Seasonal and Pollution-Level Variations in PM2.5-Bound PFASs and Associated Health Risks in Jinan, a Typical Northern Chinese Industrial City

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a global concern because of their toxicity and persistence, yet seasonal dynamics, pollution-level dependencies, and inhalation risks of PM2.5-bound PFASs in haze-prone industrial cities remain underexplored. This study investigated 163 PM2.5 samples collected from December 2023 to November 2024 in Jinan—a typical industrial city—and quantified 17 PFASs via LC-MS/MS. The results showed that total concentrations (∑PFASs) rank winter (133.8) > autumn (123.6) ≈ summer (123.5) > spring (97.1 pg·m−3). In summer and autumn, PFAS concentrations were numerically higher on clean days than on slightly polluted days. This may suggest that good air quality does not necessarily guarantee low PFAS levels. Spearman correlation analysis showed no significant monotonic relationships between ΣPFASs and individual meteorological variables. However, compound-specific responses to temperature, humidity, and wind speed exhibited chain-length dependence. Inhalation-risk evaluation of the 15 assessable PFASs showed that PFOA and short-chain PFCAs co-dominated estimated daily intake (73.1%), whereas PFOA dominated estimated risk (95.6%). Several compounds (e.g., PFHxA, PFOS) showed numerically higher risk values on clean or slightly polluted days than on polluted days. This suggests the need for species-specific evaluation. This study provides critical evidence of PFASs’ atmospheric behavior in haze-affected industrial settings and provides a scientific basis for prioritizing control species.