Co-transport of PFCs in the environment- An interactive story

Abstract

The fate and transport of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been extensively studied and widely reviewed recently. Literature reports that they are persistent and may travel considerable distances in all environmental compartments, such as water, sediment, air, and soil owing to their chemical and thermal stability. However, their transport with co-existing contaminants and their potential as vectors for various chemical and biological contaminants has been overlooked. In this sense, the present note addresses the role of PFCs as vectors, making this review one of its kind. This graphical review discusses the ability of PFCs to interact with different matrices, such as heavy metals, organic matter, and bacterial cell membranes via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, and aggregation and micelle formation, allowing them to act as vectors for various chemical and biological contaminants. This PFC-mediated transport can alter the tendency of both -PFCs and the contaminant to persist, bioaccumulate, and co-transport between and within disparate environmental matrices, as well as their interfaces. Further, this joint toxicity could potentially have elevated eco-toxicological impacts, including altered cell membrane permeability and increased cell uptake, which still need to be explored, thereby demonstrating the need for future investigations in this regard.

Keywords

• Co-transport
• Emerging contaminants
• Interactions
• Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs)
• Toxicity
• Transport