Pollution sources, environmental distribution, and migration and transformation of PFASs in China: a review

This review synthesizes existing literature and policy documents to assess per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFASs) pollution in China from industrial, consumer, and secondary sources. We summarize occurrence patterns in water, soil, sediment, atmosphere, and biota, and elucidate environmental transport and transformation. Key findings are as follows:(1) Direct emissions from fluorochemical, electroplating, and textile industries, along with lifecycle release of PFASscontaining products, constitute primary pathways, while landfilling, wastewater treatment, and incineration act as secondary sources. (2) Widespread use of shortchain PFASs and alternatives (e.g., 6∶2 FTS, F53B, GenX) complicates contamination profiles. PFASs are ubiquitous in surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and coastal areas, with hotspots near industrial clusters; longchain congeners accumulate in sediments and paddy soils; ionic species dominate in air, whereas neutral precursors undergo longrange transport and oxidation; and longchain PFASs biomagnify through food webs and accumulate in liver and blood. (3) Transport and transformation depend on chain length and functional groups: shortchain analogs are mobile and prone to groundwater infiltration, longchain ones sorb strongly to organic matter but can be remobilized upon disturbance, and neutral precursors yield perfluoroalkyl acids via atmospheric oxidation. (4) PFASs bind to proteins, transfer through the food chain, and exhibit significant biomagnification, posing risks to ecosystems and human health. This review provides a systematic scientific reference for source identification, fate assessment, and risk management, supporting the formulation of differentiated control strategies in China.