Electrochemical treatment of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in groundwater impacted by aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs)

Laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the use of electrochemical treatment for the decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), as well as other perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)-impacted groundwater collected from a former firefighter training area and PFAA-spiked synthetic groundwater. Using a commercially-produced Ti/RuO2 anode in a divided electrochemical cell, PFOA and PFOS decomposition was evaluated as a function of current density (0-20 mA/cm(2)). Decomposition of both PFOA and PFOS increased with increasing current density, although the decomposition of PFOS did not increase as the current density was increased above 2.5 mA/cm(2). At a current density of 10 mA/cm(2), the first-order rate constants, normalized for current density and treatment volume, for electrochemical treatment of both PFOA and PFOS were 46 × 10(-5) and 70 × 10(-5) [(min(-1)) (mA/cm(2))(-1) (L)], respectively. Defluorination was confirmed for both PFOA and PFOS, with 58% and 98% recovery as fluoride, respectively (based upon the mass of PFOA and PFOS degraded). Treatment of other PFAAs present in the groundwater also was observed, with shorter chain PFAAs generally being more recalcitrant. Results highlight the potential for electrochemical treatment of PFAAs, particularly PFOA and PFOS, in AFFF-impacted groundwater.

Microbial diversity and the implications of sulfide levels in an anaerobic reactor used to remove an anionic surfactant from laundry wastewater

The objective of this study was to evaluate the removal of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) from commercial laundry wastewater using an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor with two specific LAS loading rates (SLLRs), 1.0 and 2.7 mg LAS gVS(-1)d (-1). The biomass was characterized using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and 16S Ion Tag sequencing. Higher LAS removal (92.9%) was observed in association with an SLLR of 1.0 mg LAS gVS(-1) d(-1) than with an SLLR of 2.7 mg LAS gVS(-1) d(-1) (58.6%). A relationship between the S(-2) concentration in the effluent and the surfactant removal efficiency was observed. This result is indicative of the inhibition of LAS-removing microbiota at S(-2) concentrations greater than 20 mg SL(-1). By using DGGE, microbial stratification was observed in the reactor in association with granule size, even though the reactor is considered to be a completely mixed regime. The RDP-classifier identified 175 genera, 33 of which were related to LAS degradation.

Molecular dynamics simulations of structural transformation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at water/rutile interfaces

Concentration and salinity conditions are the dominant environmental factors affecting the behavior of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) on the surfaces of a variety of solid matrices (suspended particles, sediments, and natural minerals). However, the mechanism has not yet been examined at molecular scales. Here, the structural transformation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at water/rutile interfaces induced by changes of the concentration level of PFOS and salt condition was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. At low and intermediate concentrations all PFOS molecules directly interacted with the rutile (110) surface mainly by the sulfonate headgroups through electrostatic attraction, yielding a typical monolayer structure. As the concentration of PFOS increased, the molecules aggregated in a complex multi-layered structure, where an irregular assembling configuration was adsorbed on the monolayer structure by the van der Waals interactions between the perfluoroalkyl chains. When adding CaCl2 to the system, the multi-layered structure changed to a monolayer again, indicating that the addition of CaCl2 enhanced the critical concentration value to yield PFOS multilayer assemblies. The divalent Ca(2+) substituted for monovalent K(+) as the bridging counterion in PFOS adsorption. MD simulation may trigger wide applications in study of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) from atomic/molecular scale.

Isomeric specific partitioning behaviors of perfluoroalkyl substances in water dissolved phase, suspended particulate matters and sediments in Liao River Basin and Taihu Lake, China

The occurrence and distribution of eleven perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the isomers of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) were investigated in water dissolved phase, sediment and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in two typical watersheds in China: Liao River Basin and Taihu Lake. The total concentrations of the PFASs in the dissolved phase were 44.4-781 ng/L in Liao River with high contribution of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) (75.7%) and PFOA (9.86%). The ∑PFASs in the dissolved phase in Taihu Lake was 17.2-94.4 ng/L with PFOA (39.8%), perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) (30.1%) and PFOS (16.8%) as the dominant PFASs. The log Koc values of the PFASs in both SPM and sediment increased with increasing the perfluorinated carbon chain length. In Liao River Basin, the long chain perfluorocarboxylates (C10-12) bound with SPM contributed >30% to the total amount in water, suggesting that SPM could not be ignored when the environmental load of long chain PFASs in water was assessed. For the isomers of PFOA, PFOS and PFOSA, the linear isomers always displayed higher partition coefficients on particulate phases than the branched ones. An established isomer-profiling technique was applied to assess the relative contributions of various industrial origins for PFOA. In Liao River, when SPM was included in the water samples, there were contributions of PFOA from electrochemical fluorination (ECF) (∼55%), linear telomer (∼41%) and isopropyl telomer (∼4%) sources. While, the results based on the dissolved phase alone indicated more contribution of ECF (∼70%) source and lower contribution from linear telomer (∼26%) source. The discrepancy suggests that omitting SPM from water samples might lead to misunderstanding on the industrial origins of PFOA. In Taihu Lake, the isomer profile of PFOA was influenced mainly by ECF (∼88%) and partially by linear-telomer (∼12%) sources.

