Oral Presentation Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia 2023

Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) (#50)

Hong T. M. (Rose) Nguyen 1 , Lachlan Chadwick 1 , Sara Ghorbani Gorji 1 , Karl Bowles 1 , Ruairi Hanly 2 , Marlise Norman 2 , Isabella Mahon 3 , Cara McNicol 3 , Quinn McDonald 3 , Melanie Scanes 3 , Sarit Kaserzon 1
  1. Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences - QAEHS, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
  2. RPS, Fortitude Valley 4006, QLD, Australia
  3. Department of Environmental Sciences (DES), Queensland Government, Brisbane 4001, QLD, Australia

Food organics/garden organics (FOGO) are crucial in the circular economy as they close the nutrient loop, transforming waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments, promoting sustainable agriculture, and minimising landfill waste. However, there is a concern regarding potential contamination in FOGO, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to their persistence in the environment and possible presence in compostable materials. This necessitates proper understanding of typical levels of contamination, to inform the management of resources derived from FOGO. Currently, there are no agreed-upon guidelines for PFAS sampling and analysis of FOGO. The composition of FOGO is diverse and heterogeneous, consisting of various organic sources, which requires careful consideration for representative and reproducible sampling and analysis of contaminants. It is worth noting that previously extraction and analysis techniques for FOGO-related samples had largely relied on the method used for soils and/or biosolids. This study was in response to the Department of Environment and Science, Queensland's request for the development of a representative sampling and analysis methodology to accurately measure PFAS concentrations in FOGO. This presentation specifically focuses on developing an analytical method for PFAS in the FOGO matrix, in particular the extraction step, and optimising the Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) assay. The methods were developed using a master pool consisting of over 300 individual samples obtained from six composting facilities. Estimates of analytical method uncertainties will be discussed.