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The Extent of the Impact of a Fluorochemical Industrial Park in Eastern China on Adjacent Rural Areas

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Abstract

High levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were observed in rural areas near a fluorochemical industrial park (FCIP) in the Yangtze River Delta region. The concentrations of total PFAS (∑PFASs) in soil, surface water, groundwater, and rainwater were in the range of 0.6–64.6 ng/g dry weight, 15.6–480.9, 4.8–614.6, and 13.4–542.2 ng/L, respectively. PFASs in rainwater and groundwater were higher than in surface water. The influence of the FCIP on rural soils extended to a distance of approximately 4 km based on the changes in PFAS compositions. The impact on surface water is mainly through direct river flow connected with contaminated sources, which may extend farther than 7 km in the case of unrestricted flow but much shorter distance for unconnected rivers. The penetration of PFASs in groundwater aquifers can extend as far as ca. 6 km, while direct water flow is the main transport route for PFASs. The influence radius of the FCIP can be as far as 60 km due to atmospheric precipitation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (41771515, 41003044, 41171370, and 41673022) and the Chinese Geological Survey (Project Numbers: 1212011220058 and 12120113015200). The authors thank Hong-Bing Qin, at Suzhou Environmental Monitoring Center for his assistance of rainwater sampling collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Eco-geochemistry, Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources, National Research Center for Geoanalysis (NRCGA), Beijing, China

    Guo-Hui Lu, Xing-Chun Jiao, Hai-Tao Piao, Shu Chen, Ke-Yan Tan, Nan Gai, Yong-Liang Yang & Jing Pan

  2. Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Anshan Normal College, Anshan, China

    Xiao-Chun Wang

  3. College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China

    Xiao-Cai Yin

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  1. Guo-Hui Lu
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  2. Xing-Chun Jiao
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  3. Hai-Tao Piao
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  4. Xiao-Chun Wang
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  5. Shu Chen
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  6. Ke-Yan Tan
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  7. Nan Gai
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  9. Yong-Liang Yang
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  10. Jing Pan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xing-Chun Jiao.

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Lu, GH., Jiao, XC., Piao, HT. et al. The Extent of the Impact of a Fluorochemical Industrial Park in Eastern China on Adjacent Rural Areas. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 74, 484–491 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-017-0458-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-017-0458-x

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