Determination of perfluorinated alkylated substances in sediments and sediment core from the Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea

Abstract

Perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) have been determined in surface sediments and sediment core from Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea. Perfluorooctanesulphonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulphonate (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoronanoate (PFNA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), perfluoroundecanote (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoate (PFDoDA) and perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) were quantified after isotopic dilution (¹³C₄ PFOS and ¹³C₄ PFOA), liquid-liquid extractions by methanol and acetonitrile, cleanup by Envi-Carb, OasisWAX and Envi-Carb and final measurement by HPLC–MS/MS. PFOS, PFHxS, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA and PFOA were found in Baltic Sea sediments in concentrations exceeding the method limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2 pg/g. PFOS was detected in concentration up to 0.896 ng/g dry weight and PFHxS up to 0.326 ng/g dw, which shows on a weak pollution. PFOS (48–74%) or PFHxS (45–56%) dominated in PFAS composition of sediments surveyed. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A to view the free supplemental file.

Keywords:

• Perfluorinated compounds analytics
• perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
• perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
• marine sediments
• sediment core

Acknowledgments

Support from the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Science and from Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under grant no DS-8025-4-0092-12 is acknowledged.