Degradation of Fluorotelomer-Based Polymers Contributes to the Global Occurrence of Fluorotelomer Alcohol and Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylates: A Combined Dynamic Substance Flow and Environmental Fate Modeling Analysis

• Published in: Environmental Science & Technology
• Main Authors: Li, Li, Liu, Jianguo, Hu, Jianxin, Wania, Frank
• Other Authors: Li, L; Liu, JG (reprint author), Peking Univ, Coll Environm Sci & Engn, 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China.; Li, L (reprint author), Univ Toronto Scarborough, Dept Phys & Environm Sci, 1095 Mil Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada., Peking Univ, Coll Environm Sci & Engn, 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Univ Toronto Scarborough, Dept Phys & Environm Sci, 1095 Mil Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada., Li, L (reprint author), Univ Toronto Scarborough, Dept Phys & Environm Sci, 1095 Mil Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada.
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017
• Subjects: ACID PFCA HOMOLOGS; POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES; PERFLUOROCARBOXYLIC ACIDS; POLYFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS; PERFLUORINATED CHEMICALS; EMISSION INVENTORIES; AEROBIC SOILS; ARCTIC-OCEAN; ATMOSPHERE; AIR; Arctic; Arctic Ocean
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/473955; https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b04021

Using coupled dynamic substance flow and environmental fate models, CiP-CAFE and BETR-Global, we investigated whether the degradation of side-chain fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs), mostly in waste stocks (i.e., landfills and dumps), serves as a long-term source of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) to the global environment. The modeling results indicate "that, in the wake of the worldwide transition from long chain to short-chain products, in-use stocks of C8 FTPs will peak and" decline afterward, while the in-use stocks of C6 FTPs, and the waste stocks of both FTPs will generally grow. FTP degradation in waste stocks is making, an increasing contribution to FTOH generation, the bulk of which readily migrates from waste stocks and degrades into PFCAs in the environment; the remaining part of the generated FTOHs degrade in waste stocks, which makes those stocks reservoirs that slowly release PFCAs into the environment over the long run because of the low leaching rate and extreme persistence of PFCAs. Short-chain FTPs have higher relative release rates of PFCAs from waste stocks than long-chain ones. Estimates of in-use and waste stocks of FTPs were more sensitive to the selected lifespan of finished products, while those of the emissions of FTOHs and PFCAs were more sensitive to the degradation half-life of FTPs in waste stocks. Our preliminary calculations highlight the need for environmentally sound management of obsolete FTP-containing products into the foreseeable future. National Natural Science Foundation of China [21577002]; China Scholarship Council; Shanghai Tongji Gao Tingyao Environmental Science and Technology Development Foundation SCI(E) ARTICLE 8 4461-4470 51