Abstract: Perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) have a strong chemical stability and are widely used in industrial products, firefighting foams and the production of commercial household goods. Research shows PFAS have been released and accumulated in different water bodies worldwide, having a detrimental environmental impact due to their toxicity. In Colombia there are no records of environmental studies that include these pollutants in either ground or surface water. The aim of this preliminary study was to confirm the presence of PFAS in water samples along the Bogota River as the first evidence of these pollutants in Colombia. A connection between concentration of detected PFAS, population and economic activities present in the sampling areas was established. Six sampling points were selected and 38 PFAS were analysed including 16 Perfluorinated Carboxylic Acids (PFCAs), 8 Perfluorosulfonic Acids (PFSAs), 3 Fluorotelomers, 5 Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonamides (FASAs), and 2 Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonyl Amide Acetates. Results demonstrated that all selected areas of the river where water samples were collected showed contamination for PFAS. Twelve types of PFAS were detected and quantified in the water samples with concentrations in the range of 0.06–0.52 μg/L. The highest concentration of PFAS were Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS) (0.52 μg/L), followed by Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) (0.24 μg/L) and Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) (0.10 μg/L). Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) was the most commonly detected compound, which was found in 5 of the 6 sampling points. Higher concentrations of PFAS were found in the areas with high industrial activity, followed by areas with large populations. These findings highlight the urgent need for more detailed studies, policies, regulations and measures to deal with this environmental and public health problem in Colombia.
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