Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFFs) Are Very Toxic to Aquatic Microcrustaceans

  • Published:
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) have been related to environmental contamination due to handling, storage, and use in the firefighting against class B fire. Studies have associated the use of AFFFs with toxic effects from its perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) to the aquatic ecosystem, which led the Stockholm Convention to restrict their use. In Brazil, despite the large-scale use, there is no data on employment or annual commercialization of these products. This study evaluated the toxicity of seven brands of AFFFs used in the firefighting of the petrochemical’s terminal of fuel storage in Port of Santos (Santos, São Paulo, Brazil) which occurred in 2015, in which more than 61,000 L of AFFFs drained into the adjacent aquatic ecosystems. The toxicity evaluation was performed by means of the acute bioassay using the freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia similis. The AFFF brands tested were considered toxic to D. similis, including at much lower dilutions than those recommended by the manufacturers. The brand that showed the lowest toxicity was Kidde Sintex® 3% × 6%, followed by Kidde Sintex® 1% × 3%, Argus Prime®, Cold Fire®, Ageofoam®, and Liovac®, and the one with the highest toxicity was F-500 fire®. These results provide valuable information for the development of public policies aimed at managing the AFFF discharge in freshwater ecosystems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • 3M (3M Company). (1999). Material Safety Data Sheet for FC-95 Fluorad Brand Fluorochemical Surfactant. St. Paul: 3M Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • ABNT (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas). (2008). Líquido gerador de espuma (LGE), de baixa expansão, para combate a incêndios em combustíveis líquidos. Norma NBR 15511/2008.

  • ABNT (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas). (2016). Ecotoxicologia aquática toxicidade aguda método de ensaio com Daphnia spp. (Crustacea, Cladocera). Norma ABNT-NBR 12713.

  • Ahrens, L. (2011). Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in the aquatic environment: a review of their occurrence and fate. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 13(1), 20–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Awad, E., Zhang, X., Bhavsar, S. P., Petro, S., Crozier, P. W., Reiner, E. J., Fletcher, R., Tittlemier, S. A., & Braekevelt, E. (2011). Long-term environmental fate of perfluorinated compounds after accidental release at Toronto airport. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(19), 8081–8089.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blum, A., Balan, S. A., Scheringer, M., Trier, X., Goldenman, G., Cousins, I. T., Diamond, M., Fletcher, T., Higgins, C., Lindeman, A. E., Peaslee, G., de Voogt, P., Wang, Z., & Weber, R. (2015). The Madrid statement on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Environmental Health Perspective, 123(5), A 107–A 111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brendel, S., Fetter, E., Staude, C., Vierke, L., & Biegel-Engler, A. (2018). Short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids: Environmental concerns and a regulatory strategy under REACH. Environmental Sciences Europe, 30, 9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CETESB – Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (2016). Ultracargo paga 16 milhões de multa por danos ambientais. Available in: http://cetesb.sp.gov.br/blog/2016/03/18 Access: 09-24-2017.

  • Chang, E. T., Adami, H. O., Boffetta, P., Cole, P., Starr, T. B., & Mandel, J. S. (2014). A critical review of perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate exposure and cancer risk in humans. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 44(1), 1–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Figueredo, R. C. R., Ribeiro, F. A., & Sabadini, E. (1999). Ciência de Espumas - Aplicação na extinção de incêndios. Química Nova, 22(1), 126–130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Folha de São Paulo. (2011). Plataforma da Petrobras é interditada na bacia de Campos, 10 de fevereiro de 2011.

