Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Street Sweepings

One hundred and seventeen street sweepingsamples were collected and analyzed for per- and polyfluoroalkylsubstances (PFAS). Fifty-six samples were collected in one city(Gainesville, Florida) allowing for an in-depth city-wide character-ization. Street sweepings fromfive other urban areas, (Orlando, n= 15; Key West, n = 15; Pensacola, n = 12; Tampa, n = 13; andDaytona Beach, n = 6) were analyzed to provide a city-to-citycomparison of PFAS. Within our analytical workflow, 37 PFASwere quantified across all samples, while the maximum number ofPFAS quantified at one site was 26. Of those PFAS quantified inGainesville, 60% were perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and 33% wereprecursors to PFAA. Among the PFAAs, short-chain perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were the dominant class representing26% of the total PFAS by concentration. In the comparison across different urban cities, the dominant compound by concentrationand frequency of detection varied; however, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and linear perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOSlin) werethe two PFAS that were detected the most frequently. This study documents thefirst-time detection of hexadecafluorosebacic acidand perfluoro-3,6,9-trioxaundecane-1,11-dioic acid within environmental samples.