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Abstract:
Perfluoroalkyl adds (PFAAs) have been determined in the environment
globally. However, studies on the occurrence of PFAAs in marine sediment
remain limited. In this study, 16 PFAAs are investigated in surface
sediments from the German Bight, which provided a good overview of the
spatial distribution. The concentrations of Sigma PFAAs ranged from
0.056 to 7.4 ng/g dry weight. The highest concentration was found at the
estuary of the River Ems, which might be the result of local discharge
source. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was the dominant compound,
and the enrichment of PFOS in sediment might be strongly related to the
compound structure itself. The geographical condition of the German
Bight influenced the movement of water and sediment, resulting in
complex distribution. Following normalization according to total organic
carbon (TOC) content, PFAA distributions showed a different picture.
Significant linear relationships were found between total PFAA
concentrations and TOC (R-2 = 0.50, p < 0.01). Compared with a previous
study conducted in the same area, a declining trend was presented for
the concentrations of PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Compound
structure, geographical condition, and organic carbon in the sediment
influence the distribution of PFAAs in the German Bight. Environmental
risk assessment indicated that the risk from PFOA is negligible, whereas
PFOS in marine sediment may present a risk for benthic organisms in the
German Bight. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
