Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances in the Bay of Marseille (NW Mediterranean Sea) and the Rhône River

Natascha Schmidt (1) , Vincent Fauvelle (1) , Javier Castro-Jiménez (1) , Katixa Lajaunie-Salla (2) , C. Pinazo (1) , Christophe Yohia (3) , Richard Sempere (1)

1 MIO - Institut méditerranéen d'océanologie
2 EPOC - Environnements et Paléoenvironnements OCéaniques
3 OSU PYTHEAS - Institut Pythéas

Four perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were analyzed in 62 duplicate surface water samples from the Rhône River and Marseille Bay (France; NW Mediterranean Sea). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was detected in all samples and exceeded the European Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) values in over 80% of the cases. The most contaminated samples were from the Rhône River (up to 200 ng L-1 ∑ 4 PFAS), as well as those collected near a wastewater treatment plant outlet in Marseille Bay (up to 9 ng L −1 ∑ 4 PFAS). While PFOS was the predominant PFAS in Marseille Bay, remarkably high concentrations of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were measured in the Rhône River (8-193 ng L −1). The relative abundances of individual compounds differed thus significantly between the Rhône River and Marseille Bay, indicating different sources. A simulation made with the MARS3D model showed that PFOS inputs from the Rhône River can enter Marseille Bay at levels > EQS.

Mots clés: Surface water pollution; Mediterranean Sea; Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA); Environmental Quality Standard; Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

Domaines: Chimie; Sciences de l'environnement

Natascha Schmidt, Vincent Fauvelle, Javier Castro-Jiménez, Katixa Lajaunie-Salla, C. Pinazo, et al.. Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances in the Bay of Marseille (NW Mediterranean Sea) and the Rhône River. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2019, 149, pp.110491. ⟨10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110491⟩. ⟨hal-02265980⟩