Perfluorinated alkyl substances in water, sediment, plankton and fish from Korean rivers and lakes: A nationwide survey

• PFOS was found at greatest concentrations in water, sediment, plankton and fish.
• High concentrations of long chain PFCAs were found in sediment samples.
• Mean ratios of PFASs concentration in fish blood to liver were mostly > 2.
• PFOS, PFUnA, PFDoA and PFDA accounted for 94–99% of ∑ PFASs concentration in fish.
• Only PFOS and PFNA were concentrated in plankton samples.

Water, sediment, plankton, and blood and liver tissues of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) and mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri) were collected from six major rivers and lakes in South Korea (including Namhan River, Bukhan River, Nakdong River, Nam River, Yeongsan River and Sangsa Lake) and analyzed for perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was consistently detected at the greatest concentrations in all media surveyed with the maximum concentration in water of 15 ng L− 1 and in biota of 234 ng mL− 1 (fish blood). A general ascending order of PFAS concentration of water < sediment < plankton < crucian carp tissues < mandarin fish tissues was found. Except for the Nakdong River and Yeongsan River, the sum PFAS concentrations in water samples were below 10 ng L− 1. The PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations in water did not exceed levels for acute and/or chronic effects in aquatic organisms. High concentrations of long chain perfluorocarboxylates (LCPFCAs) were found in sediment samples. PFOS, perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) accounted for 94–99% of the total PFASs concentration in fish tissues. The mean ratios of PFAS concentration between fish blood and fish liver were above 2 suggesting higher levels in blood than in liver. Significant positive correlations (r > 0.80, p < 0.001) were observed between PFOS concentration in blood and liver tissues of both crucian carp and mandarin fish. This result suggests that blood can be used for nonlethal monitoring of PFOS in fish. Overall, the rank order of mean bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of PFOS in biota was; phytoplankton (196 L/kg) < zooplankton (3233 L/kg) < crucian carp liver (4567 L/kg) < crucian carp blood (11,167 L/kg) < mandarin liver (24,718 L/kg) < mandarin blood (73,612 L/kg).