Underestimated burden of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in global surface waters and groundwaters

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of fluorinated chemicals used widely in consumer and industrial products. Their human toxicity and ecosystem impacts have received extensive public, scientific and regulatory attention. Regulatory PFAS guidance is rapidly evolving, with the inclusion of a wider range of PFAS included in advisories and a continued decrease in what is deemed safe PFAS concentrations. In this study we collated PFAS concentration data for over 45,000 surface and groundwater samples from around the world to assess the global extent of PFAS contamination and their potential future environmental burden. Here we show that a substantial fraction of sampled waters exceeds…

• AG
  Australian Government
• UO
  University of New South Wales