Occurrence of Legacy and Emerging Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Fluorocarbon Paint and Their Implications for Emissions in China

Abstract

Although the use of fluorocarbon paint (FluorPa) is well known in China, the occurrence of poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in FluorPa, as well as the potential release of PFASs to the environment, is not well characterized. In the present study, a total of 64 emerging compounds belonging to nine classes of PFASs were identified in FluorPa samples (n = 16) based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and the multiple mass scale-adjusted Kendrick mass defect plot. Quantitative results showed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the major contributor to legacy PFASs in most samples, with the highest concentration at 7.45 × 10 4 ng/g. The monohydro-substituted perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (H-PFCAs) were predominant emerging PFASs in 14 samples, while polyfluorinated sulfates (PFSs) were major in the other two samples. Moreover, two kinds of PFSs displayed the ratios to the highest PFOA value at 0.30 and 0.54 in those two samples, which amounts to several thousand ng/g, indicating their potential use in FluorPa. On the basis of the obtained data, the average amounts of legacy and emerging PFASs emissions being released into the environment via FluorPa were estimated to be 216 and 148 kg/year, respectively, indicating that the use of FluorPa will enhance the environmental risks from PFASs.

Paints: A Source of Volatile PFAS in Air─Potential Implications for Inhalation Exposure

“…Only single detections and lower concentrations of PFBS (0.072 μg/g, PS-28) and EtFOSA (0.41 μg/g, PS-34; Table S11) were found, while HFPO-DA was observed in two exterior paints (0.16–1.2 μg/g, PS-05 and -06, respectively; Table S11). Others report PFBS and HFPO oligomers (including HFPO-DA) in exterior “fluorocarbon paints” . It is unknown if 6:2 diPAP, PFBS, EtFOSA, and HFPO-DA are added to paints as an “active” ingredient or if they are present as an unreacted intermediate or contamination associated with the synthesis of other PFAS or manufacturing process.…”

“…Others report PFBS and HFPO oligomers (including HFPO-DA) in exterior "fluorocarbon paints". 30 It is unknown if 6:2 diPAP, PFBS, EtFOSA, and HFPO-DA are added to paints as an "active" ingredient or if they are present as an unreacted intermediate or contamination associated with the synthesis of other PFAS or manufacturing process. No suspect PFAS were found in either negative or positive mode, but this cannot be attributed to extraction efficiency because paints were simply diluted for LC-qTOF analysis.…”

“…Jia et al combined paints with methanol, concentrated the mixture, and diluted with water, followed by solid phase extraction (SPE). They analyzed for 11 target PFCAs and 7 (perfluoroalkane sulfonates) PFSAs by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and for suspect PFAS by high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), but in the negative mode only, and found over 60 individual nonvolatile PFAS in the paints (exterior only) with summed concentrations reaching 70 μg/g . A second study that included three interior paints revealed no nonvolatile (ionic) PFAS and the detection of 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs; however, interferences prohibited FTOH quantification .…”

Targeted Pfas Analyses and Extractable Organofluorine – Enhancing Our Understanding of the Presence of Unknown Pfas in Norwegian Wildlife

“…Currently, PFOS and related chemicals can only be used for the following purposes: insect baits with sulfur amid, hard-metal plating only in closed-looped systems, fire-fighting foam for liquid fuel vapor suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) in installed systems (SC-9/4). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and higher homologues, have been phased-out as well by the main producers in the United States since the end of the 2000s, but PFOS, PFOA and numerous emerging PFAS are still produced in some countries (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27).…”