  • Gewurtz, S. B., Bhaysar, S. P., Petro, S., Mahon, C. G., Zhao, X., Morse, D., Reiner, E. J., Tittlemier, S. A., Braekevelt, E., & Drouillard, K. (2014). High levels of perfluoroalkyl acids in sport fish species downstream of a firefighting training facility at Hamilton International Airport, Ontario, Canada. Environment International, 67(1), 1–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giesy, J. P., & Kannan, K. (2001). Global distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate and related compounds in wildlife. Environmental Science & Technology, 35, 1339–1342.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hagenaars, A., Meyer, I. J., Herzke, D., Pardo, B. G., Martinez, P., Padon, M., & Knapen, D. (2011). The search for alternative aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) with a low environmental impact: physiological and transcriptomic effects of two Forafac® fluorosurfactants in turbot. Aquatic Toxicology, 104(3), 168–176.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, C. P., Field, J. A., Criddle, C. S., & Luthy, R. G. (2005). Quantitative determination of perfluorochemicals in sediments and domestic sludge. Environmental Science & Technology, 39(11), 3946–3956.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houde, M., Czub, G., Small, J. M., Backus, S., Wang, X., Alaee, M., & Muir, D. C. G. (2008). Fractionation and bioaccumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) isomers in a Lake Ontario food web. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(4), 9397–9403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaarman, A., Hardell, E., Bavel, B., et al. (2014). Case-control study on perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) and the risk of prostate cancer. Environment International, 63, 35–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kannan, K., Corsolini, S., Falandysz, J., Fillmann, G., Kummar, K. S., Loganathan, B. G., Mohd, M. A., Olivero, J., Van Wouwe, N., Yang, J. H., & Aldous, K. M. (2004). Perfluorooctanesulfonate and related fluorochemicals in human blood from several countries. Environmental Science & Technology, 38(17), 4489–4495.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lanza, H. A., Cochran, R. S., Mudge, J. F., Olson, A. D., Blackwell, B. R., Maul, J. D., Salice, C. J., & Anderson, T. A. (2016). Temporal monitoring of perfluorooctane sulfonate accumulation in aquatic biota downstream of historical aqueous film forming foam use areas. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 36(8), 2022–2029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, C., Lindstrom, A. B., & Seed, J. (2009). Perfluorinated chemicals 2008, PFAA Days II meeting report and highlights. Reproductive Toxicology, 27(1), 429–434.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maestri, L., Negri, S., Ferrari, M., Ghittori, S., Fabris, F., Danesino, P., & Imbriani, M. (2006). Determination of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonate in human tissues by liquid chromatography/single quadrupole mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 20(18), 2728–2734.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. W., Mabury, S. A., Solomon, K. R., & Muir, D. C. G. (2003). Bioconcentration and tissue distribution of perfluorinated acids in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 22, 196–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martins, R. (2015), Após fogo diminuir novo vazamento aumenta chamas e incêndio continua, http://g1.globo.com/sp/santosregiao Acesso em: 30/05/2018.

  • Moody, C. A., & Field, J. A. (1999). Determination of perfluorocarboxylates in groundwater impacted by fire-fighting activity. Environmental Science & Technology, 33(16), 2800–2806.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moody, C. A., & Field, J. A. (2000). Perfluorinated surfactants and the environmental implications of their use in fire-fighting foams. Environmental Science & Technology, 34(18), 3864–3870.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mu, X., & Le Blanc, G. (2002). Environmental antiecdysteroids alter embryo development in the crustacean Daphnia magna. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 292(3), 287–292.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oakes, K. D., Benskin, J. P., Martin, J. W., Ings, J. S., Heinrichs, J. Y., Dixon, D. G., & Servos, M. R. (2010). Biomonitoring of perfluorochemicals and toxicity to the downstream fish community of Etobicoke Creek following deployment of aqueous film-forming foam. Aquatic Toxicology, 98(2), 120–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). (2002). Co-operation on existing chemicals, hazard assessment of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its salts. Environment Directorate. Joint meeting of the chemicals committee and the working party on chemicals, pesticides and biotechnology. ENV/JM/RD (2002) 17/FINAL.

  • OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). (2006). Results of the 2006 survey on production and use of PFOS, PFAS, PFOA, PFCA, their related substances and products/mixtures containing these substances (OECD, 2006).

  • Prestes, E. B., Jonson, C. M., Castrol, V. L. S. S., & Paraiba, C. C. M. (2013). Avaliação da toxicidade crônica de piraclostrobin, epoxiconazol e sua mistura em Daphnia similis. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Contamination, 8(1), 113–117.

