1
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Islam MT, Cheng J, Sadmani AHMA, Reinhart D, Chang NB. Investigating removal mechanisms of long- and short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using specialty adsorbents in a field-scale surface water filtration system. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 474:134646. [PMID: 38838519 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
This study assessed the application of two specialty adsorbents, also known as green sorption media (GSM), including clay-perlite and sand sorption media (CPS) and zero-valent iron and perlite green environmental media (ZIPGEM) to remove long- and short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at field scale. The field-scale demonstration employed four GSM filter cells installed near the C-23 Canal (St. Lucie County, FL), which discharges water to the ecologically sensitive St. Lucie River estuary and to the Atlantic Ocean finally. Although prior lab-scale experiments had demonstrated the effectiveness of CPS and ZIPGEM in treating long-chain PFAS, their performance in field-scale application warranted further investigation. The study reveals the critical roles of divalent cations such as Ca2+ and monovalent cations such as ammonium and hydronium ions, as well as other water quality parameters, on PFAS removal efficacy. Ammonia, most likely resulting from photo- and bacterial ammonification, gives rise to elevated ammonium ion formation in the wet season due to the decrease in pH, which ultimately worsens PFAS adsorption. Moreover, there is a strong negative correlation between pH and PFAS removal efficiency in the presence of ammonia, as evidenced by the reduced removal of PFAS during events associated with low pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Touhidul Islam
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Jinxiang Cheng
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - A H M Anwar Sadmani
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Debra Reinhart
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Ni-Bin Chang
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
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2
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Li G, Cui Y, Yang X, Xin X, Yan H, Han D. Fabrication of molecularly imprinted carbon nanotubes integrating ionic liquids for efficient detection of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid in environmental water. Talanta 2024; 275:126017. [PMID: 38626499 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
It is extremely significant while challenging to accurately detect low-levels of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid compounds (PFCAs) in environmental water. Herein, adopting perfluorotetradecanoic acid as the dummy template, selective molecularly imprinted composites (CNTs@ILs@MIPs) grafted carbon nanotubes integrating hydrophilic ionic liquids were successfully prepared via surface imprinting and dummy-template imprinting techniques. The obtained CNTs@ILs@MIPs were applied as selective extraction adsorbent for specifically extract PFCAs in environmental water coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry quantification. Detailed studies were conducted on the main preparation parameters and extraction conditions. The CNTs@ILs@MIPs displayed excellent adsorptivity, and the established method exhibited low LODs (0.60-1.64 ng L-1), wide linearity with R2 above 0.9994, and satisfactory adsorption recoveries (80.5-112.5%) for seven PFCAs. This proposed method provides a new applicable approach for the detection of targeted pollutants in environmental water by utilizing the high affinity and recognition ability of molecularly imprinted carbon nanotube functional materials modified with ionic liquids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yahan Cui
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Xiaonan Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Xuelian Xin
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Hongyuan Yan
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China; State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
| | - Dandan Han
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, School of Life Sciences, College of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
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Abou-Khalil C, Chernysheva L, Miller A, Abarca-Perez A, Peaslee G, Herckes P, Westerhoff P, Doudrick K. Enhancing the Thermal Mineralization of Perfluorooctanesulfonate on Granular Activated Carbon Using Alkali and Alkaline-Earth Metal Additives. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:11162-11174. [PMID: 38857410 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Thermal treatment has emerged as a promising approach for either the end-of-life treatment or regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, its effectiveness has been limited by the requirement for high temperatures, the generation of products of incomplete destruction, and the necessity to scrub HF in the flue gas. This study investigates the use of common alkali and alkaline-earth metal additives to enhance the mineralization of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) adsorbed onto GAC. When treated at 800 °C without an additive, only 49% of PFOS was mineralized to HF. All additives tested demonstrated improved mineralization, and Ca(OH)2 had the best performance, achieving a mineralization efficiency of 98% in air or N2. Its ability to increase the reaction rate and shift the byproduct selectivity suggests that its role may be catalytic. Moreover, additives reduced HF in the flue gas by instead reacting with the additive to form inorganic fluorine (e.g., CaF2) in the starting waste material. A hypothesized reaction mechanism is proposed that involves the electron transfer from O2- defect sites of CaO to intermediates formed during the thermal decomposition of PFOS. These findings advocate for the use of additives in the thermal treatment of GAC for disposal or reuse, with the potential to reduce operating costs and mitigate the environmental impact associated with incinerating PFAS-laden wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Abou-Khalil
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Liliya Chernysheva
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Anthony Miller
- Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Angela Abarca-Perez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Graham Peaslee
- Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Pierre Herckes
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Paul Westerhoff
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Kyle Doudrick
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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4
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Dawas A, Rubin AE, Sand N, Ben Mordechay E, Chefetz B, Mordehay V, Cohen N, Radian A, Ilic N, Hubner U, Zucker I. Negligible adsorption and toxicity of microplastic fibers in disinfected secondary effluents. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124377. [PMID: 38897276 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in controlling the transport of pollutants to the environment and often discharge persistent contaminants such as synthetic microplastic fibers (MFs) to the ecosystem. In this study, we examined the fate and toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MFs fabricated from commercial cloth in post-disinfection secondary effluents by employing conditions that closely mimic disinfection processes applied in wastewater treatment plants. Challenging conventional assumptions, this study illustrated that oxidative treatment by chlorination and ozonation incurred no significant modification to the surface morphology of the MFs. Additionally, experimental results demonstrated that both pristine and oxidized MFs have minimal adsorption potential towards contaminants of emerging concern in both effluents and alkaline water. The limited adsorption was attributed to the inert nature of MFs and low surface area to volume ratio. Slight adsorption was observed for sotalol, sulfamethoxazole, and thiabendazole in alkaline water, where the governing adsorption interactions were suggested to be hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces. Acute exposure experiments on human cells revealed no immediate toxicity; however, the chronic and long-term consequences of the exposure should be further investigated. Overall, despite the concern associated with MFs pollution, this work demonstrates the overall indifference of MFs in WWTP (i.e., minor effects of disinfection on MFs surface properties and limited adsorption potential toward a mix of trace organic pollutants), which does not change their acute toxicity toward living forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar Dawas
