TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental Source Tracking of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances within a Forensic Context
T2 - Current and Future Techniques
AU - Charbonnet, Joseph A.
AU - Rodowa, Alix E.
AU - Joseph, Nayantara T.
AU - Guelfo, Jennifer L.
AU - Field, Jennifer A.
AU - Jones, Gerrad D.
AU - Higgins, Christopher P.
AU - Helbling, Damian E.
AU - Houtz, Erika F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - The source tracking of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is a new and increasingly necessary subfield within environmental forensics. We define PFAS source tracking as the accurate characterization and differentiation of multiple sources contributing to PFAS contamination in the environment. PFAS source tracking should employ analytical measurements, multivariate analyses, and an understanding of PFAS fate and transport within the framework of a conceptual site model. Converging lines of evidence used to differentiate PFAS sources include: identification of PFASs strongly associated with unique sources; the ratios of PFAS homologues, classes, and isomers at a contaminated site; and a site's hydrogeochemical conditions. As the field of PFAS source tracking progresses, the development of new PFAS analytical standards and the wider availability of high-resolution mass spectral data will enhance currently available analytical capabilities. In addition, multivariate computational tools, including unsupervised (i.e., exploratory) and supervised (i.e., predictive) machine learning techniques, may lead to novel insights that define a targeted list of PFASs that will be useful for environmental PFAS source tracking. In this Perspective, we identify the current tools available and principal developments necessary to enable greater confidence in environmental source tracking to identify and apportion PFAS sources.
AB - The source tracking of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is a new and increasingly necessary subfield within environmental forensics. We define PFAS source tracking as the accurate characterization and differentiation of multiple sources contributing to PFAS contamination in the environment. PFAS source tracking should employ analytical measurements, multivariate analyses, and an understanding of PFAS fate and transport within the framework of a conceptual site model. Converging lines of evidence used to differentiate PFAS sources include: identification of PFASs strongly associated with unique sources; the ratios of PFAS homologues, classes, and isomers at a contaminated site; and a site's hydrogeochemical conditions. As the field of PFAS source tracking progresses, the development of new PFAS analytical standards and the wider availability of high-resolution mass spectral data will enhance currently available analytical capabilities. In addition, multivariate computational tools, including unsupervised (i.e., exploratory) and supervised (i.e., predictive) machine learning techniques, may lead to novel insights that define a targeted list of PFASs that will be useful for environmental PFAS source tracking. In this Perspective, we identify the current tools available and principal developments necessary to enable greater confidence in environmental source tracking to identify and apportion PFAS sources.
KW - conceptual site models
KW - environmental forensics
KW - high-resolution mass spectrometry
KW - multivariate statistics
KW - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
KW - source tracking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106495777&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.0c08506
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.0c08506
M3 - Article
C2 - 33983714
AN - SCOPUS:85106495777
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 55
SP - 7237
EP - 7245
JO - Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Environmental Science and Technology
IS - 11
ER -