Temporal trends of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in eggs of coastal and offshore birds: Increasing PFAS levels associated with offshore bird species breeding on the Pacific coast of Canada and wintering near Asia

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) such as perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) have become virtually ubiquitous throughout the environment, and, based on laboratory studies, have known toxicological consequences. Various national and international voluntary phase-outs and restrictions on these compounds have been implemented over the last 10 to 15 years. In the present study, we examine trends (1990/1991-2010/2011) in aquatic birds (ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus [2009 only]; Leach's storm-petrels, Oceanodroma leucorhoa; rhinoceros auklets, Cerorhinca monocerata; double-crested cormorants, Phalacrocorax auritus; and great blue herons, Ardea herodias). The PFCA, PFSA, and stable isotope (δ(15) N and δ(13) C) data collected from these species from the Pacific coast of Canada, ranging over 20 to 30 years, were used to investigate temporal changes in PFAS coupled to dietary changes. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the dominant PFSA compound in all 4 species, increased and subsequently decreased in auklet and cormorant eggs in line with the manufacturing phase-out of PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but concentrations continuously increased in petrel eggs and remained largely unchanged in heron eggs. Dominant PFCA compounds varied between the offshore and coastal species, with increases seen in the offshore species and little or variable changes seen in the coastal species. Little temporal change was seen in stable isotope values, indicating that diet alone is not driving observed PFAS concentrations.

Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids by carbonaceous adsorbents: Effect of carbon surface chemistry

Adsorption by carbonaceous sorbents is among the most feasible processes to remove perfluorooctane sulfonic (PFOS) and carboxylic acids (PFOA) from drinking and ground waters. However, carbon surface chemistry, which has long been recognized essential for dictating performance of such sorbents, has never been considered for PFOS and PFOA adsorption. Thus, the role of surface chemistry was systematically investigated using sorbents with a wide range in precursor material, pore structure, and surface chemistry. Sorbent surface chemistry overwhelmed physical properties in controlling the extent of uptake. The adsorption affinity was positively correlated carbon surface basicity, suggesting that high acid neutralizing or anion exchange capacity was critical for substantial uptake of PFOS and PFOA. Carbon polarity or hydrophobicity had insignificant impact on the extent of adsorption. Synthetic polymer-based Ambersorb and activated carbon fibers were more effective than activated carbon made of natural materials in removing PFOS and PFOA from aqueous solutions.

Distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate isomers and predicted risk of thyroid hormonal perturbation in drinking water

We documented the distribution of seven perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) isomers in drinking water in Jiangsu Province, China. Compared to the 30% proportion of branched PFOS in technical PFOS, the levels of branched PFOS in drinking water increased to 31.8%-44.6% of total PFOS. Because of previous risk assessment without considering the PFOS isomer profile and the toxicity of individual PFOS isomers, here we performed a new health risk assessment of PFOS for thyroid hormonal perturbation in drinking water with the contribution from individual PFOS isomers. The risk quotients (RQs) of individual PFOS isomers indicated that linear PFOS contributed most to the risk among all the target PFOS isomers (83.0%-90.2% of the total PFOS RQ), and that risk from 6m-PFOS (5.2%-11.9% of the total PFOS RQ) was higher than that from other branched PFOS isomers. We found that the risks associated with PFOS in drinking water would be overestimated by 10.0%-91.7% if contributions from individual PFOS isomers were not considered. The results revealed that the PFOS isomer profile and the toxicity of individual PFOS isomers were important factors in health risk assessment of PFOS and should be considered in the future risk assessments.