- Porter School of Earth and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) - Volcani Institute, 85820, Israel
| | - Andrey Ethan Rubin
- Porter School of Earth and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Noa Sand
- Porter School of Earth and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Evyatar Ben Mordechay
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Benny Chefetz
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Vered Mordehay
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Nirit Cohen
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Adi Radian
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Nebojsa Ilic
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 3, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Uwe Hubner
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 3, Garching 85748, Germany; Xylem Services GmbH, Boschstr. 4-14, Herford 32051, Germany
| | - Ines Zucker
- Porter School of Earth and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
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5
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Behnami A, Pourakbar M, Ayyar ASR, Lee JW, Gagnon G, Zoroufchi Benis K. Treatment of aqueous per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances: A review of biochar adsorbent preparation methods. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 357:142088. [PMID: 38643842 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely used in everyday products, causing elevated concentrations in drinking water and posing a global challenge. While adsorption methods are commonly employed for PFAS removal, the substantial cost and environmental footprint of commercial adsorbents highlight the need for more cost-effective alternatives. Additionally, existing adsorbents exhibit limited effectiveness, particularly against diverse PFAS types, such as short-chain PFAS, necessitating modifications to enhance adsorption capacity. Biochar can be considered a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to conventional adsorbents. With abundant feedstocks and favorable physicochemical properties, biochar shows significant potential to be applied as an adsorbent for removing contaminants from water. Despite its effectiveness in adsorbing different inorganic and organic contaminants from water environments, some factors restrict its effective application for PFAS adsorption. These factors are related to the biochar properties, and characteristics of PFAS, as well as water chemistry. Therefore, some modifications have been introduced to overcome these limitations and improve biochar's adsorption capacity. This review explores the preparation conditions, including the pyrolysis process, activation, and modification techniques applied to biochar to enhance its adsorption capacity for different types of PFAS. It addresses critical questions about the adsorption performance of biochar and its composites, mechanisms governing PFAS adsorption, challenges, and future perspectives in this field. The surge in research on biochar for PFAS adsorption indicates a growing interest, making this timely review a valuable resource for future research and an in-depth exploration of biochar's potential in PFAS remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Behnami
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Pourakbar
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran; Health and Environment Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Ji-Woong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Nano-Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk CO2 Research Center, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Graham Gagnon
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil & Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Khaled Zoroufchi Benis
- Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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6
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Pham PC, Taylor M, Nguyen GTH, Beltran J, Bennett JL, Ho J, Donald WA. Binding of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances to β-Lactoglobulin from Bovine Milk. Chem Res Toxicol 2024; 37:757-770. [PMID: 38625865 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known for their high environmental persistence and potential toxicity. The presence of PFAS has been reported in many dairy products. However, the mechanisms underlying the accumulation of PFAS in these products remain unclear. Here, we used native mass spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulations to probe the interactions between 19 PFAS of environmental concern and two isoforms of the major bovine whey protein β-lactoglobulin (β-LG). We observed that six of these PFAS bound to both protein isoforms with low- to mid-micromolar dissociation constants. Based on quantitative, competitive binding experiments with endogenous ligands, PFAS can bind orthosterically and preferentially to β-LG's hydrophobic ligand-binding calyx. β-Cyclodextrin can also suppress binding of PFAS to β-LG owing to the ability of β-cyclodextrin to directly sequester PFAS from solution. This research sheds light on PFAS-β-LG binding, suggesting that such interactions could impact lipid-fatty acid transport in bovine mammary glands at high PFAS concentrations. Furthermore, our results highlight the potential use of β-cyclodextrin in mitigating PFAS binding, providing insights toward the development of strategies to reduce PFAS accumulation in dairy products and other biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Chi Pham
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mackenzie Taylor
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Giang T H Nguyen
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jeunesse Beltran
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jack L Bennett
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Junming Ho
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - William A Donald
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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7
