Assessment of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate in surface water - Tamil Nadu, India

• PFOA and PFOS concentration were determined in the surface water Tamil Nadu, India.
• PFOA and PFOS levels were below the permissible limits prescribed by USEPA.
• PFOA and PFOS in surface water are due to discharge of industrial & domestic wastewater into lakes and rivers.

As an emerging class of environmentally persistent organic pollutants, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); have been universally found in the environment. Wastewater and untreated effluents are likely the major causes for the accumulation of PFCs in surface water. There are very few reports on the contamination of PFCs in the developing countries, particularly in India. This study reports the quantitative analysis of PFOA and PFOS in Noyyal, Cauvery, and also lakes in and around Chennai, using Ultra-Fast liquid chromatograph. The concentration of PFOA and PFOS ranged from 4 to 93 ng/L and 3 to 29 ng/L, respectively. The concentration of PFOS was below detectable limit in Cauvery River. A reliable concentration of PFOA was recorded at all sites of River Cauvery (5 ng/L). The present study could be useful for the assessment of future monitoring programs of PFOA and PFOS in the surface water.

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