Grey water treatment by the slanted soil system with unsorted soil media

This study evaluated the performance of unsorted soil media in the slanted soil treatment system, in terms of removal efficiency in suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) and Escherichia coli, and lifetime until clogging occurs. Unsorted soil performed longer lifetime until clogging than sorted fine soil. Removal of SS, COD, and LAS also performed same or better level in unsorted soil than fine soil. As reaction coefficients of COD and LAS were described as a function of the hydraulic loading rate, we can design a slanted soil system according to the expected hydraulic loading rate and the targeted level of COD or LAS in effluent. Regarding bacteria removal, unsorted soil performed sufficient reduction of E. coli for 5 weeks; however, the removal process occurred throughout all four chambers, while that of fine soil occurred in one to two chambers.

A comparative study of coagulation, granular- and powdered-activated carbon for the removal of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate in drinking water treatment

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are persistent organic pollutants in the environment and their occurrence causes toxicological effects on humans. We examined different conventional coagulant treatments such as alum, ferric chloride and polyaluminium chloride in removing these compounds. These were then compared with a natural coagulant (Moringa oleifera). We also investigated the powdered-activated carbon (PAC) and granular-activated carbon (GAC) for removing these compounds. At an initial dose of 5 mg/L, polyaluminium chloride led to a higher reduction of PFOS/PFOA compared with alum which in turn was higher than ferric. The removal efficiency increased with the increase in coagulant dose and decrease in pH. M. oleifera was very effective in reducing PFOS and PFOA than conventional coagulants, with a reduction efficiencies of 65% and 72%, respectively, at a dose of 30 mg/L. Both PAC and GAC were very effective in reducing these compounds than coagulations. PAC led to a higher reduction in PFOS and PFOA than GAC due to its greater surface area and shorter internal diffusion distances. The addition of PAC (10 min contact time) with coagulation (at 5 mg/L dosage) significantly increased the removal efficiency, and the maximum removal efficiency was for M. oleifera with 98% and 94% for PFOS and PFOA, respectively. The reduction efficiency of PFOS/PFOA was reduced with the increase in dissolved organic concentration due to the adsorption competition between organic molecules and PFOS/PFOA.

Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Defluorination of Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances by Calcium Compounds during Waste Thermal Treatment

The mineralization of perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) by calcium compounds during the waste thermal treatment was systemically studied. Different calcium compounds showed different mineralization efficiencies of PFASs during the thermal process, owing to the different reaction mechanisms. Calcium hydroxide was recommended as the most effective Ca reagent for PFAS defluorination because the carbon-fluorine bonds in PFASs can be converted to carbon-hydrogen bonds via the hydrodefluorination reaction. PFASs with different chain lengths and functional groups were further investigated for their potentially different mineralization behavior. The results showed that the chain length of PFASs had an insignificant effect on the mineralization efficiency by calcium hydroxide. The thermogravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) also revealed that perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) (with different chain lengths) had a similar thermal behavior. However, PFASs with different functional groups showed different mineralization behavior with calcium hydroxide in relation to their different thermal decomposition temperatures. Finally, the mineralization ratio of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles by calcium hydroxide could reach 80% or higher when the temperature was above 400 °C. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) results demonstrated much reduced production of gaseous fluorocarbon fragments during PTFE decomposition when coexisting with calcium hydroxide.

Isomer-Specific Binding Affinity of Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) to Serum Proteins

Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are among the most prominent contaminants in human serum, and these were historically manufactured as technical mixtures of linear and branched isomers. The isomers display unique pharmacokinetics in humans and in animal models, but molecular mechanisms underlying isomer-specific PFOS and PFOA disposition have not previously been studied. Here, ultrafiltration devices were used to examine (i) the dissociation constants (Kd) of individual PFOS and PFOA isomers with human serum albumin (HSA) and (ii) relative binding affinity of isomers in technical mixtures spiked to whole calf serum and human serum. Measurement of HSA Kd's demonstrated that linear PFOS (Kd=8(±4)×10(-8) M) was much more tightly bound than branched PFOS isomers (Kd range from 8(±1)×10(-5) M to 4(±2)×10(-4) M). Similarly, linear PFOA (Kd=1(±0.9)×10(-4) M) was more strongly bound to HSA compared to branched PFOA isomers (Kd range from 4(±2)×10(-4) M to 3(±2)×10(-4) M). The higher binding affinities of linear PFOS and PFOA to total serum protein were confirmed when both calf serum and human serum were spiked with technical mixtures. Overall, these data provide a mechanistic explanation for the longer biological half-life of PFOS in humans, compared to PFOA, and for the higher transplacental transfer efficiencies and renal clearance of branched PFOS and PFOA isomers, compared to the respective linear isomer.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with isomer analysis in the commercial PFOS and PFOA products in China