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Nakazawa Y, Kosaka K, Asami M, Matsui Y. Maximum desorption of perfluoroalkyl substances adsorbed on granular activated carbon used in full-scale drinking water treatment plants. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121396. [PMID: 38479172 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Activated carbon adsorption is an effective method for removing perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. However, the observation that higher concentrations of PFAS are observed after treatment than before (i.e., desorption) is an important, unsolved issue. In this study, to elucidate PFAS desorption and its relationship with PFAS properties, we conducted solvent extraction and long-term desorption experiments using granular activated carbon (GAC) that had been loaded with PFAS in two actual drinking water treatment plants. The amount of PFAS extracted from GAC depended on the depth in the GAC filter; longer-chain and hydrophobic PFAS were present in relatively higher amounts in the shallow part compared to the deep part of the GAC filter, whereas shorter-chain and hydrophilic PFAS were present in relatively higher amounts in the deep part compared to the shallow part. This pattern was probably due to a chromatographic effect by which hydrophilic PFAS adsorbed once, subsequently desorbed, and migrated from the shallow part of the GAC filter to the deeper part. The desorption potential of PFAS to water (i.e., the maximum amount of PFAS desorbed to water per unit mass of GAC) was estimated by conducting long-term bottle-point desorption tests and analyzing the relationship between the equilibrium water-phase concentration of PFAS in a bottle containing GAC and the amount of PFAS desorbed to water per unit GAC mass. The desorption ratio (ratio of desorption potential to loading) was the highest for PFAS for which the logarithm of the octanol/water distribution coefficient (Log DOW) ranged from -1 to 1. The implication was that most of those PFAS removed by GAC were likely to return to the water as the external water-phase concentrations dropped. The decrease of the desorption ratio to 20 % as Log DOW increased suggested irreversible adsorption due to hydrophobic affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Nakazawa
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
| | - Koji Kosaka
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Mari Asami
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Matsui
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13W8, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
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8
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Zhang M, Wang W, Gong T, Wu Y, Chen G. Cutting-edge technologies and relevant reaction mechanism difference in treatment of long- and short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 354:141692. [PMID: 38490606 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants. Compared with short-chain PFAS, long-chain PFAS are more hazardous. Currently, little attention has been paid to the differences in reaction mechanisms between long-chain and short-chain PFAS. This pressing concern has prompted studies about eliminating PFAS and revealing the mechanism difference. The reaction rate and reaction mechanism of each technology was focused on, including (1) adsorption, (2) ion exchange (IX), (3) membrane filtration, (4) advanced oxidation, (5) biotransformation, (6) novel functional material, and (7) other technologies (e.g. ecological remediation, hydrothermal treatment (HT), mechanochemical (MC) technology, micro/nanobubbles enhanced technology, and integrated technologies). The greatest reaction rate k of photocatalysis for long- and short-chain PFAS high up to 63.0 h-1 and 19.7 h-1, respectively. However, adsorption, membrane filtration, and novel functional material remediation were found less suitable or need higher operation demand for treating short-chain PFAS. Ecological remediation is more suitable for treating natural waterbody for its environmentally friendly and fair reaction rate. The other technologies all showed good application potential for both short- and long-chain PFAS, and it was more excellent for long-chain PFAS. The long-chain PFAS can be cleavaged into short-chain PFAS by C-chain broken, -CF2 elimination, nucleophilic substitution of F-, and HF elimination. Furthermore, the application of each type of technology was novelly designed; and suggestions for the future development of PFAS remediation technologies were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Wenbing Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
| | - Tiantian Gong
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Yulin Wu
- Shanghai Geotechnical Investigations and Design Institute Engineering Consulting (Group) Co. Ltd., China
| | - Guangyao Chen
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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9
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Bui TH, Zuverza-Mena N, Dimkpa CO, Nason SL, Thomas S, White JC. PFAS remediation in soil: An evaluation of carbon-based materials for contaminant sequestration. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123335. [PMID: 38211874 PMCID: PMC10922530 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soils is a global concern as these emerging contaminants are highly resistant to degradation and cause adverse effects on human and environmental health at very low concentrations. Sequestering PFAS in soils using carbon-based materials is a low-cost and effective strategy to minimize pollutant bioavailability and exposure, and may offer potential long-term remediation of PFAS in the environment. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of current insights on sequestration of PFAS in soil using carbon-based sorbents. Hydrophobic effects originating from fluorinated carbon (C-F) backbone "tail" and electrostatic interactions deriving from functional groups on the molecules' "head" are the two driving forces governing PFAS sorption. Consequently, varying C-F chain lengths and polar functional groups significantly alter PFAS availability and leachability. Furthermore, matrix parameters such as soil organic matter, inorganic minerals, and pH significantly impact PFAS sequestration by sorbent amendments. Materials such as activated carbon, biochar, carbon nanotubes, and their composites are the primary C-based materials used for PFAS adsorption. Importantly, modifying the carbon structural and surface chemistry is essential for increasing the active sorption sites and for strengthening interactions with PFAS. This review evaluates current literature, identifies knowledge gaps in current remediation technologies and addresses future strategies on the sequestration of PFAS in contaminated soil using sustainable novel C-based sorbents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trung Huu Bui
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Nubia Zuverza-Mena
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Christian O Dimkpa
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sara L Nason
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sara Thomas
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Jason C White
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
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10
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Ma Q, Lei Q, Liu F, Song Z, Khusid B, Zhang W. Evaluation of commercial nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membrane filtration to remove per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Effects of transmembrane pressures and water matrices. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2024; 96:e10983. [PMID: 38291820 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are now widely found in aquatic ecosystems, including sources of drinking water and portable water, due to their increasing prevalence. Among different PFAS treatment or separation technologies, nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) both yield high rejection efficiencies (>95%) of diverse PFAS in water; however, both technologies are affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This study evaluated the rejection of PFAS of different carbon chain length (e.g., PFOA and PFBA) by two commercial RO and NF membranes under different operational conditions (e.g., applied pressure and initial PFAS concentration) and feed solution matrixes, such as pH (4-10), salinity (0- to 1000-mM NaCl), and organic matters (0-10 mM). We further performed principal component analysis (PCA) to demonstrate the interrelationships of molecular weight (213-499 g·mol-1 ), membrane characteristics (RO or NF), feed water matrices, and operational conditions on PFAS rejection. Our results confirmed that size exclusion is a primary mechanism of PFAS rejection by RO and NF, as well as the fact that electrostatic interactions are important when PFAS molecules have sizes less than the NF membrane pores. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Two commercial RO and NF membranes were both evaluated to remove 10 different PFAS. High transmembrane pressures facilitated permeate recovery and PFAS rejection by RO. Electrostatic repulsion and pore size exclusion are dominant rejection mechanisms for PFAS removal. pH, ionic strength, and organic matters affected PFAS rejection. Mechanisms of PFAS rejection with RO/NF membranes were explained by PCA analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingquan Ma
