Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental Pathways of Emerging Pollutants

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Ecological Risks of Emerging Pollutants in Urbanizing Regions

  • 217 Accesses

Abstract

The emission estimation of PFOS provides a clear profile of the industrial and domestic sources. After emission from the sources, how do the pollutants enter the environment? In this chapter, a comprehensive estimation of pollution pathways of emerging pollutants released into the environment was provided (Liu et al. 2017), followed by a life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective (Meng et al. 2017). Except for PFOS, PFOA was also selected as an example of emerging pollutants. After the Stockholm Convention restricted PFOS, there has been increasing concerns over the adverse effects of PFOA. Eventually, PFOA, its salts, and PFOA-related compounds were listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention (decision SC−9/12) as of May 2019. The estimation of PFOS/PFOA environment releases includes emission and transport processes such as atmospheric deposition, runoff, soil leaching, and surface water seepage. This allows a further calculation of the load of the pollutant in different environmental compartments. The LCA for PFOA/PFO provides more detailed processes from production and use to waste management and environmental transport. This approach was used to estimate the emissions of PFOA/PFO at multiple life cycle stages. The results presented not only current but also future flows of PFOA/PFO and could further help policymakers with more accurate risk assessments and implement feasible policies for control over the emission of PFOA/PFO at an important stage of their life cycle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahrens L, Shoeib M, Harner T, Lee S, Guo R, Reiner E (2011) Wastewater treatment plant and landfills as sources of polyfluoroalkyl compounds to the atmosphere. Environ Sci Technol 45:8098–8105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benskin J, Li B, Ikonomou M, Grace J, Li L (2012) Per− and polyfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate: patterns, time trends, and sources. Environ Sci Technol 46:11532–11540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooke D, Footitt A, Nwaogu T (2004) Environmental risk evaluation report: perfluorooctanesulphonate (PFOS). Environment Agency Wallingford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck RC, Franklin J, Berger U, Conder JM, Cousins IT, de Voogt P, Jensen AA, Kannan K, Mabury SA, van Leeuwen SP (2011) Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the environment: terminology, classification, and origins. Integr Environ Assess Manag 7(4):513–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buser A, Morf L (2009) Substance flow analysis for Switzerland (EB/OL). http://wwwbafuadminch/publ. Accessed Aug 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Yan S, Ye Z, Meng H, Zhu Y (2012) Utilization of urban sewage sludge: Chinese perspectives. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19(5):1454–1463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Shi L, Qian Y (2010) Substance flow analysis of aluminium in mainland China for 2001, 2004 and 2007: exploring its initial sources, eventual sinks and the pathways linking them. Resour Conserv Recycl 54:557–570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dai J (2006) Environmental chemistry (in Chinese). Higher education press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2003) Technical guidance document in support of commission directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances, commission regulation (EC) No. 1488/94 on risk assessment for existing substances and directive 98/8/EC of the European parliament and of the council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the19 market. Joint Research Centre, European Chemicals Bureau, Brussels, Belgium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) (2009) Substance flow analysis of PFOS and PFOA for Switzerland. Bern

