Atmospheric perfluorinated acid precursors: Chemistry, occurrence, and impacts

Abstract

The two major classes of perfluorinated acids (PFAs), perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), are both likely to be ionized at environmental pH, suggesting they will be present primarily in the aqueous phase. Long-range transport through water occurs slowly, on the order of decades. The ubiquitous distribution of PFAs suggests a faster, atmospheric dissemination mechanism. In addition, not all PFAs observed in the environment have been commercially produced. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.