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Qian Lei
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Fangzhou Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zimu Song
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Boris Khusid
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
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11
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Hafner R, Wolfgramm N, Klein P, Urbassek HM. Adsorption of Diclofenac and PFBS on a Hair Keratin Dimer. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:45-55. [PMID: 38154791 PMCID: PMC10788924 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution by man-made toxic and persistent organic compounds, found throughout the world in surface and groundwater, has various negative effects on aquatic life systems and even humans. Therefore, it is important to develop and improve water treatment technologies capable of removing such substances from wastewater and purifying drinking water. The two substances investigated are the widely used painkiller diclofenac and a member of the class of "forever chemicals", perfluorobutanesulfonate. Both are known to have serious negative effects on living organisms, especially under long-term exposure, and are detectable in human hair, suggesting adsorption to a part of the hair fiber complex. In this study, a human hair keratin dimer is investigated for its ability to absorb diclofenac and perfluorobutanesulfonate. Initial predictions for binding sites are obtained via molecular docking and subjected to molecular dynamics simulations for more than 1 μs. The binding affinities obtained by the linear interaction energy method are high enough to motivate further research on human hair keratins as a sustainable, low-cost, and easily allocatable filtration material.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Hafner
- Physics
Department and Research Center OPTIMAS, University Kaiserslautern-Landau, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Fraunhofer
ITWM, Fraunhofer-Platz
1, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Nils Wolfgramm
- Fraunhofer
ITWM, Fraunhofer-Platz
1, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Peter Klein
- Fraunhofer
ITWM, Fraunhofer-Platz
1, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Herbert M. Urbassek
- Physics
Department and Research Center OPTIMAS, University Kaiserslautern-Landau, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
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12
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Haupert LM, Redding A, Gray JM, Civardi J, Datsov B, Sanan TT, Mills MA, Speth TF, Burkhardt JB. Impact of phosphate addition on PFAS treatment performance for drinking water. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2023; 5:10.1002/aws2.1361. [PMID: 38152622 PMCID: PMC10750846 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Adding new unit operations to drinking water treatment systems requires consideration of not only efficacy for its design purpose but also costs, water quality characteristics, impact on overall regulatory compliance, and impact of other treatment unit operations. Here, pilot study results for ion exchange (IX) and granular activated carbon (GAC) are presented for a utility with both per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile organic contaminant removal needs. Specifically, the impact of upstream air stripping and phosphate addition on PFAS treatment performance was evaluated. Modeling was used to fit the IX and GAC pilot data and predict performance under different scenarios. GAC performance was generally consistent for treating water before or after the air stripper, but the addition of phosphate prior to air-stripping resulted in a loss of 15%-25% capacity for some PFAS on IX media, demonstrating the need to consider the entire treatment train before implementing PFAS removal unit operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levi M. Haupert
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Adam Redding
- Calgon Carbon Corporation, Drinking Water Solutions, Moon Township, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Boris Datsov
- ORAU Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Toby T. Sanan
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Marc A. Mills
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Thomas F. Speth
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jonathan B. Burkhardt
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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13
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Biondo O, Tomei G, Saleem M, Sretenović GB, Magarotto M, Marotta E, Paradisi C. Products, reactive species and mechanisms of PFOA degradation in a self-pulsing discharge (SPD) plasma reactor. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:139972. [PMID: 37640214 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Non-thermal plasma is a promising tool for novel technologies to treat water contaminated by recalcitrant pollutants. We report here on products, reactive species and mechanisms of the efficient degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) achieved with a self-pulsing discharge developed previously in our lab. Air or argon were used as plasma feed gas, ultrapure or tap water as aqueous medium. Identified organic intermediate products arise from chain-shortening and defluorination reactions, the latter achieving not only C-F to C-H exchange (hydro-de-fluorination), as reported in the literature, but also C-F to C-OH exchange (hydroxy-de-fluorination). In contrast with chain-shortening, yielding lower homologues of PFOA via selective cleavage of the C-C bond at the carboxylate group, defluorination occurs at various sites of the alkyl chain giving mixtures of different isomeric products. Plasma generated reactive species were investigated under all experimental conditions tested, using specific chemical probes and optical emission spectroscopy. Cross-analysis of the results revealed a striking direct correlation of energy efficiency for PFOA degradation and for production of plasma electrons. In contrast, no correlation was observed for emission bands of either Ar+ or OH radical. These results indicate a prevalent role of plasma electrons in initiating PFOA degradation using self-pulsing discharge plasma above the liquid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Biondo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Tomei
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Mubbshir Saleem
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Goran B Sretenović
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Physics, PO Box 44, 11001, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mirko Magarotto
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Venezia 1, 35131, Padova, Italy; Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, via Gradenigo 6/b, 35135, Padova, Italy
| | - Ester Marotta
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy.
