Emission Inventory for PFOS in China: Review of Past Methodologies and Suggestions

Abstract

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemical that has the potential for long-range transport in the environment. Its use in a wide variety of consumer products and industrial processes makes a detailed characterization of its emissions sources very challenging. These varied emissions sources all contribute to PFOS' existence within nearly all environmental media. Currently, China is the only country documented to still be producing PFOS, though there is no China PFOS emission inventory available. This study reviews the inventory methodologies for PFOS in other countries to suggest a China-specific methodology framework for a PFOS emission inventory. The suggested framework combines unknowns for PFOS-containing product penetration into the Chinese market with product lifecycle assumptions, centralizing these diverse sources into municipal sewage treatment plants. Releases from industrial sources can be quantified separately using another set of emission factors. Industrial sources likely to be relevant to the Chinese environment are identified.

Spatio-temporal assessment of perfluorinated compounds in the Brisbane River system, Australia: Impact of a major flood event

“…Following the phase out of PFOS production by 3M, China became the world's major PFOS producer, with production dramatically increasing to meet demand for PFOS used in industries that lacked other suitable alternatives (Lim et al, 2011;Xie et al, 2013 (Xie et al 2013). During this time another 100 tonnes was exported to various countries including Japan and the EU with the metal plating, photographic and semiconductor industries accounting for most of the imported PFOS use (Carloni, 2009 (Carloni, 2009).…”

“…Although the use of fluorochemical products containing PFOA and PFOS has been abandoned in consumer products, they continue to be produced for restricted use in several countries, primarily in industrial processes (such as semiconductors and metal plating) for which suitable replacements have not yet been found (Carloni, 2009;Lim et al 2011;Xie et al 2013).…”

Spatial distribution and fate of perfluoroalkyl substances in sediments from the Pearl River Estuary, South China

“…Although the inventory for the PFOS-related product was still incomplete, the government of China is taking action to reduce the consumption of some PFOS-related products. Investigation and evaluation of PFOS substitutes have been conducted in some industries such as textiles, electroplating, fire-fighting, and pesticides (Lim et al, 2011;Wu et al, 2012a).…”

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the lower atmosphere and surface waters of the Chinese Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and Yangtze River estuary

“…Some longchained PFASs (C ≥ 8) are bioaccumulative and toxic, and are thus listed in the national and international regulations (OECD, 2002). After perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and its related compounds were added to the Stockholm Convention's Annex B, their production and use significantly decreased (Lim et al, 2011;UNEP, 2009). Major global manufacturers of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its precursors were promised to voluntarily stop their production in 2015 (USEPA, 2006).…”