R Okwuosa, P N Nomngongo, L Petrik, O S Olatunji, O J Okonkwo
{"title":"Understanding PFAS Behavior: Analysing Contamination Patterns in Surface Water and Sediment of the Apies River, South Africa.","authors":"R Okwuosa, P N Nomngongo, L Petrik, O S Olatunji, O J Okonkwo","doi":"10.1007/s00128-025-04033-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants widely detected in water and sediment worldwide. Despite growing concerns about their ecological and health risks, their distribution in African aquatic environments remains understudied. This study addresses the knowledge gap in PFAS contamination by analysing the spatial and temporal distribution of 18 PFAS in Apies River water and sediment in Pretoria, South Africa. Surface water and sediment samples were collected upstream and downstream of the Apies River during dry seasons. The analysis of PFAS concentrations was conducted using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis, including paired t-tests, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis, were applied to determine spatial and temporal trends. The study revealed significant spatial variations in PFAS contamination, with upstream locations consistently exhibiting higher concentrations than downstream. In surface water samples, L_PFBS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, and L_PFHpS showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between sites. Perfluorocarboxylic acids were the dominant PFAS class in surface water (50.47-57.15%), whereas perfluorosulfonic acids were more prevalent in sediments. Upstream sediment had higher L_PFHpS (43.00 ng/g), L_PFDS (38.89 ng/g), and L_PFHxS (23.91 ng/g) than downstream (31.96, 27.84, and 18.02 ng/g, respectively). The findings reveal contamination sources and partitioning between surface water and sediments, aiding in water quality management and pollution mitigation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"114 4","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11950043/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-025-04033-w","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants widely detected in water and sediment worldwide. Despite growing concerns about their ecological and health risks, their distribution in African aquatic environments remains understudied. This study addresses the knowledge gap in PFAS contamination by analysing the spatial and temporal distribution of 18 PFAS in Apies River water and sediment in Pretoria, South Africa. Surface water and sediment samples were collected upstream and downstream of the Apies River during dry seasons. The analysis of PFAS concentrations was conducted using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis, including paired t-tests, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis, were applied to determine spatial and temporal trends. The study revealed significant spatial variations in PFAS contamination, with upstream locations consistently exhibiting higher concentrations than downstream. In surface water samples, L_PFBS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, and L_PFHpS showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between sites. Perfluorocarboxylic acids were the dominant PFAS class in surface water (50.47-57.15%), whereas perfluorosulfonic acids were more prevalent in sediments. Upstream sediment had higher L_PFHpS (43.00 ng/g), L_PFDS (38.89 ng/g), and L_PFHxS (23.91 ng/g) than downstream (31.96, 27.84, and 18.02 ng/g, respectively). The findings reveal contamination sources and partitioning between surface water and sediments, aiding in water quality management and pollution mitigation strategies.
期刊介绍:
The Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology(BECT) is a peer-reviewed journal that offers rapid review and publication. Accepted submissions will be presented as clear, concise reports of current research for a readership concerned with environmental contamination and toxicology. Scientific quality and clarity are paramount.