| | - Cristina Paradisi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
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14
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Nakazawa Y, Kosaka K, Yoshida N, Asami M, Matsui Y. Long-term removal of perfluoroalkyl substances via activated carbon process for general advanced treatment purposes. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120559. [PMID: 37713795 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Granular or powdered activated carbon (GAC/PAC) processes are installed in full-scale drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) to reduce disinfection byproduct precursors, odor, ammonia, and pesticides. This study investigated the ability of GAC/PAC processes in 23 DWTPs to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). In the GAC process, filter breakthrough of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) occurred faster as the PFCA chain length is decreased. During periods of high water temperatures (20-29 °C), the effluent concentration of two short-chain PFCAs (C4 and C5) surpassed that of the influent after the throughput reached 5,000-7,500 bed volumes (equivalent to 2-3 months) due to desorption. However, such desorption was not observed during periods of low water temperatures (5-19 °C). Meanwhile, long-chain PFCAs were consistently removed, as the GAC was replaced before breakthrough became noticeable. PFAS removal deteriorated at a remarkably fast rate after a partial breakthrough of several tens of percent. Biological activated carbon was proved ineffective in removing PFASs due to its diminished adsorption capacity after long-term use. The PAC process, however, exhibited a slight decrease in PFCA residual (10%) at higher water temperatures (15-30 °C). The PAC dose required for a certain residual ratio was lower with an increase in the hydrophobicity of PFAS; C8-PFCA only required 20 mg/L of PAC for 50% removal, while C4-PFCA required a significantly higher dose of 100-700 mg/L. Consequently, the activated carbon process, which removes organic contaminants in surface water, was inadequate in removing PFASs, particularly those with short chains. Thus, it is recommended that GAC filters be replaced more frequently (within two months) for short-chain PFAS removal. Further, the adsorption performance of PAC must be enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Nakazawa
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Koji Kosaka
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
| | - Nobue Yoshida
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Mari Asami
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Matsui
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13W8, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
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15
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Ellis AC, Boyer TH, Fang Y, Liu CJ, Strathmann TJ. Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis of anion exchange and granular activated carbon systems for remediation of groundwater contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120324. [PMID: 37451124 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Anion exchange resin (AER) and granular activated carbon (GAC) have emerged as prominent technologies for treatment of waters contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). This study compares the life cycle environmental impacts and life cycle costs of remediating PFAS-contaminated groundwater with these competing technologies, using field pilot data to inform model inputs. Comparative analysis indicates that AER systems employing single-use "PFAS-selective" resins have lower environmental impacts and costs than systems using regenerable resins or GAC adsorbents, supporting its use in future remediation efforts. Use of GAC operated as a single-use adsorbent led to the highest emissions as well as the highest treatment costs, with thermally-reactivated GAC proving to be less impactful than regenerable AER treatment. Sensitivity analyses highlighted the dominance of media usage rate (MUR), which is highly dependent on the selected PFAS treatment goals, to determine environmental impacts and costs over a 30-year system life cycle. Selection of very stringent changeout criteria (e.g., detection of any PFASs in effluent) significantly reduces the advantages of single-use resins. For regenerable AER, environmental impacts were dominated by management of the PFAS-contaminated brine/co-solvent waste stream used to regenerate the adsorbent, as well as the cosolvent content of the regenerant mixture and the cosolvent recovery efficiency achieved via on-site distillation. High impacts estimated for GAC adsorption, the result of high MUR relative to ion exchange media, can be significantly reduced if spent adsorbents are reused after thermal reactivation, but impacts are still greater than those predicted for single-use ion exchange systems. Findings are expected to hold across a range of diverse sites, including drinking water systems treating more dilute sources of PFAS contamination, as PFAS breakthrough was not found to be highly sensitive to sourcewater PFAS concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson C Ellis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States
| | - Treavor H Boyer
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe, AZ 85287, United States
| | - Yida Fang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States; CDM Smith, Bellevue, WA 98807, United Stats
| | - Charlie J Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States; Kennedy Jenks Consultants, San Francisco, CA 94118, United States
| | - Timothy J Strathmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States.
