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Sea Spray Aerosol (SSA) as a Source of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) to the Atmosphere: Field Evidence from Long-Term Air Monitoring
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2176-0709
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6194-1491
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science.
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Number of Authors: 62022 (English)In: Environmental Science and Technology, ISSN 0013-936X, E-ISSN 1520-5851, Vol. 56, no 1, p. 228-238Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The effective enrichment of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in sea spray aerosols (SSA) demonstrated in previous laboratory studies suggests that SSA is a potential source of PFAAs to the atmosphere. In order to investigate the influence of SSA on atmospheric PFAAs in the field, 48 h aerosol samples were collected regularly between 2018 and 2020 at two Norwegian coastal locations, Andoya and Birkenes. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between the SSA tracer ion, Na+, and PFAA concentrations were observed in the samples from both locations, with Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) between 0.4-0.8. Such significant correlations indicate SSA to be an important source of atmospheric PFAAs to coastal areas. The correlations in the samples from Andoya were observed for more PFAA species and were generally stronger than in the samples from Birkenes, which is located further away from the coast and closer to urban areas than Andøya. Factors such as the origin of the SSA, the distance of the sampling site to open water, and the presence of other PFAA sources (e.g., volatile precursor compounds) can have influence on the contribution of SSA to PFAA in air at the sampling sites and therefore affect the observed correlations between PFAAs and Na+.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. Vol. 56, no 1, p. 228-238
Keywords [en]
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), sea spray aerosols (SSA), coastal areas, long-range atmospheric transport, air monitoring, Arctic, Norway
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-200539DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04277ISI: 000763499800023PubMedID: 34907779Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85121899559OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-200539DiVA, id: diva2:1625627
Available from: 2022-01-08 Created: 2022-01-08 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Transport of perfluoroalkyl acids from the ocean to the atmosphere via sea spray aerosol
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Transport of perfluoroalkyl acids from the ocean to the atmosphere via sea spray aerosol
2022 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are a subgroup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have been widely used in commercial and industrial applications. PFAAs are very persistent in the environment and some can bioaccumulate and have adverse health effects on human health. They have been detected ubiquitously in the abiotic environment, in biota and in humans. Long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) is considered important for their global distribution. PFAAs are detected in the global oceans and they can be enriched in sea spray aerosol (SSA) due to their high surface activity. Thus, ocean-to-atmosphere transfer via sea spray aerosol emission is suggested to be one of the major sources of PFAAs to the atmosphere, yet the contribution of this source to PFAAs in air is not well-understood. The aim of this thesis is to improve the knowledge regarding the importance of SSA as a global source of PFAAs in the atmosphere. In Paper I, PFAA enrichment on SSA particles of different sizes was investigated via a series of laboratory experiments. A sea spray simulation chamber filled with sodium chloride solution (~35 g L-1) was used to generate SSA. The results showed that variation in PFAA water concentrations had little impact on the SSA enrichment factors (EFs). Furthermore, the results suggested that SSA production mechanisms result in different enrichment behaviors of individual PFAAs on <1 µm and >1µm SSA particles. Paper II provided clear field evidence that SSA can be an important source of PFAAs in the atmosphere. Significant positive correlations (p<0.05) were identified between the concentrations of PFAAs and SSA tracer ion (i.e. Na+) in aerosol samples collected at two Norwegian coastal sites during long-term air monitoring. Such correlations suggested that PFAAs transported via SSA can have a significant influence on their air concentrations in coastal areas. Aiming at bridging the gap between the lab and the field, in Paper III, a series of field experiments were conducted along a transect from ~50°N to ~50°S on the Atlantic Ocean. Changes in surface seawater temperature, salinity, conductivity and fluorescence during the field experiments revealed minor influences on EFs. However, the EFs derived from the field experiments were higher than the lab experiments in Paper I, which may be due to the different composition and properties of the chamber water in the two studies. It was concluded, however, that the variation of PFAA concentrations in the global oceans is the major contributor to the uncertainty in the estimation of PFAA ocean-to-air flux via SSA emission. Paper IV investigated mass-size distributions of PFAAs in aerosol samples collected near an industrial source and the associated LRAT potential of the PFAAs emitted. The results suggested that industrial sources can have regional influence on PFAA concentration in air. The information in Paper IV will help evaluate the relative importance of atmospheric sources of PFAAs at certain locations. This thesis contributes to a better understanding on the transport of PFAAs via SSA emission and on the sources of PFAAs to air in general.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 2022. p. 27
Keywords
Perfluoroalkyl acids, PFAAs, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, atmospheric transport, sea spray aerosol, industrial sources
National Category
Environmental Sciences
Research subject
Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-201703 (URN)978-91-7911-786-3 (ISBN)978-91-7911-787-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-03-25, De Geersalen, Geovetenskapens hus, Svante Arrhenius väg 14, Stockholm, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 2016-00644
Available from: 2022-03-02 Created: 2022-02-02 Last updated: 2022-02-21Bibliographically approved

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Sha, BoJohansson, JanaTunved, PeterCousins, Ian T.Salter, Matthew E.

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