Trifluoroacetate in Ocean Waters

Abstract

Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is a ubiquitous xenochemical presently increasing in concentration in some environmental compartments, especially in the plant biomass of industrialized countries. Direct anthropogenic emissions of TFA are probably low, and the major anthropogenic sources are most likely various TFA precursors. As TFA has been found in ocean waters from remote locations, the question arose whether it is also a naturally occurring environmental chemical. Determination of the depth dependence of TFA in the ocean water column should shed some light on this question. However, in environmental analytical studies, the risk of systematic errors can be high and may lead to wrong conclusions. Therefore, special attention has been paid to the fact that TFA is a common atmospheric pollutant in the urban environment and that contributions from sampling, storage, and transport potentially lead to artificially high TFA values. The results of the ocean water sampling campaigns indicate that TFA is a naturally occurring chemical, homogeneously distributed in ocean waters of all ages with a concentration of about 200 ng/L.

Rainwater trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in Guangzhou, South China: Levels, wet deposition fluxes and source implication

“…TFA has become a ubiquitous contaminant and has been detected in a variety of environmental media, such as air (Frank et al, 1996), precipitation (Jordan and Frank, 1999;Scott et al, 2006;Zehavi and Seiber, 1996), fog (Römpp et al, 2001), surface waters (Cahill and Seiber, 2000;Scott et al, 2000Scott et al, , 2002Zhang et al, 2005), soils and pine needles Scott et al, 2005b), oceans (Frank et al, 2002;Scott et al, 2005a) and even in the snow of the Arctic and Antarctica (Von Sydow et al, 2000). TFA is extremely stable in the ambient and highly resistant to chemical and biological degradation under normal environmental condition (Emptage et al, 1997;Boutonnet et al, 1999).…”

“…Even so, all these sources mentioned above still could not explain huge reserve of TFA in oceans. During 1998During -1999 when HCFCs/HFCs and fluoropolymers were comparatively less used, TFA levels of about 200 ng L − 1 were homogeneously distributed in ocean waters of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean, even in the depth of below 4,000 m (Frank et al, 2002). Harnisch et al (2000) pointed out that TFA was a naturally occurring chemical with unknown natural sources.…”

Congener specific organic carbon normalized soil and sediment-water partitioning coefficients for the C1 through C8 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Longer chain (≥C 2 ) PFCAs and all PFSAs are currently thought to arise solely from the use of commercial perfluorinated surfactants, whereas the C 1 PFCA (trifluoroacetic acid; TFA) is both used itself in industry and can also be formed via the oxidative degradation of various precursors such as hydrofluorocarbons, anesthetics, trifluoromethylbenzene based pesticides, and waste incineration. [8][9][10] It has been suggested that continuous low level TFA releases from biological and/or geological sources must be present to account for the mass of this compound (ca. 250 to 300 million tons) in global oceans, whereas terrestrial, freshwater, and atmospheric reservoirs are primarily anthropogenically derived.…”

“…250 to 300 million tons) in global oceans, whereas terrestrial, freshwater, and atmospheric reservoirs are primarily anthropogenically derived. [8,11,12] In general, total PFSA and PFCA concentrations in surface and ground waters and marine systems range widely from the low ng L -1 to low mg L -1 levels depending on age and the proximity to point and nonpoint sources of contamination. [3,7, Wastewaters from semiconductor fabrication plants using photolithographic techniques have the highest reported PFA levels to date, with concentrations reaching well into the mg L -1 range, [75] and even up to g L -1 levels.…”

“…[81] To better understand the environmental fate of PFAs and to assist in the design and optimization of treatment processes, additional information is needed regarding PFA partitioning between various matrices. Laboratory scale sorption of the straight chain C 4 and C 8 PFSAs and C 7 PFCA onto activated carbon (granular (GAC) and particulate (PAC)), zeolite, ion exchange resins, and wastewater sludge has been reported. [7,[82][83][84] Increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length and a sulfonic acid head group (versus a carboxylate moiety) increased the sorption onto GAC.…”