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been widely used in consumer and industrial products for decades and are widely detected in the environment and humans all over the world. The information on the isomeric profiles of commercial products is important to identify the manufacturing origins of PFAAs in the environment. For the first time, the PFAA compositions and isomeric profiles of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were reported in three PFOS and five PFOA commercial products manufactured in China. The purity of the three PFOS products was 76.7-80.6%. The major impurity in the PFOS products is PFOA, which contributes more than 10%. Other impurities include perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) and perfluoroheptanoate acids (PFHpA). The percentage of linear PFOS (n-PFOS) in the three products was 66.2-71.9%, similar to that in the product manufactured by 3M (70.3%). The purity of the five PFOA products was relatively high (94.0-95.8%), and the major impurity was PFOS (2.06-3.09%). The percentage of n-PFOA in the five PFOA products was 76.4-77.9%, which was similar to that in the 3M PFOA (78%). Although it is widely accepted that telomerization is currently the predominant manufacturing method for PFOA, yielding an isomerically pure and linear product, the results in the present study suggest that electrochemical fluorination is still used by some manufacturers in China.

Photoinduced spectral changes of photoluminescent gold nanoclusters

Ultrasmall photoluminescent gold nanoclusters (Au NCs), composed of several atoms with sizes up to a few nanometers, have recently stimulated extensive interest. Unique molecule-like behaviors, low toxicity, and facile synthesis make photoluminescent Au NCs a very promising alternative to organic fluorophores and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) in broad ranges of biomedical applications. However, using gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for bioimaging might cause their degradation under continuous excitation with UV light, which might result in toxicity. We report spectral changes of photoluminescent 2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES)-coated (Au-MES) NCs under irradiation with UV/blue light. Photoluminescent water soluble Au- MES NCs with a photoluminescence (PL) band maximum at 476 nm (λex = 420 nm) were synthesized. Under irradiation with 402 nm wavelength light the size of photoluminescent Au-MES NCs decreased (λem = 430 nm). Irradiating the sample solution with 330 nm wavelength light, nonluminescent Au NPs were disrupted, and photoluminescent Au NCs (λem = 476 nm) were formed. Irradiation with 330 nm wavelength light did not directly affect photoluminescent Au-MES NCs, however, increase in PL intensity indicated the formation of photoluminescent Au NCs from the disrupted nonluminescent Au NPs. This study gives a good insight into the photostability of MES-coated Au NPs under continuous excitation with UV/blue light.

Sorption behaviour of perfluoroalkyl substances in soils

The sorption behaviour of three perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), was studied in six soils with contrasting characteristics, especially in the organic carbon content. Sorption isotherms were obtained by equilibrating the soil samples with 0.01 mol L(-1) CaCl2 solutions spiked with increasing concentrations of the target PFAS. The sorption reversibility of PFASs was also tested for some of the samples. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify the target PFASs in the solutions. Both the Freundlich and linear models were appropriate to describe the sorption behaviour of PFASs in soils, and enabled us to derive solid-liquid distribution coefficients (Kd) for each compound in each soil. Kd values increased from 19 to 295 mL g(-1) for PFOS, from 2.2 to 38 mL g(-1) for PFOA and from 0.4 to 6.8 mL g(-1) for PFBS, and were positively correlated with the organic carbon content of the soil. KOC values obtained from the correlations were 710, 96 and 17 mL g(-1) for PFOS, PFOA and PFBS, respectively. Whereas Kd values decreased in the sequence PFOS>PFOA>PFBS, desorption yields were lower than 13% for PFOS, from 24 to 58% for PFOA, and from 32 to 60% for PFBS. This shows that the physicochemical characteristics of PFASs, basically their hydrophobicity, controlled their sorption behaviour in soils, with PFOS being the most irreversibly sorbed PFAS.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate: a review of human exposure, biomonitoring and the environmental forensics utility of its chirality and isomer distribution

