Occurrence of perfluorinated compounds in fish from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were found in fish muscle collected from high mountain lakes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the highest and biggest plateau on Earth. In 96% of the total fifty-nine fish samples were found detectable perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) as prominent PFCs, while only three for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). The mean PFOS concentrations in fish muscle ranged 0.21 ng/g–5.20 ng/g based on dry weight, with the maximum in the Palgon Lake (1.30 ng/g–7.54 ng/g, dw) and the minimum in the Ni-yang River (< 0.15 ng/g–0.32 ng/g, dw) among the seven sampling sites. Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (C10, C11) were also identified in several locations. No significant correlations were observed between PFCs concentrations and sampling altitude or ages (fish). Results of the present work have demonstrated the existence of low level but detectable PFCs pollution in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China.