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16
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Lukić Bilela L, Matijošytė I, Krutkevičius J, Alexandrino DAM, Safarik I, Burlakovs J, Gaudêncio SP, Carvalho MF. Impact of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) on the marine environment: Raising awareness, challenges, legislation, and mitigation approaches under the One Health concept. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115309. [PMID: 37591052 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have long been known for their detrimental effects on the ecosystems and living organisms; however the long-term impact on the marine environment is still insufficiently recognized. Based on PFAS persistence and bioaccumulation in the complex marine food network, adverse effects will be exacerbated by global processes such as climate change and synergies with other pollutants, like microplastics. The range of fluorochemicals currently included in the PFAS umbrella has significantly expanded due to the updated OECD definition, raising new concerns about their poorly understood dynamics and negative effects on the ocean wildlife and human health. Mitigation challenges and approaches, including biodegradation and currently studied materials for PFAS environmental removal are proposed here, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and bridging research gaps. The PFAS EU regulations, good practices and legal frameworks are discussed, with emphasis on recommendations for improving marine ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lada Lukić Bilela
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| | - Inga Matijošytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Sauletekio ave. 7, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Jokūbas Krutkevičius
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Sauletekio ave. 7, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Diogo A M Alexandrino
- CIIMAR Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, P. Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ivo Safarik
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Biology Centre, ISBB, CAS, Na Sadkach 7, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Juris Burlakovs
- Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences, Józefa Wybickiego 7 A, 31-261 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Susana P Gaudêncio
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA Faculty for Sciences and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- CIIMAR Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
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17
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Mojiri A, Zhou JL, Ozaki N, KarimiDermani B, Razmi E, Kasmuri N. Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic environments and their removal by advanced oxidation processes. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 330:138666. [PMID: 37068615 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), one of the main categories of emerging contaminants, are a family of fluorinated organic compounds of anthropogenic origin. PFAS can endanger the environment and human health because of their wide application in industries, long-term persistence, unique properties, and bioaccumulation potential. This study sought to explain the accumulation of different PFAS in water bodies. In aquatic environments, PFAS concentrations range extensively from <0.03 (groundwater; Melbourne, Australia) to 51,000 ng/L (Groundwater, Sweden). Additionally, bioaccumulation of PFAS in fish and water biota has been stated to range from 0.2 (Burbot, Lake Vättern, Sweden) to 13,900 ng/g (Bluegill samples, U.S.). Recently, studies have focused on PFAS removal from aqueous solutions; one promising technique is advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including microwaves, ultrasound, ozonation, photocatalysis, UV, electrochemical oxidation, the Fenton process, and hydrogen peroxide-based and sulfate radical-based systems. The removal efficiency of PFAS ranges from 3% (for MW) to 100% for UV/sulfate radical as a hybrid reactor. Therefore, a hybrid reactor can be used to efficiently degrade and remove PFAS. Developing novel, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable AOPs for PFAS degradation in water treatment systems is a critical area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Mojiri
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, 739-8527, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - John L Zhou
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Noriatsu Ozaki
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, 739-8527, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Bahareh KarimiDermani
- Department of Geological Sciences, Hydrogeology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
| | - Elham Razmi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Norhafezah Kasmuri
- School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam, 40450, Selangor, Malaysia
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18
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Cardoso IMF, Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Nanomaterial-Based Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes for the Degradation of PFAS. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13101668. [PMID: 37242085 DOI: 10.3390/nano13101668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on a critical analysis of nanocatalysts for advanced reductive processes (ARPs) and oxidation processes (AOPs) designed for the degradation of poly/perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. Ozone, ultraviolet and photocatalyzed ARPs and/or AOPs are the basic treatment technologies. Besides the review of the nanomaterials with greater potential as catalysts for advanced processes of PFAS in water, the perspectives for their future development, considering sustainability, are discussed. Moreover, a brief analysis of the current state of the art of ARPs and AOPs for the treatment of PFAS in water is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês M F Cardoso
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C G Esteves da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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19
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Baldaguez Medina P, Ardila Contreras V, Hartmann F, Schmitt D, Klimek A, Elbert J, Gallei M, Su X. Investigating the Electrochemically Driven Capture and Release of Long-Chain PFAS by Redox Metallopolymer Sorbents. