PFAS occurrence and distribution in yard waste compost indicate potential volatile loss, downward migration, and transformation

Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Abstract

We discovered high concentrations of PFAS (18.53 ± 1.5 μg kg−1) in yard waste compost, a compost type widely acceptable to the public. Seventeen out of forty targeted PFAS, belonging to six PFAS classes were detected in yard waste compost, with PFCAs (13.51 ± 0.99 μg kg−1) and PFSAs (4.13 ± 0.19 μg kg−1) being the dominant classes, comprising approximately 72.5% and 22.1% of the total measured PFAS. Both short-chain PFAS, such as PFBA, PFHxA, and PFBS, and long-chain PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS, were prevalent in all the tested yard waste compost samples. We also discovered the co-occurrence of PFAS with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics. Total PFAS concentrations in LDPE and PET separated from incoming yard waste were 7.41 ± 0.41 μg kg−1 and 1.35 ± 0.1 μg kg−1, which increased to 8.66 ± 0.81 μg kg−1 in LDPE and 5.44 ± 0.56 μg kg−1 in PET separated from compost. An idle mature compost pile revealed a clear vertical distribution of PFAS, with the total PFAS concentrations at the surface level approximately 58.9–63.2% lower than the 2 ft level. This difference might be attributed to the volatile loss of short-chain PFCAs, PFAS's downward movement with moisture, and aerobic transformations of precursor PFAS at the surface.

Description
Advisor
Degree
Type
Journal article
Keywords
Citation

Saha, B., Ateia, M., Fernando, S., Xu, J., DeSutter, T., & Md Iskander, S. (2024). PFAS occurrence and distribution in yard waste compost indicate potential volatile loss, downward migration, and transformation. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 26(4), 657–666. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EM00538K

Has part(s)
Forms part of
Rights
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.  Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the terms of the license or beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
Citable link to this page