The Complex Challenges of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances as Environmental Contaminants: A Soil Perspective

• High resolution mass spectrometry reveals additional PFASs that may be associated with AFFF-impacted sites
• The role of the anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic polyfluorinated substances at AFFF-impacted sites that can serve as precursors to the more persistent and mobile PFAAs
• Need for more thorough assessments of soils as potential long-term sources of PFAAs to groundwater and surface waters

The challenges posed by the widespread contamination of soils and groundwater by poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are immense. Despite growing concerns about human exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), other PFAS, particularly those derived from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) have garnered little attention. Recent work using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has revealed that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of additional PFASs that may be associated with AFFF-impacted sites. Importantly, many of these newly discovered PFAS have diverse chemical structures, including anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic structures. Some of these PFAS clearly remain bound strongly to soil, while other AFFF-derived PFAS, including transformation products, likely migrate into AFFF-impacted drinking water. In this presentation, the complex challenges posed by PFAS for human and environmental risk will be presented and discussed. Particular attention will be given to the role of the anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic polyfluorinated substances at AFFF-impacted sites that can serve as precursors to the more persistent and mobile perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA). Collectively, these data suggest a need for more thorough assessments of soils as potential long-term sources of PFAA to groundwaters and surface waters.

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