Articles | Volume 25, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5947-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5947-2025
Measurement report
 | 
13 Jun 2025
Measurement report |  | 13 Jun 2025

Measurement report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in particulate matter (PM10) from activated sludge aeration

Jishnu Pandamkulangara Kizhakkethil, Zongbo Shi, Anna Bogush, and Ivan Kourtchev

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Pollution with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has received attention due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation, but their sources remain poorly understood. PM10 (particulate matter) collected above a scaled-down activated sludge tank treating domestic sewage in the UK was analysed for a range of short-, medium-, and long-chain PFAS. Eight PFAS were detected in the PM10. Our results suggest that wastewater treatment processes, i.e. activated sludge aeration, could aerosolise PFAS into airborne PM.
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