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Thijs M, Laletas E, Quinn CM, Raguraman SV, Carr B, Bierganns P. Total and Class-Specific Determination of Fluorinated Compounds in Consumer and Food Packaging Samples Using Fluorine-19 Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Anal Chem 2024; 96:8282-8290. [PMID: 38717341 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04404] [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: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Hamburger wrapping paper, coated with water-based barrier coatings, used in the food packaging industry was studied by using the total organic fluorine (TOF) method based on combustion ion chromatography and fluorine-19 solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (19F ss-NMR) spectroscopy. Although the TOF method is a fast and affordable method used to screen for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the amount of fluorine it measures is heavily dependent on the extraction step and, therefore could lead to inaccurate results. Fluorine-19 ss-NMR spectroscopy can differentiate between organic and inorganic fluorinated sources, eliminating the need for sample clean up. To illustrate this, the 19F ss-NMR spectra of clean coated paper samples that contained naturally occurring F- ions from the talc raw material and spiked samples containing perfluorooctanoic acid were compared. A range of experimental conditions was explored to improve sensitivity for low PFAS concentrations (in the order of 10-20 mg/kg). Despite the disadvantages of ss-NMR spectroscopy, such as the low limit of detection and resolution, the results demonstrate it can be a viable tool to directly detect PFAS moieties in consumer and food packaging. Therefore, 19F solid-state NMR spectroscopy challenges and complements current methods, which only provide indirect evidence of the presence of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Thijs
- Solenis Belgium BVBA, Global Technology, Nijverheidsstraat 98, 2160 Wommelgem, Belgium
| | - Ernest Laletas
- Solenis LLC, Global Technology, 500 Hercules Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, United States
| | - Caitlin M Quinn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, 032 Brown Lab, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Subbu V Raguraman
- Solenis Technologies Germany GmbH, Global Technology, Krefelderstrasse 560, 41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany
| | - Bryan Carr
- Solenis LLC, Global Technology, 500 Hercules Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, United States
| | - Patric Bierganns
- Solenis Technologies Germany GmbH, Global Technology, Krefelderstrasse 560, 41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany
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2
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Wu C, Goodrow S, Chen H, Li M. Distinctive biotransformation and biodefluorination of 6:2 versus 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acids by municipal activated sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121431. [PMID: 38471201 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121431] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCAs) represent an important group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) given their high toxicity, bioaccumulation potential, and frequent detection in landfill leachates and PFAS-impacted sites. In this study, we assessed the biodegradability of 6:2 FTCA and 5:3 FTCA by activated sludges from four municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the New York Metropolitan area. Coupling with 6:2 FTCA removal, significant fluoride release (0.56∼1.83 F-/molecule) was evident in sludge treatments during 7 days of incubation. Less-fluorinated transformation products (TPs) were formed, including 6:2 fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylic acid (6:2 FTUCA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). In contrast, little fluoride (0.01∼0.09 F-/molecule) was detected in 5:3 FTCA-dosed microcosms, though 25∼68% of initially dosed 5:3 FTCA was biologically removed. This implies the dominance of "non-fluoride-releasing pathways" that may contribute to the formation of CoA adducts or other conjugates over 5:3 FTCA biotransformation. The discovery of defluorinated 5:3 FTUCA revealed the possibility of microbial attacks of the C-F bond at the γ carbon to initiate the transformation. Microbial community analysis revealed the possible involvement of 9 genera, such as Hyphomicrobium and Dechloromonas, in aerobic FTCA biotransformation. This study unraveled that biotransformation pathways of 6:2 and 5:3 FTCAs can be divergent, resulting in biodefluorination at distinctive degrees. Further research is underscored to uncover the nontarget TPs and investigate the involved biotransformation and biodefluorination mechanisms and molecular basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Sandra Goodrow
- Division of Science and Research, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ, United States
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Mengyan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, United States.