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) found extensive use for over 60 years up until its restriction in the early 2000s, culminating in its listing under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2009. Efforts to minimise human body burdens are hindered by uncertainty over their precise origins. While diet appears the principal source for the majority of western populations (with other pathways like dust ingestion, drinking water and inhalation also important contributors); the role played by exposure to PFOS-precursor compounds followed by in vivo metabolism to PFOS as the ultimate highly stable end-product is unclear. Such PFOS-precursor compounds include perfluorooctane sulfonamide derivates, e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonamides (FOSAs) and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs). Understanding the indirect contribution of such precursors to human body burdens of PFOS is important as a significant contribution from this pathway would render the margin of safety between the current exposure limits and estimates of external exposure to PFOS alone, narrower than hitherto appreciated. Estimates derived from mathematical modelling studies, put the contribution of so-called "precursor exposure" at between 10% and 40% of total PFOS body burdens. However, there are substantial uncertainties associated with such approaches. This paper reviews current understanding of human exposure to PFOS, with particular reference to recent research highlighting the potential of environmental forensics approaches based on the relative abundance and chiral signatures of branched chain PFOS isomers to provide definitive insights into the role played by "precursor exposure".

Experimental and molecular dynamic simulation study of perfluorooctane sulfonate adsorption on soil and sediment components

Soil and sediment play a crucial role in the fate and transport of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the environment. However, the molecular mechanisms of major soil/sediment components on PFOS adsorption remain unclear. This study experimentally isolated three major components in soil/sediment: humin/kerogen, humic/fulvic acid (HA/FA), and inorganic component after removing organics, and explored their contributions to PFOS adsorption using batch adsorption experiments and molecular dynamic simulations. The results suggest that the humin/kerogen component dominated the PFOS adsorption due to its aliphatic features where hydrophobic effect and phase transfer are the primary adsorption mechanism. Compared with the humin/kerogen, the HA/FA component contributed less to the PFOS adsorption because of its hydrophilic and polar characteristics. The electrostatic repulsion between the polar groups of HA/FA and PFOS anions was attributable to the reduced PFOS adsorption. When the soil organic matter was extracted, the inorganic component also plays a non-negligible role because PFOS molecules might form surface complexes on SiO2 surface. The findings obtained in this study illustrate the contribution of organic matters in soils and sediments to PFOS adsorption and provided new perspective to understanding the adsorption process of PFOS on micro-interface in the environment.

Temporal trends of perfluorooctanesulfonate isomer and enantiomer patterns in archived Swedish and American serum samples

Human perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) body burdens are attributable to both direct PFOS and indirect PFOS precursor (PreFOS) exposure. The relative importance of these two pathways has been estimated, but the relative temporal trajectory of exposure to PFOS and PreFOS has not been examined. Here, two hypothesized biomarkers of PreFOS exposure, PFOS isomer profiles (quantified as percent branched PFOS, %br-PFOS) and chiral 1m-PFOS enantiomer fractions (1m-PFOS EF) were analyzed in archived human serum samples of individual American adults (1974-2010) and pooled samples of Swedish primiparous women (1996-2010). After correcting for potential confounders, significant correlations between %br-PFOS and 1m-PFOS EFs were observed in American samples and in Swedish samples for the 1996-2000 period, supporting the hypothesis that both %br-PFOS and 1m-PFOS EF are biomarkers of PreFOS exposure. Significant trends of increasing %br-PFOS, from 2000 to 2010, and increasingly non-racemic 1m-PFOS EFs, from 1996 to 2000, were detected in Swedish samples. No statistically significant trend for %br-PFOS or 1m-PFOS EF was observed in American samples, but American males had significantly higher %br-PFOS and significantly lower 1m-PFOS EF (i.e. more non-racemic) than females, and a similar significant difference was shown in the older age group, relative to the younger age group. These temporal trends in %br-PFOS and 1m-PFOS EF are not easily explained and the results highlight uncertainties about how humans are exposed to PFOS.

Enhanced adsorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate by bamboo-derived granular activated carbon

A bamboo-derived granular activated carbon with large pores was successfully prepared by KOH activation, and used to remove perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) from aqueous solution. The granular activated carbon prepared at the KOH/C mass ratio of 4 and activation temperature of 900°C had fast and high adsorption for PFOS and PFOA. Their adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 24h, which was attributed to their fast diffusion in the micron-sized pores of activated carbon. This granular activated carbon exhibited the maximum adsorbed amount of 2.32mmol/g for PFOS and 1.15mmol/g for PFOA at pH 5.0, much higher than other granular and powdered activated carbons reported. The activated carbon prepared under the severe activation condition contained many enlarged pores, favorable for the adsorption of PFOS and PFOA. In addition, the spent activated carbon was hardly regenerated in NaOH/NaCl solution, while the regeneration efficiency was significantly enhanced in hot water and methanol/ethanol solution, indicating that hydrophobic interaction was mainly responsible for the adsorption. The regeneration percent was up to 98% using 50% ethanol solution at 45°C.

