Composition, source appointment, and biomigration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Fu River of Wuhan, China

In this study, a detailed analysis of 20 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was conducted, in different environmental media of the Fu River, the main sewage storage body, located near the Tianhe Airport in Wuhan, China. The PFAS included 13 perfluorocarboxylic acids (C4-C18), four perfluorosulfonic acids (C4, C6, C8, C10), and three PFAS. In the surface water samples, short-chain PFAS perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorobutanoic acid were the most prevalent and highest concentrations, 168 ng/L and 49.7 ng/L, respectively. However, in the sediment samples, PFBS and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the most prevalent and highest concentrations, 840 ng/kg and 1,510 ng/kg, respectively. In addition, PFOS was the most prevalent substance, with the highest concentrations measured at 23.3 μg/kg in egg yolk and 28.1 μg/kg in fish, accounting for proportions of 82% and 88%, respectively. Two new short-chain substitutes of PFOS, 6:2 clorinated polyfluoroalykyl ether sulfonate and 8:2 clorinated polyfluoroalykyl ether sulfonate, emerged in sediment and fish. The PFAS in eggs, fish, and vegetables of the Fu River Basin poses a potential health risk to residents according to the suggested values of the European Food Safety Agency.