Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an anthropogenic class of compounds used in a wide variety of consumer products. These compounds do not biodegrade, and the CDC’s last national exposure report found that 98% of people in the US have PFAS in their blood. The CDC’s monitoring of PFAS compounds, including legacy, compounds PFOA, and PFOS, over the past 40 years shows persistent and ubiquitous exposure to PFAS among the population in the US with implied adverse health effects including kidney and testicular cancers, reduced response to vaccines, and hyperthyroidism. After 2006, novel PFAS derivatives were synthesized, and officials worry this new generation of PFAS derivatives has similar toxicological profiles to the banned compounds because of their similar chemical properties. The goal of this study is to understand the prevalence, measure, and associate PFAS within Western North Carolina (WNC) surface waters with possible sources. This study utilizes EPA Method 533, including weak anion exchange (WAX), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and an adapted solid- phase extraction (SPE) protocol to determine the prevalence of 26 PFAS compounds. The 64 sample sites included locations recommended by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), in the vicinity of relevant industries, and indicated by previous literature across the greater Buncombe County area within western North Carolina. We detected the presence of 20 different PFAS. Of the 64 sites, only five had an individual PFAS concentration higher than 70 ppt WNC surface waters. ?PFAS concentrations ranged from 0.5 – 1903 ppt, and 11 of the 64 sites had ?PFAS levels of 70 ppt. These data show that sites associated with the firefighting stations, the Asheville Regional Airport, and the Pidgeon River downstream from Canton had the highest levels of PFAS. Further analysis of WNC surface water is required to have a full understanding of the presence of PFAS in Buncombe County and influence local legislation on PFAS regulations in surface waters.

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