Aftermath of a major firefighting foam spill in Brunswick, Maine: Spatiotemporal dynamics of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the downstream surface waters

IF 6.6 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Journal of hazardous materials letters Pub Date : 2025-04-08 DOI:10.1016/j.hazl.2025.100150

Macy Hannan , Fatih Evrendilek , Daniel Leclair , Manisha Choudhary , Kenneth Mensah , Christoph Aeppli , Arjun K. Venkatesan , Onur G. Apul

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

On August 19, 2024, 5,500 L of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-based aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) spilled into the watershed near Brunswick Executive Airport in Maine, USA. This study investigates the immediate impact of the largest PFAS spill in the state's history on nearby aquatic ecosystems. Over 11 days, PFAS were sampled from nine surface waters, detecting 18 PFAS, predominantly perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). A significant reduction in PFAS levels occurred within days due to clean-up efforts and natural attenuation (e.g., dilution, adsorption, and aerosolization), in addition to downstream transport. Kruskal-Wallis and Steel-Dwass tests revealed significant spatial variability in PFAS, with PFOS, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, and perfluoroalkyloctanoic acid remaining elevated near the spill but declined by 99.9 % at the Harpswell Cove estuary 3.2 km south of the spill. The rapid PFAS spread poses risks to the downstream environments. This study provides insights into post-spill PFAS dynamics and highlights the urgency of minimizing PFAS-based AFFF use and spills, and further research into long-term ecosystem and human health risks associated with PFAS contamination.

Synopsis

The aftermath of a major AFFF spill was analyzed to provide insights into immediate spatiotemporal distribution of PFAS.

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缅因州不伦瑞克一次重大消防泡沫泄漏的后果：下游地表水中全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质的时空动态

2024年8月19日，5,500 L基于全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）的水性成膜泡沫（AFFF）泄漏到美国缅因州不伦瑞克行政机场附近的分水岭。这项研究调查了该州历史上最大的PFAS泄漏对附近水生生态系统的直接影响。在11天的时间里，从9个地表水中取样了全氟辛烷磺酸，检测到18种全氟辛烷磺酸，主要是全氟辛烷磺酸。由于清理工作和自然衰减（如稀释、吸附和雾化）以及下游运输，PFAS水平在几天内显著降低。Kruskal-Wallis和钢- dwass试验显示，全氟辛烷磺酸、全氟六磺酸和全氟烷基辛酸在泄漏点附近仍处于升高状态，但在泄漏点以南3.2 公里的Harpswell湾河口下降了99.9% %。PFAS的快速扩散给下游环境带来了风险。该研究提供了对泄漏后PFAS动态的见解，并强调了减少PFAS的AFFF使用和泄漏的紧迫性，以及对PFAS污染相关的长期生态系统和人类健康风险的进一步研究。摘要分析了AFFF重大泄漏的后果，以提供对PFAS即时时空分布的见解。

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来源期刊

Journal of hazardous materials letters Pollution, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Environmental Chemistry, Waste Management and Disposal, Environmental Engineering

CiteScore

10.30

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

20 days