PFAS target and EOF analyses in ski wax, snowmelts, and soil from skiing areas

Per and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) are common additives in ski waxes for their water repellent characteristic. Abrasion of ski wax leaves PFAS on the snow surface, however, little is known about the distribution and concentration of PFAS in snow and soil due to skiing.

This study showed for the first time PFAS in snow and soil from areas where public skiing is taken place in the winter season. The ski wax analysis gave a very diverse picture of the PFAS in the different ski wax products, hence the analysis of snowmelts as an integral average value for the contamination of PFAS from the skiing activity is advisable. The EOF and TF of the ski wax revealed that skiing will produce orders of magnitude higher concentrations of PFAS into remote Alpine regions as well as other places where skiing related activities are taken place, which might need years to break down. The soil analysis revealed that skiing activities can be a significant source of PFAS, but other PFAS sources such as atmospheric deposition cannot be excluded.