LGC AXIO Proficiency Testing | Emerging Pollutants of Environmental Concern: PFAS
Introduction
The attention of analytical companies and legislators is moving from the ‘traditional’ pollutants to a new group of “emerging” environmental contaminants. They are increasingly of concern due to their widespread occurrence, their potential toxicity to mammals or other biota and their ability to persist in the environment, often resulting in bioaccumulation. Typically, emerging pollutants are introduced into the environment as a result of human interactions and processes. Over 350,000 chemicals and mixtures of chemicals have been registered for production and use, up to three times as many as previously estimated and with substantial differences across countries/regions. The chemicals bring many benefits to the society, but overuse is causing harm to the environment and consequently to our health. The determination of this wide range of compounds may require novel analytical techniques and/or monitoring strategies to determine concentrations in the µg/L concentration range or lower. To accurately determine the environmental fate of the emerging pollutants the sampling and analysis of water, soil, sediments, and biota must be carried out. In many cases the metabolites of pollutants may be as toxic as the parent compounds themselves or in some cases more toxic. The formation of metabolites, either by environmental processes such as microbial degradation, photolysis, and hydrolysis or by reaction with disinfectants in drinking water or during wastewater treatment. In this whitepaper we will explore the potential concerns surrounding Per and polyfluorinated alk yl substances (PFAS).
Definitions
" Emerging substances " can be defined as “substances that have been detected in the environment, not currently included in routine monitoring programmes and whose fate, behaviour and (eco)toxicological effects are not well understood”. [1] " Emerging pollutants " can be defined as “pollutants not currently included in routine monitoring programmes at the European level, but may be candidates for future regulation, dependant on: • Further research of their (eco)toxicity • The potential health effects • Public perception • Monitoring data regarding their occurrence in the various environmental compartments. [1]
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