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Presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Nandu River Estuary, Hainan Island.

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Title: Presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Nandu River Estuary, Hainan Island.
Authors: Miao, Jiang-Wei1 (AUTHOR), Jiang, Zhang-Min2 (AUTHOR), Xie, Peng-Fei1,3 (AUTHOR), He, Jia-Xing2 (AUTHOR), Xie, Jia3 (AUTHOR), Zhou, Hai-Long4 (AUTHOR), Ling-Mo5 (AUTHOR), Chen, Shi-Quan6 (AUTHOR), Wang, Tuan-Tuan1 (AUTHOR) ttwang@hainanu.edu.cn, Wang, Sai1,2 (AUTHOR) sw@hainanu.edu.cn
Source: Marine Environmental Research. Apr2026, Vol. 216, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Fluoroalkyl compounds, Perfluorooctanoic acid, Spatial arrangement, Green behavior, Sewage disposal plants, Islands, Estuary management, Ecological risk assessment
Geographic Terms: Hainan Sheng (China)
Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), known for their toxicity, persistence, and long-range transport potential, are receiving increasing attention worldwide. The Nandu River, the largest river on Hainan Island, is currently facing PFAS pollution, as its estuary is inevitably affected by cumulative upstream input. Moreover, the Nandu River Estuary is affected by wastewater discharge from nearby wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, the pollution status and ecological risk of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and WWTPs have not been reported. In this study, the pollution status, spatial distribution, and ecological risk of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and WWTPs were investigated. The total concentrations of 25 PFASs (∑PFASs) ranged from 63.82 to 104.51 ng/L and 7.09–18.68 ng/g dry weight (dw) in the water and suspended particulate matter (SPM) of WWTP wastewater, respectively. In the estuary, the concentrations of ∑PFASs ranged from 19.79 to 68.57 ng/L, 7.82–31.11 ng/g dw, and 0.26–3.28 ng/g dw in the dissolved aqueous phase, SPM, and sediment, respectively. 6:2 FTS and PFOA were the major PFASs detected in water (54.8%-96.9%), SPM (43.7%-88.6%), and sediment (27.2%-97.9%) from the estuary and the WWTP. The spatial distributions of ∑PFASs followed the order of WWTP (N27–N31, 63.82–104.51 ng/L) > inner estuary (N1–N7, 28.12–52.44 ng/L) ≈ outer estuary (N8–N26, 19.79–68.57 ng/L) in the water samples and followed the order of inner estuary (N1–N7, 11.71–31.11 ng/L) > outer estuary (N8–N26, 7.82–22.97 ng/L) > WWTP (N27–N31, 7.20–18.68 ng/L) in SPM. The 6:2 FTS in the Nandu River Estuary originated primarily from the nearby WWTP. The SPM–water partition coefficients (Log K d-spm) and sediment–water partition coefficients (Log K d-sediment) of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) increased with increasing carbon chain length. Ecological risk assessment revealed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and PFAS mixtures in the dissolved aqueous phase posed low risk and low–medium risk, respectively, at all the sampling sites. The findings of the present study reveal the environmental fate of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and nearby WWTP, providing critical data support for the formulation of pollution control and management strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), known for their toxicity, persistence, and long-range transport potential, are receiving increasing attention worldwide. The Nandu River, the largest river on Hainan Island, is currently facing PFAS pollution, as its estuary is inevitably affected by cumulative upstream input. Moreover, the Nandu River Estuary is affected by wastewater discharge from nearby wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, the pollution status and ecological risk of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and WWTPs have not been reported. In this study, the pollution status, spatial distribution, and ecological risk of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and WWTPs were investigated. The total concentrations of 25 PFASs (∑PFASs) ranged from 63.82 to 104.51 ng/L and 7.09–18.68 ng/g dry weight (dw) in the water and suspended particulate matter (SPM) of WWTP wastewater, respectively. In the estuary, the concentrations of ∑PFASs ranged from 19.79 to 68.57 ng/L, 7.82–31.11 ng/g dw, and 0.26–3.28 ng/g dw in the dissolved aqueous phase, SPM, and sediment, respectively. 6:2 FTS and PFOA were the major PFASs detected in water (54.8%-96.9%), SPM (43.7%-88.6%), and sediment (27.2%-97.9%) from the estuary and the WWTP. The spatial distributions of ∑PFASs followed the order of WWTP (N27–N31, 63.82–104.51 ng/L) > inner estuary (N1–N7, 28.12–52.44 ng/L) ≈ outer estuary (N8–N26, 19.79–68.57 ng/L) in the water samples and followed the order of inner estuary (N1–N7, 11.71–31.11 ng/L) > outer estuary (N8–N26, 7.82–22.97 ng/L) > WWTP (N27–N31, 7.20–18.68 ng/L) in SPM. The 6:2 FTS in the Nandu River Estuary originated primarily from the nearby WWTP. The SPM–water partition coefficients (Log K d-spm) and sediment–water partition coefficients (Log K d-sediment) of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) increased with increasing carbon chain length. Ecological risk assessment revealed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and PFAS mixtures in the dissolved aqueous phase posed low risk and low–medium risk, respectively, at all the sampling sites. The findings of the present study reveal the environmental fate of PFASs in the Nandu River Estuary and nearby WWTP, providing critical data support for the formulation of pollution control and management strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:01411136
DOI:10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107907