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:22112-22122. [PMID: 37114898 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c01670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The remediation of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is an urgent challenge due to their prevalence and persistence in the environment. Electrosorption is a promising approach for wastewater treatment and water purification, especially through the use of redox polymers to control the binding and release of target contaminants without additional external chemical inputs. However, the design of efficient redox electrosorbents for PFAS faces the significant challenge of balancing a high adsorption capacity while maintaining significant electrochemical regeneration. To overcome this challenge, we investigate redox-active metallopolymers as a versatile synthetic platform to enhance both electrochemical reversibility and electrosorption uptake capacity for PFAS removal. We selected and synthesized a series of metallopolymers bearing ferrocene and cobaltocenium units spanning a range of redox potentials to evaluate their performance for the capture and release of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Our results demonstrate that PFOA uptake and regeneration efficiency increased with more negative formal potential of the redox polymers, indicating possible structural correlations with the electron density of the metallocenes. Poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate hexafluorophosphate) (PMAECoPF6) showed the highest affinity toward PFOA, with an uptake capacity of more than 90 mg PFOA/g adsorbent at 0.0 V vs Ag/AgCl and a regeneration efficiency of more than 85% at -0.4 V vs Ag/AgCl. Kinetics of PFOA release showed that electrochemical bias greatly enhanced the regeneration efficiency when compared to open-circuit desorption. In addition, electrosorption of PFAS from different wastewater matrices and a range of salt concentrations demonstrated the capability of PFAS remediation in complex water sources, even at ppb levels of contaminants. Our work showcases the synthetic tunability of redox metallopolymers for enhanced electrosorption capacity and regeneration of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Baldaguez Medina
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Valentina Ardila Contreras
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Frank Hartmann
- Chair in Polymer Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus C4 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Deborah Schmitt
- Chair in Polymer Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus C4 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Angelique Klimek
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Johannes Elbert
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Markus Gallei
- Chair in Polymer Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus C4 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Saarene, Saarland Center for Energy Materials and Sustainability, Campus C4 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Xiao Su
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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20
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Modiri-Gharehveran M, Choi Y, Zenobio JE, Lee LS. Perfluoroalkyl acid transformation and mitigation by nNiFe-activated carbon nanocomposites in steady-state flow column studies. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 127:678-687. [PMID: 36522096 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing contamination of groundwater with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has resulted in a global and rapidly growing interest in PFAS groundwater remediation. Preferred technologies that lead to PFAS destruction are often limited by not addressing all PFAS, being energy-intensive or not being suited for in-situ application. We developed nNiFe-activated carbon (AC) nanocomposites and demonstrated varying degrees of PFAS reduction and fluoride generation with these nanocomposites in batch reactors for several PFAS. Here we explore nNiFe-AC's effectiveness to transform perfluoroalkyl acid acids (PFAAs) under steady-state flow (0.0044 to 0.15 mL/min) in nNiFe-AC:sand packed columns. Column experiments included, two perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in deionized water and two PFAA mixtures in deionized water or bicarbonate buffer containing five perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs, C5-C9) and three perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs, C4, C6 and C8) at temperatures of 50 or 60°C were evaluated. PFOS transformation was similar in PFOS-only and PFAA mixture column experiments. Overall, % PFAA transformation under flow conditions exceeded what we observed previously in batch reactors with up to 53% transformation of a PFAA mixture with ∼ 8% defluorination. Longer chain PFAS dominated the PFAAs transformed and a bicarbonate matrix appeared to reduce overall transformation. PFAA breakthrough was slower than predicted from only sorption due to transformation; some longer chain PFAS like PFOS did not breakthrough. Here, nNiFe-AC technology with both in-situ and ex-situ potential application was shown to be a plausible part of a treatment train needed to address the ongoing challenge for cleaning up PFAS-contaminated waters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Younjeong Choi
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jenny E Zenobio
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences & Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Linda S Lee
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences & Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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21
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Zango ZU, Khoo KS, Garba A, Kadir HA, Usman F, Zango MU, Da Oh W, Lim JW. A review on superior advanced oxidation and photocatalytic degradation techniques for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) elimination from wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 221:115326. [PMID: 36690243 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been identified as the most toxic specie of the family of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs). It has been widely distributed and frequently detected in environmental wastewater. The compound's unique features such as inherent stability, rigidity, and resistance to harsh chemical and thermal conditions, due to its multiple and strong C-F bonds have resulted in its resistance to conventional wastewater remediations. Photolysis and bioremediation methods have been proven to be inefficient in their elimination, hence this article presents intensive literature studies and summarized findings reported on the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and photocatalytic degradation techniques as the best alternatives for the PFOA elimination from wastewater. Techniques of persulfate, photo-Fenton, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic degradation have been explored and their mechanisms for the degradation and defluorination of the PFOA have been demonstrated. The major advantage of AOPs techniques has been centralized on the generation of active radicals such as sulfate (SO4•-) hydroxyl (•OH). While for the photocatalytic process, photogenerated species (electron (e) and holes (h + vb)) initiated the process. These active radicals and photogenerated species possessed potentiality to attack the PFOA molecule and caused the cleavage of the C-C and C-F bonds, resulting in its efficient degradation. Shorter-chain PFCAs have been identified as the major intermediates detected and the final stage entails its complete mineralization to carbon dioxide (CO2) and fluoride ion (F-). The prospects and challenges associated with the outlined techniques have been highlighted for better understanding of the subject matter for the PFOA elimination from real wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakariyya Uba Zango
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Applied Science, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria; Institute of Semi-Arid Zone Studies, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria.
