Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in e-waste dust

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used in many applications, including electronic products, but little is known about the presence of PFAS in e-waste facilities, especially in North America. In this study, we investigated 87 legacy and novel PFAS in indoor dust samples (n = 19) from two Canadian e-waste dismantling facilities. PFAS were detected in all samples in the range of 364–6090 ng g⁻¹ for Σ₆₄PFAS with a median of 1150 ng g⁻¹. Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) were generally the most abundant group of compounds detected and ultrashort PFAS were detected in dust for the first time. After hydrolysis, the concentrations of 3 fluorotelomer alcohols (6 : 2 FTOH, 8 : 2 FTOH and 10 : 2 FTOH) increased ∼100 times, and those of 3 perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (FASEs; MEFBSE, MeFOSE and EtFOSE) by 20, 20 and 5 times, respectively. After the direct total oxidizable precursor (dTOP) assay, used here in dust for the first time, the levels of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) increased by up to 290 times. These results suggest that there are significant amounts of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursors in the e-waste dust samples. Estimated worker exposure via dust ingestion exceeded the US EPA chronic reference dosage for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the intermediate and high-risk scenarios. The presence of PFAS in dust from e-waste electrical and electronic dismantling facilities is a serious concern in terms of both occupational exposure and the risks associated with environmental release from recycling facilities.