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MILJØ2015-Norsk miljøforskning mot 2015

Polyfluorinated compounds: Are point sources contaminating the environment-consequences for human exposure in China and Norway (PFC-ChiNo)

Tildelt: kr 5,3 mill.

Introduction PFAS are pollutants known to be taken up by animals and plants and can already be found in a very broad variety of human diet items and human blood. PFAS are used in China and Norway industrially in considerable amounts with emissions not well understood. The project is aiming to investigate the impact of PFAS emissions from industrial point sources on the surrounding environment. Both in coastal and terrestrial industrial areas human food items are harvested close by, causing potentially harmful exposure. Knowledge is required: i) on the degree and characteristics of the PFAS emissions, ii) on the potential uptake into crops, vegetables, drinking water and animals iii) on exposure to humans living close to potential point sources from food etc., and iv) by local stakeholders and decision makers concerning risks and management options. Both countries would greatly benefit from a combined effort in indentifying and characterising possible PFAS emissions and find solutions to minimise the effect on the human population. Field work During spring/ summer 2013/4 NINA has engaged field workers who have been responsible for collecting eggs from airports and controll locations such as Værnes, Selbuskogen, Hillesøy, Sklinna and Evenes. In addition NINA did assist AVINOR with the collection of eggs inside the airports of Tromsø, EVenes and Trondheim. The development of a sampling protocol, species descriptions and monitoring of environmental characteristics was carried out. The collected eggs from the years 2012-4 enable us to carry out the analysis of eggs from three species, herring gulls, oyster fisher and eider. For all these species we can make statistical comparison of the exposed areas and control areas. Different fish species and mussels were collected in the surrounding water masses for analyses as well. A close collaboration with AVINOR was developed, making PFAS data and other information related to Norwegian airports available to the project. Local farmers were recruited to assisst in sampling soil, water and crops from farms close to the Værnes airport. In China local produced vegetables and meat products were collected together with soil, water and sediments. Results Data on PFAS in Norwegian and Chinese environment In Norway, airports were selected as a case study for PFAS emissions, since Norwegian airports are required to carry out fire fighting exercises which involved PFAS containing foam and because airports can be found in all major settlement in Norway both in marine and inland regions. Agricultural items produced in close vicinity to airports were collected and analysed as well. Eggs of birds nesting on airports were used as a tracer for ongoing PFC emissions. As a second case study, the city of Tromsø was selected to investigate other potential point sources, in addition to the airport, as waste water effluents, helicopter landing sites and municipal fire fighting department. Marine sediments from offshore oil platforms using fire fighting foam were investigated as well. To be able to assess the found levels at potential hotspots, background levels for the Norwegian marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem were established as well, covering both soil, sediments, water and several organisms. High PFAS levels were found close to the investigated airports and the fire fighting department. The helicopter landing site at the hospital of Tromsø and the waste water treatment facilities emmit PFAS too. For comparison, more than 300 samples were collected in China consisting of agricultural food items including livestock, both close-by point sources and at remote locations. A Chinese PhD visited the laboratories at NILU for a period of three months to learn and carry out trace analytical methods using the Chinese samples. A Norwegian PostDoc fellow stayed for a three weeks stay in Beijing for data evaluation. In summary, elevated PFAS concentrations could be found in both point source regions in China, often exceeding PFOS threshold for daily intake. New emerging PFAS could be identified in a number of samples too. PFAS pattern differs when comparing direct production sites with sites hosting PFAS using industry. Two workshops were orgnaised in Beijing for students and researchers. More than 30 consumer products, acquired in Norway and made in China, were investigated for PFAS. Low consentration of PFAS were found in most of the products, with only one product exceeding Norwegian PFAS tresholds. In summary, Norwegian PFAS emissions are low except close to point sources. In China, emissions increase and have now reached similar levels as in Europe 10 years ago, due to the increase of production in China after the ban in Europe and US.By buying products containing PFAS we move the emissions to other places in the world. The substitution to shortchain PFAS is not solving the problem and remediation is even more challenging.

The proposed project is aiming to investigate the impact of PFC emissions from industrial point sources on the surrounding environment. Both in coastal and terrestrial industrial areas human food items are harvested close by. PFCs are known to be taken up by animals and plants and can already be found in a very broad variety of human diet items. PFCs are used in China and Norway industrially in considerable and increasing amounts with emissions not well understood. Agricultural areas, drinking water res ervoirs and fishery grounds are exposed to PFC emissions from point sources both in Norway and China. Knowledge is required: i) on the degree and characteristics of the PFC emissions, ii) on the potential uptake into crops, vegetables, drinking water and animals iii) on exposure to humans living close to potential point sources from food etc., and iv) by local stakeholders and decision makers concerning risks and management options. Both countries would greatly benefit from a combined effort in indentifyi ng and characterising possible PFC emissions and find solutions to minimise the effect on the human population. During the project, data on PFC pollution caused by point sources in Norway and China will be made available for the Norwegian stakeholders a nd decision makers. The main deliverables are (i) capacity building on reliable and robust techniques for sampling and analysis of PFCs in environmental samples including food items, (ii) Established routes through which plants and animals become cotamin ated, and (iii) Models of PFC emissions from point sources and human intake scenarios. The major outcome of this project will be made available for the public and the different stakeholders both via project reports, participation in workshops and conferen ces and publications in mass media. The main scientific results will be published in international peer reviewed journals.

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MILJØ2015-Norsk miljøforskning mot 2015