Quantitative determination of fluorochemicals in municipal landfill leachates

Twenty-four fluorochemicals were quantified in landfill leachates recovered from municipal refuse using an analytical method based on solid-phase extraction, dispersive-carbon sorbent cleanup, and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The method was applied to six landfill leachates from four locations in the US as well as to a leachate generated by a laboratory bioreactor containing residential refuse. All seven leachates had the common characteristic that short-chain (C4–C7) carboxylates or sulfonates were greater in abundance than their respective longer-chain homologs (⩾C8). Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates were the most abundant (67 ± 4% on a nanomolar (nM) basis) fluorochemicals measured in leachates; concentrations of individual carboxylates reaching levels up to 2800 ng L−1. Perfluoroalkyl sulfonates were the next most abundant class (22 ± 2%) on a nM basis; their abundances in each of the seven leachates derived from municipal refuse were greater for the shorter-chain homologs (C4 and C6) compared to longer-chain homologs (C8 and C10). Perfluorobutane sulfonate concentrations were as high as 2300 ng L−1. Sulfonamide derivatives composed 8 ± 2.1% (nM basis) of the fluorochemicals in landfill leachates with methyl (C4 and C8) and ethyl (C8) sulfonamide acetic acids being the most abundant. Fluorotelomer sulfonates (6:2 and 8:2) composed 2.4 ± 1.3% (nM basis) of the fluorochemicals detected and were present in all leachates.