Abstract
We measured 13 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the groundwater in Tokyo. PFCs with nine carbons or fewer were frequently detected. PFOS and PFOA were detected at high concentrations, despite discharge reduction measures taken since 2010. Chromatograms of PFOS showed variations in the peak area ratio between linear-PFOS and branched-PFOS with the sampling points. To investigate the cause, leaching experiments were conducted for the 13 PFCs and branched-PFOS isomers. The results show that branched-PFOS penetrated the soil faster than linear-PFOS, and shorter chain PFCs faster than longer-chain PFCs. Long chain PFCs with more than 10 carbons were expected to remain in soil.