Removal of perfluorinated compounds in wastewater treatment plant effluents by electrochemical oxidation

The presence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the effluents of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Beijing was investigated in the current study. Perfluorooctanoate acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate were the predominant PFCs in wastewater, accounting for 19-27% and 18-31%, respectively. The concentrations of PFCs with long chains were much lower than those PFCs with short chains (≤C8). An electrochemical oxidation reactor was employed for advanced treatment of PFCs in WWTP effluents using stainless steel plates as anode and cathode electrodes. It was concluded that the removal efficiency of PFCs was improved accordingly with the increasing applied current density. The removal efficiencies of target PFCs ranged from 23.53 to 51.79% with a reaction time of 30 minutes, current density of 20 mA/cm(2), electrode plate distance of 1.0 cm and electrode plate amounts of five pairs.

Estimating human exposure to PFOS isomers and PFCA homologues: the relative importance of direct and indirect (precursor) exposure

Contributions of direct and indirect (via precursors) pathways of human exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) isomers and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are estimated using a Scenario-Based Risk Assessment (SceBRA) modelling approach. Monitoring data published since 2008 (including samples from 2007) are used. The estimated daily exposures (resulting from both direct and precursor intake) for the general adult population are highest for PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), followed by perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), while lower daily exposures are estimated for perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA). The precursor contributions to the individual perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) daily exposures are estimated to be 11-33% for PFOS, 0.1-2.5% for PFBA, 3.7-34% for PFHxA, 13-64% for PFOA, 5.2-66% for PFDA, and 0.7-25% for PFDoDA (ranges represent estimated precursor contributions in a low- and high-exposure scenario). For PFOS, direct intake via diet is the major exposure pathway regardless of exposure scenario. For PFCAs, the dominant exposure pathway is dependent on perfluoroalkyl chain length and exposure scenario. Modelled PFOS and PFOA concentrations in human serum using the estimated intakes from an intermediate-exposure scenario are in agreement with measured concentrations in different populations. The isomer pattern of PFOS resulting from total intakes (direct and via precursors) is estimated to be enriched with linear PFOS (84%) relative to technical PFOS (70% linear). This finding appears to be contradictory to the observed enrichment of branched PFOS isomers in recent human serum monitoring studies and suggests that either external exposure is not fully understood (e.g. there are unknown precursors, missing or poorly quantified exposure pathways) and/or that there is an incomplete understanding of the isomer-specific human pharmacokinetic processes of PFOS, its precursors and intermediates.

The partition behavior of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (FOSA) on microplastics

Microplastics have been recognized as transport vectors for heavy metals and organic pollutants to marine animals. Thus, the sorption behavior of contaminant on microplastic is crucial to their transport in marine system. In this study, the sorption behavior of PFOS and FOSA (two perfluorochemicals) on three kinds of microplastics (PE, PS, and PVC) are reported. The isotherm study showed that the sorption of PFOS and FOSA on microplastics is highly linear, and it indicated that partition by hydrophobic interaction is the predominant sorption mechanism. The Kd values of FOSA on three kinds of microplastics are all higher than those of PFOS, and the reason is attributed to their different functional groups. The Kd value of FOSA on three types of microplastics followed the order as: PE>PVC>PS. Such finding may indicate that the molecule composition and structure of microplastics play important roles in their sorption processes of organic pollutants. The PFOS sorption levels on PE and PS particles were increased with the increase of NaCl and CaCl2 concentrations, while the ion concentrations have no effect on FOSA sorption. The study on the pH effects on PFOS and FOSA sorption indicated FOSA could partition under various pH conditions on three types of microplastics while PFOS sorption on PE and PS were favored with lower pH.

Inhibition of methyl-CoM Reductase from Methanobrevibacter ruminantium by 2-bromoethanesulfonate

Cattle husbandry is a major contributor to atmospheric methane, which is considered as an important greenhouse gas. Moreover, the generation of methane in the intestine of domestic ruminants by methanogenic bacteria is a drag on feed efficacy. Studies on methanogenesis have typically implied model organisms that are, however, not relevant in the ruminant gut. This paper shows that methyl-CoM reductase catalyzing the final step of methanogenesis in Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, a major participant in methane production by cattle, is inhibited by 2-bromoethanesulfonate, a compound often used as a model in animal agriculture, with an apparent IC50 of 0.4 ± 0.04 μM.

