Understanding long-range transport mechanisms of perfluoroalkyl substances

Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent, bioaccumulative compounds found ubiquitously within the environment. They can be formed from the atmospheric oxidation of volatile precursor compounds and undergo long-range transport (LRT) through the atmosphere and ocean to remote locations. Ice caps preserve a temporal record of PFAA deposition making them useful in studying the atmospheric trends in LRT of PFAAs as well as understanding major pollutant sources and production changes over time. A 15 m ice core representing 38 years of deposition (1977 – 2015) was collected from the Devon Ice Cap in Nunavut and analyzed for PFAAs. Samples were concentrated by solid phase extraction and analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS, IC, and ICP-OES. Both shortand long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) were detected in the samples, with fluxes ranging from