PFAS concentrations in snow/meltwater from Central Arctic

This data set reports concentrations of several poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in 5 snow and meltwater samples from four locations in the Central Arctic. Samples were collected in late 2012 on cruise ARK-XXII/3 on the RV Polarstern. Snow has been suggested to be an effective scavenger of PFAS in the atmosphere 41 and an evidence for a primary source of PFAA to the Arctic via atmospheric oxidation of volatile precursors. More PFASs (C11 PFCA, FOSA, and EtFOSAA) were detected in melt pond water and snow samples when compared to those of water samples collected from the Arctic shelf and Ocean. Samples were collected from mostly first year ice, integrating PFAS deposition from up to one year. In the present investigation, the snow samples showed detectable concentrations of PFCAs (C6-C12), PFSAs (C8 and C10), MeFOSAA, EtFOSAA and FOSA (Figure 3). Concentrations were similar or greater to previously reported for the Devon ice cap (Young et al., 2007). Relatively high total PFAS concentration was observed in Station 5 - PS80/323 (1.60 ng/L; Station 1: 0.298 ng/L and Station 8: 0.368 ng/L). For all PFASs, there were stronger correlations between concentration and degree longitude, rather than degree latitude. Regressions versus longitude were significant (p<0.10) for PFHxA and PFNA, and at p< 0.20 for PFOA and PFOS. PFAS concentrations increased as samples were taken further east. This suggests that proximity to Eurasian continental emissions were more important than latitudinal fractionation.