| | - Kuan Shiong Khoo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Abdurrahman Garba
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Applied Science, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria
| | - Haliru Aivada Kadir
- Department of Quality Assurance and Control, Dangote Cement Plc, Kogi, Nigeria
| | - Fahad Usman
- Institute of Semi-Arid Zone Studies, Al-Qalam University Katsina, 2137, Katsina, Nigeria
| | - Muttaqa Uba Zango
- Department of Civil Engineering, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, P.M.B. 3244, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Wen Da Oh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Jun Wei Lim
- HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
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22
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Sivagami K, Sharma P, Karim AV, Mohanakrishna G, Karthika S, Divyapriya G, Saravanathamizhan R, Kumar AN. Electrochemical-based approaches for the treatment of forever chemicals: Removal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160440. [PMID: 36436638 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical based approaches for the treatment of recalcitrant water borne pollutants are known to exhibit superior function in terms of efficiency and rate of treatment. Considering the stability of Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are designated as forever chemicals, which generating from various industrial activities. PFAS are contaminating the environment in small concentrations, yet exhibit severe environmental and health impacts. Electro-oxidation (EO) is a recent development that treats PFAS, in which different reactive species generates at anode due to oxidative reaction and reductive reactions at the cathode. Compared to water and wastewater treatment methods those being implemented, electrochemical approaches demonstrate superior function against PFAS. EO completely mineralizes (almost 100 %) non-biodegradable organic matter and eliminate some of the inorganic species, which proven as a robust and versatile technology. Electrode materials, electrolyte concentration pH and the current density applying for electrochemical processes determine the treatment efficiency. EO along with electrocoagulation (EC) treats PFAS along with other pollutants from variety of industries showed highest degradation of 7.69 mmol/g of PFAS. Integrated approach with other processes was found to exhibit improved efficiency in treating PFAS using several electrodes boron-doped diamond (BDD), zinc, titanium and lead based with efficiency the range of 64 to 97 %.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sivagami
- Industrial Ecology Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.
| | - Pranshu Sharma
- Industrial Ecology Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Ansaf V Karim
- Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, India
| | - Gunda Mohanakrishna
- School of Advanced Sciences, KLE Technological University, Hubli 580031, India.
| | - S Karthika
- Industrial Ecology Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - G Divyapriya
- Swiss Government Excellence Postdoctoral Scholar, Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (MSRL), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Switzerland
| | - R Saravanathamizhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, A.C. College of Technology, Anna University, India
| | - A Naresh Kumar
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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23
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Nouacer S, Djellabi R. Easy-handling semi-floating TiO 2-based aerogel for solar photocatalytic water depollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:22388-22395. [PMID: 36287366 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23772-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
One of the capital issues of photocatalytic technology is how to use photocatalytic materials in real world conditions. Suspension photocatalysts are the most effective, while the handling and recovery of nanoparticles are very challenging and costly. Herein, we report the design of semi-floating aerogel TiO2-based photocatalyst for the oxidation of dyes and photoreduction of Cr(VI). TiO2 aerogel-based photocatalyst was fabricated through in situ polymerization using borax, poly(vinyl alcohol) and polyvinylidene in the presence of H2O2 as a catalyst. Cubic TiO2 aerogel of few centimetres was designed for the photocatalytic tests under solar light irradiation. TiO2 aerogel showed a good photoactivity against the oxidation of three types of dyes and Cr(VI) photoreduction. In terms of dyes, the kinetics of methylene blue oxidation was the fastest as compared to rhodamine B and methyl red, while, a total reduction of Cr(VI) at 10 ppm was obtained within 30 min after the addition of tartaric acid as hole scavenger. TiO2 aerogel can be easily recovered, washed and recycled. TiO2 aerogel can move freely from the top to the deep solution. The semi-floating property could be an advantage to enhance the mass transfer along with bulk solution, as compared to totally floating-based photocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Nouacer
- Laboratory of Water Treatment and Valorization of Industrial Wastes, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Badji-Mokhtar University, BP12 2300, Annaba, Algeria
- École Nationale Supérieure Des Mines Et MétallurgieENSMM, Ex CEFOS Chaiba, BP 233 RP Annaba, W129, Sidi Amar, Algeria
| | - Ridha Djellabi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 43007, Tarragona, Spain.
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Meegoda JN, Bezerra de Souza B, Casarini MM, Kewalramani JA. A Review of PFAS Destruction Technologies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192416397. [PMID: 36554276 PMCID: PMC9778349 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a family of highly toxic emerging contaminants that have caught the attention of both the public and private sectors due to their adverse health impacts on society. The scientific community has been laboriously working on two fronts: (1) adapting already existing and effective technologies in destroying organic contaminants for PFAS remediation and (2) developing new technologies to remediate PFAS. A common characteristic in both areas is the separation/removal of PFASs from other contaminants or media, followed by destruction. The widely adopted separation technologies can remove PFASs from being in contact with humans; however, they remain in the environment and continue to pose health risks. On the other hand, the destructive technologies discussed here can effectively destroy PFAS compounds and fully address society's urgent need to remediate this harmful family of chemical compounds. This review reports and compare widely accepted as well as emerging PFAS destruction technologies. Some of the technologies presented in this review are still under development at the lab scale, while others have already been tested in the field.
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25
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Liu C, Zhao X, Faria AF, Deliz Quiñones KY, Zhang C, He Q, Ma J, Shen Y, Zhi Y. Evaluating the efficiency of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membrane processes for the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from water: A critical review. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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