News
February 3, 2017
European Commission highlights SOLUTIONS Research
The European Commission highlighted SOLUTIONS Research on Modelling emissions of perfluorinated chemicals into European Rivers in its January 2017 issue of “Science for Environment Policy”
Long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent chemicals with proven toxic effects. The SOLUTIONS study estimated the emissions and concentrations of two such chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in 11 of Europe’s most populated river catchments. Estimated emissions were lowest in the Thames and highest in the Rhine, while the EU environmental quality standard for PFOS was exceeded in all rivers. This study provides a picture of PFAAs contamination in rivers across Europe, and makes recommendations for achieving reductions.