  • Rotundo, M.M., Laranjeira, M.E., Cardoso, G.S. (2015). Incêndio na área portuária de Santos (SP):impacto sobre a diversidade de peixes. In: Anais XII Congresso de Ecologia do Brasil, São Lourenço, MG, Brazil.

  • Solla, S. R., Silva, A. O., & Letcher, R. J. (2012). Highly elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate and other perfluorinated acids found in biota and surface water downstream of an international airport, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Environment International, 39(1), 19–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suja, F., Pramanik, B. K., & Zain, S. M. (2009). Contamination, bioaccumulation and toxic effects of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in the water environment: a review paper. Water Science and Technology, 60(6), 1533–1544.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taniyasu, S., Kannan, K., Yeung, L. W. Y., Kwok, K. Y., Lam, P. K. S., & Yamashita, N. (2008). Analysis of trifluoroacetic acid and other short-chain perfluorinated acids (C2-C4) in precipitation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Comparison to patterns of long-chain perfluorinated acids (C5-C18). Analytica Chimica Acta, 619(2), 221–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ton, S. S., Chang, S. H., Hsu, L. Y., Wang, M. H., & Wang, K. S. (2012). Evaluation of acute toxicity and teratogenic effects of disinfectants by Daphnia magna embryo assay. Environmental Pollution, 168, 54–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (1996). Ecological Effecta Test Guidelines, OPPTS 850.1010 Aquatic Invertebrate Acute Toxicity Test, Freshwater Daphnids. Cornelius I Weber, Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati.OH, EPA 712-C-96-114, p1–8.

  • Weiss, O., Wiesmuller, G. A., Bunte, A., Göen, T., Schmidt, C. K., Wilhelm, M., & Hölzer, J. (2012). Perfluorinated compounds in the vicinity of a fire training area – human biomonitoring among 10 persons drinking water from contaminated private wells in Cologne, Germany. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 215(2), 212–215.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita, N., Kannan, K., Taniyasu, S., Horii, Y., Okazawa, T., Petrick, G., & Gamo, T. (2004). Analysis of perfluorinated acids at parts-per-quadrillion levels in seawater using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 38(21), 5522–5528.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ying, G. G. (2006). Fate, behavior and effects of surfactants and their degradation products in the environment. Environment International, 32(3), 417–431.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, X., Bao, Z., Fu, X., Hu, C., & Jing, L. (2018). Acute toxicity of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) to zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). Earth and Environmental Science, 199(032010), 1755–1315.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank UT-Santos IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, Brazil) for the support.

Funding

Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira and Denis Moledo Souza Abessa wish to thank CNPq for PQ fellowship (grants 306705/2016-8 and 308533/2018-6, respectively). Luciane Alves Maranho and Fabio Hermes Pusceddu thank CNPq for the postdoctoral funding (150934/2017-3 and 154841/2018-8, respectively).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecília (UNISANTA), Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 266, Santos, 11045-907, SP, Brasil

    Silvana Carmo da Silva, Fabio Hermes Pusceddu, Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira & Luciane Alves Maranho

  2. Núcleo de Estudos em Poluição e Ecotoxicologia Aquática (NEPEA), Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), Praça Infante Dom Henrique s/n, Parque Bitaru, São Vicente, SP, 11330-900, Brasil

    Andressa dos Santos Barbosa Ortega & Denis Moledo de Souza Abessa

  3. Departamento de Ciências Marinhas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, Santos, 11070-102, SP, Brasil

    Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira

Authors
  1. Silvana Carmo da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fabio Hermes Pusceddu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andressa dos Santos Barbosa Ortega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Denis Moledo de Souza Abessa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Luciane Alves Maranho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luciane Alves Maranho.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

da Silva, S.C., Pusceddu, F.H., dos Santos Barbosa Ortega, A. et al. Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFFs) Are Very Toxic to Aquatic Microcrustaceans. Water Air Soil Pollut 230, 260 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4291-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4291-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation