性均具有中等变异强度.土壤容重和pH值具有很强的空间相关性.而土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷和有效钾的空间相关性最弱,其分布受随机因素影响较大.Kriging空间插值分析表明,受农事活动和城镇效应的影响,崇明岛土壤有机质和全氮含量高值区主要集中于人为活动比较密集的地区,土壤容重和pH值分布趋势基本一致,呈现由东西两端向岛中央递减的趋势.崇明岛土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷和有效钾含量两两间呈显著相关关系(α=0.01).     

南水北调中线工程与汉江中下游地区可持续发展

汉江是长江最大的支流,汉江中下游地区是湖北省经济基础最强的地区。同时汉江流域也存在着洪涝灾害威胁大、水资源开发利用水平不高、环境建设和生态保护力度不够、传统的工农业生产方式和产业结构加重环境的恶化、管理体制不顺等问题。南水北调中线工程以及配套工程的实施,对汉江流域的经济发展将起推动作用,同时从汉江的丹江口水库调水,将改变汉江中下游的水资源分配,社会经济发展与生态环境的协调将会出现新的矛盾。要解决好流域经济发展问题,必须把握好建设南水北调中线工程的机遇,更新观念,加强前期研究和规划,注重生态环境的保护和示范工程的建设,建立相应的政策法规和流域管理体制,全面保证汉江中下游地区的可持续发展。