Role of air bubbles overlooked in the adsorption of perfluorooctanesulfonate on hydrophobic carbonaceous adsorbents

Hydrophobic interaction has been considered to be responsible for adsorption of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) on the surface of hydrophobic adsorbents, but the long C-F chain in PFOS is not only hydrophobic but also oleophobic. In this study, for the first time we propose that air bubbles on the surface of hydrophobic carbonaceous adsorbents play an important role in the adsorption of PFOS. The level of adsorption of PFOS on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite (GI), graphene (GE), and powdered activated carbon (PAC) decreases after vacuum degassing. Vacuum degassing time and pressure significantly affect the removal of PFOS by these adsorbents. After vacuum degassing at 0.01 atm for 36 h, the extent of removal of PFOS by the pristine CNTs and GI decreases 79% and 74%, respectively, indicating the main contribution of air bubbles to PFOS adsorption. When the degassed solution is recontacted with air during the adsorption process, the removal of PFOS recovers to the value obtained without vacuum degassing, further verifying the key role of air bubbles in PFOS adsorption. By theoretical calculation, the distribution of PFOS in air bubbles on the adsorbent surfaces is discussed, and a new schematic sorption model of PFOS on carbonaceous adsorbents in the presence of air bubbles is proposed. The accumulation of PFOS at the interface of air bubbles on the adsorbents is primarily responsible for its adsorption, providing a new mechanistic insight into the transport, fate, and removal of PFOS.

Comparative sorption and desorption behaviors of PFHxS and PFOS on sequentially extracted humic substances

The sorption and desorption behaviors of two perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs), including perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on two humic acids (HAs) and humin (HM), which were extracted from a peat soil, were investigated. The sorption kinetics and isotherms showed that the sorption of PFOS on the humic substances (HSs) was much higher than PFHxS. For the same PFSA compound, the sorption on HSs followed the order of HM>HA2>HA1. These suggest that hydrophobic interaction plays a key role in the sorption of PFSAs on HSs. The sorption capacities of PFSAs on HSs were significantly related to their aliphaticity, but negatively correlated to aromatic carbons, indicating the importance of aliphatic groups in the sorption of PFSAs. Compared to PFOS, PFHxS displayed distinct desorption hysteresis, probably due to irreversible pore deformation after sorption of PFHxS. The sorption of the two PFSAs on HSs decreased with an increase in pH in the solution. This is ascribed to the electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding at lower pH. Hydrophobic interaction might also be stronger at lower pH due to the aggregation of HSs.

Oxidative toxicity of perfluorinated chemicals in green mussel and bioaccumulation factor dependent quantitative structure-activity relationship

Concerns regarding perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) have risen in recent years because of their ubiquitous presence and high persistency. However, data on the environmental impacts of PFCs on marine organisms are very limited. Oxidative toxicity has been suggested to be one of the major toxic pathways for PFCs to induce adverse effects on organisms. To investigate PFC-induced oxidative stress and oxidative toxicity, a series of antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidative damage biomarkers were examined to assess the adverse effects of the following 4 commonly detected compounds: perfluoro-octanesulfonate, perfluoro-ocanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid, on green mussel (Perna viridis). Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were also established. The results showed that all the tested PFCs are able to induce antioxidant response and oxidative damage on green mussels in a dose-dependent manner. At low exposure levels (0 µg/L-100 µg/L), activation of antioxidant enzymes (catalase [CAT] and superoxide dismutase [SOD]) was observed, which is an adaptive response to the excessive reactive oxygen species induced by PFCs, while at high exposure levels (100 µg/L-10 000 µg/L), PFCs were found to inhibit some enzyme activity (glutathione S-transferase and SOD) where the organism's ability to respond in an adaptive manner was compromised. The oxidative stress under high PFC exposure concentration also led to lipid and DNA damage. PFC-induced oxidative toxicity was found to be correlated with the bioaccumulation potential of PFCs. Based on this relationship, QSAR models were established using the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) as the molecular descriptor for the first time. Compared with previous octanol-water partition coefficient-dependent QSAR models, the BAF-dependent QSAR model is more suitable for the impact assessment of PFCs and thus provides a more accurate description of the toxic behavior of these compounds.