    Google Scholar 

  • Gellrich V, Stahl T, Knepper T (2012) Behavior of perfluorinated compounds in soils during leaching experiments. Chemosphere 87(9):1052–1056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez-Canela C, Barth J, Lacorte S (2012) Occurrence and fate of perfluorinated compounds in sewage sludge from Spain and Germany. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19:4109–4119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gu W, Feng D, Su X (2009) Reserch progress of PFOA substitutes. Organo-Fluorine Industry 3:28–30 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo R, Sim W, Lee E, Lee J, Oh J (2010) Evaluation of the fate of perfluoroalkyl compounds in wastewater treatment plants. Water Res 44:3476–3486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huset C, Barlaz M, Barofsky D, Field J (2011) Quantitative determination of fluorochemicals in municipal landfill leachates. Chemosphere 82:1380–1386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin H, Zhang Y, Zhu L, Martin J (2015) Isomer profiles of perfluoroalkyl substances in water and soil surrounding a Chinese fluorochemical manufacturing park. Environ Sci Technol 49:4946–4954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li L, Zhai Z, Liu J, Hu J (2015) Estimating industrial and domestic environmental releases of perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts in China from 2004 to 2012. Chemosphere 129:100–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu B, Zhang H, Yao D, Li J, Xie L, Wang X, Wang Y, Liu G, Yang B (2015a) Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the atmosphere of shenzhen, China: spatial distribution, sources and health risk assessment. Chemosphere 138:511–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu S, Lu Y, Xie S, Wang T, Jones KC, Sweetman AJ (2015b) Exploring the fate, transport and risk of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in a coastal region of China using a multimedia model. Environ Int 85:15–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Lu Y, Wang P, Wang T, Liu S, Johnson AC, Sweetman AJ, Baninla Y (2017) Pollution pathways and release estimation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in central and eastern China. Sci Total Environ 580:1247–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Löfstedt Gilljam J, Leonel J, Cousins IT, Benskin JP (2015) Is ongoing sulfluramid use in south america a significant source of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)? production inventories, environmental fate, and local occurrence. Environmental science & technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu W, Zhang B, Zhu Y, Gu W (2011) Study on the PFOA substitute and its application in the polymerization of fluoroelastomer. Organo-Fluorine Industry 2:20–23 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng J, Lu Y, Wang T, Wang P, Giesy JP, Sweetman AJ, Li Q (2017) Life cycle analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(12):11254–11264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul AG, Jones KC, Sweetman AJ (2008) A first global production, emission, and environmental inventory for perfluorooctane sulfonate. Environ Sci Technol 43(2):386–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prevedouros K, Cousins IT, Buck RC, Korzeniowski SH (2006) Sources, fate and transport of perfluorocarboxylates. Environ Sci Technol 40(1):32–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruan T, Lin Y, Thanh W, Liu R, Jiang G (2015) Identification of novel polyfluorinated ether sulfonates as PFOS alternatives in municipal sewage sludge in China. Environ Sci Technol 49:6519–6527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlummer M, Solch C, Meisel T, Still M, Gruber L, Wolz G (2015) Emission of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA) from heated surfaces made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) applied in food contact materials and consumer products. Chemosphere 129:46–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sepulvado J, Blaine A, Hundal L, Higgins C (2011) Occurrence and fate of perfluorochemicals in soil following the land application of municipal biosolids. Environ Sci Technol 45:8106–8112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shan G, Chen X, Zhu L (2015) Occurrence, fluxes and sources of perfluoroalkyl substances with isomer analysis in the snow of northern China. J Hazard Mater 299:639–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair E, Kim S, Akinleye H, Kannan K (2007) Quantitation of gas-phase perfluoroalkyl surfactants and fluorotelomer alcohols released from nonstick cookware and microwave popcorn bags. Environ Sci Technol 41:1180–1185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stahl T, Riebe RA, Falk S, Failing K, Brunn H (2013) Long-term lysimeter experiment to investigate the leaching of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the carry-over from soil to plants: results of a pilot study. J Agric Food Chem 61(8):1784–1793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang Y, Xu P, Zhou X (2009) Recovery and application of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) Organo-Fluorine Industry 4:43–47. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vecitis C, Park H, Cheng J, Mader B, Hoffmann M (2009) Treatment technologies for aqueous perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). Front Environ Sci Eng China 3:129–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Huang J, Yang Y, Hui Y, Ge Y, Larssen T, Yu G, Deng S, Wang B, Harman C (2013) First report of a Chinese PFOS alternative overlooked for 30 years: its toxicity, persistence, and presence in the ensvironment. Environ Sci Technol 47:10163–10170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Cousins IT, Scheringer M, Buck RC, Hungerbuhler K (2014a) Global emission inventories for C4–C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA) homologues from 1951 to 2030, Part I: production and emissions from quantifiable sources. Environ Int 70:62–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Cousins IT, Scheringer M, Buck RC, Hungerbuhler K (2014b) Global emission inventories for C4–C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA) homologues from 1951 to 2030, part II: the remaining pieces of the puzzle. Environ Int 69:166–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao F, Simcik MF, Halbach TR, Gulliver JS (2015) Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in soils and groundwater of a US metropolitan area: Migration and implications for human exposure. Water Res 72:64–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie S, Wang T, Liu S, Jones KC, Sweetman AJ, Lu Y (2013) Industrial source identification and emission estimation of perfluorooctane sulfonate in China. Environ Int 52:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan H, Cousins IT, Zhang C, Zhou Q (2015) Perfluoroalkyl acids in municipal landfill leachates from China: occurrence, fate during leachate treatment and potential impact on groundwater. Sci Total Environ 524:23–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zareitalabad P, Siemens J, Hamer M, Amelung W (2013) Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in surface waters, sediments, soils and wastewater–a review on concentrations and distribution coefficients. Chemosphere 91(6):725–732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Liu J, Hu J, Liu C, Guo W, Wang Q, Wang H (2012) The inventory of sources, environmental releases and risk assessment for perfluorooctane sulfonate in China. Environ Pollut 165:193–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Zhang Y, Taniyasu S, Yeung LW, Lam PK, Wang J, Li X, Yamashita N, Dai J (2013) Distribution and fate of perfluoroalkyl substances in municipal wastewater treatment plants in economically developed areas of China. Environ Pollut 176:10–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Zhaoyang Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Environment Nanotechnology and Health Effects, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Jing Meng

  3. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, International Institute for Sustainability Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361102, China

    Yonglong Lu

  4. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Zhaoyang Liu, Jing Meng & Yonglong Lu

Authors
  1. Zhaoyang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jing Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yonglong Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yonglong Lu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, International Institute for Sustainability Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China

    Yonglong Lu

  2. Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China

    Pei Wang

  3. Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China

    Jingjing Yuan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Liu, Z., Meng, J., Lu, Y. (2023). Environmental Pathways of Emerging Pollutants. In: Lu, Y., Wang, P., Yuan, J. (eds) Ecological Risks of Emerging Pollutants in Urbanizing Regions. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9630-6_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation