Life cycle analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts in China

Meng, Jing and Lu, Yonglong and Wang, Tieyu and Wang, Pei and Giesy, John P. and Sweetman, Andrew J. and Li, Qifeng (2017) Life cycle analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24 (12). pp. 11254-11264. ISSN 0944-1344

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Abstract

China has been the largest producer and emitter of perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts (PFOA/PFO). However, the flows of PFOA/PFO from manufacture and application to the environment are indistinct, especially flows from waste treatment sites to the environment. Here, a life cycle analysis of PFOA/PFO is conducted in which all major flows of PFOA/PFO have been characterized for 2012. Processes related to uses and possible releases of PFOA/PFO include manufacture and use, waste management, and environmental storage. During manufacture and use, emission from application was the most important (117.0 t), regardless of whether it flowed first to waste treatment facilities or was directly released to the environment, followed by manufacture of PFOA/PFO (3.9 t), while flows from the service life and end of life of consumer products were the lowest (1.2 t). Among five waste treatment routes, flows through wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were the highest (10.6 t), which resulted in 12.8 t of PFOA/PFO being emitted into the environment. Masses of PFOA/PFO emission were estimated to be 96.3 t to the hydrosphere, 25.6 t to the atmosphere, and 3.2 t to soils. Therefore, control over reduction of PFOA/PFO should focus on application of reliable alternatives and emission reduction from WWTPs using effective treatment techniques.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Additional Information:
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8678-1
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2304
Subjects:
?? pfoa life cycle analysisfluoropolymermanufacture applicationwaste management environmental chemistrypollutionhealth, toxicology and mutagenesis ??
ID Code:
86052
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
28 Apr 2017 08:02
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
13 Nov 2023 00:19