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3
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Marsh RW, Kewalramani JA, Bezerra de Souza B, Meegoda JN. The use of a fluorine mass balance to demonstrate the mineralization of PFAS by high frequency and high power ultrasound. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141270. [PMID: 38280651 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141270] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
High-frequency ultrasound (sonolysis) has been shown as a practical approach for mineralizing PFAS in highly concentrated PFAS waste. However, a fluorine mass balance approach showing complete mineralization for ultrasound treatment has not been elucidated. The impact of ultrasonic power density (W/L) and the presence of co-occurring PFAS on the degradation of individual PFAS are not well understood. In this research, the performance of a 10L sonochemical reactor was assessed for treating synthetic high-concentration PFAS waste with carboxylic and sulfonic perfluoroalkyl surfactants ranging in chain length from four to eight carbons at three different initial concentrations: 6, 55, 183 μM. The mass balance for fluorine was performed using three analytical techniques: triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, a fluoride ion selective electrode, and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance. The test results showed near complete mineralization of PFAS in the waste without the formation of intermediate fluorinated by-products. The PFAS mineralization efficiency of the sonolysis treatment at two different power densities for similar initial concentrations were almost identical; the G value at 145 W/L was 9.7*10-3 g/kWh, whereas the G value at 90 W/L was 9.3*10-3 g/kWh. The results of this study highlight the implications for the scalability of the sonolytic process to treat high-concentration PFAS waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Marsh
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Jitendra A Kewalramani
- Tetra Tech Inc., King of Prussia, PA, USA; Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Bruno Bezerra de Souza
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Jay N Meegoda
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
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4
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Smith SJ, Lauria M, Higgins CP, Pennell KD, Blotevogel J, Arp HPH. The Need to Include a Fluorine Mass Balance in the Development of Effective Technologies for PFAS Destruction. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2587-2590. [PMID: 38314573 PMCID: PMC10867837 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sanne J. Smith
- Department
of Water Management, Delft University of
Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mélanie Lauria
- Department
of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christopher P. Higgins
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Kurt D. Pennell
- School
of Engineering, Brown University, 184 Hope Street, Box D, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States
| | - Jens Blotevogel
- Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Environment, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Hans Peter H. Arp
- Norwegian
Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, NO-0806 Oslo, Norway
- Department
of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science
and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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5
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Comito R, Porru E, Violante FS. Analytical methods employed in the identification and quantification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in human matrices - A scoping review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 345:140433. [PMID: 37832886 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140433] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) represent a possible hazard for the ecosystems, with adverse outcomes on wildlife and humans. POPs have always received interest from the scientific community, and they have also been subject to legal restrictions worldwide on their application and commercialization. Among the broad spectrum of POPs, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are considered emerging contaminants due to their potential effect on the ecosystem and human health. These contaminants are widely employed in countless applications, from surfactants and building materials to food packaging. On the other hand, their chemical structure gives them the ability to interact with the environment, causing possible toxic effects for humans and environment. Human biomonitoring is a necessary instrument to indagate the impact of PFASs on human health: in recent years several studies have found detectable levels of PFASs in several biological matrices in humans (blood, hair, nails, and urine). Here, we review the most recent scientific literature concerning analytical methods employed in the identification and quantification of PFASs focusing on biological matrices. It has been noted that liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is the main analytical instrumentation employed, while blood and/or serum samples are the main employed human matrices whereas the use of non-invasive matrices is still at the beginning. Various issues directly related to human metabolism of PFASs and the effective amount of PFAS absorbed from the environment still need to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossana Comito
- Occupational Medicine Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy
| | - Emanuele Porru
- Occupational Medicine Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy
| | - Francesco Saverio Violante
- Occupational Medicine Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy; Division of Occupational Medicine, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy.
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6
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Lewis R, Huang CH, White JC, Haynes CL. Using 19F NMR to Investigate Cationic Carbon Dot Association with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). ACS NANOSCIENCE AU 2023; 3:408-417. [PMID: 37868224 PMCID: PMC10588439 DOI: 10.1021/acsnanoscienceau.3c00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
There is much concern about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on their environmental persistence and toxicity, resulting in an urgent need for remediation technologies. This study focused on determining if nanoscale polymeric carbon dots are a viable sorbent material for PFAS and developing fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F NMR) methods to probe interactions between carbon dots and PFAS at the molecular scale. Positively charged carbon dots (PEI-CDs) were synthesized using branched polyethyleneimine to target anionic PFAS by promoting electrostatic interactions. PEI-CDs were exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to assess their potential as a PFAS sorbent material. After exposure to PFOA, the average size of the PEI-CDs increased (1.6 ± 0.5 to 7.8 ± 1.8 nm) and the surface charge decreased (+38.6 ± 1.1 to +26.4 ± 0.8 mV), both of which are consistent with contaminant sorption. 19F NMR methods were developed to gain further insight into PEI-CD affinity toward PFAS without any complex sample preparation. Changes in PFOA peak intensity and chemical shift were monitored at various PEI-CD concentrations to establish binding curves and determine the chemical exchange regime. 19F NMR spectral analysis indicates slow-intermediate chemical exchange between PFOA and CDs, demonstrating a high-affinity interaction. The α-fluorine had the greatest change in chemical shift and highest affinity, suggesting electrostatic interactions are the dominant sorption mechanism. PEI-CDs demonstrated affinity for a wide range of analytes when exposed to a mixture of 24-PFAS, with a slight preference toward perfluoroalkyl sulfonates. Overall, this study shows that PEI-CDs are an effective PFAS sorbent material and establishes 19F NMR as a suitable method to screen for novel sorbent materials and elucidate interaction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley
E. Lewis
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota-Twin
Cities, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Cheng-Hsin Huang
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota-Twin
Cities, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jason C. White
- The
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Christy L. Haynes
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota-Twin
Cities, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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Wilsey MK, Taseska T, Meng Z, Yu W, Müller AM. Advanced electrocatalytic redox processes for environmental remediation of halogenated organic water pollutants. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:11895-11922. [PMID: 37740361 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03176d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated organic compounds are widespread, and decades of heavy use have resulted in global bioaccumulation and contamination of the environment, including water sources. Here, we introduce the most common halogenated organic water pollutants, their classification by type of halogen (fluorine, chlorine, or bromine), important policies and regulations, main applications, and environmental and human health risks. Remediation techniques are outlined with particular emphasis on carbon-halogen bond strengths. Aqueous advanced redox processes are discussed, highlighting mechanistic details, including electrochemical oxidations and reductions of the water-oxygen system, and thermodynamic potentials, protonation states, and lifetimes of radicals and reactive oxygen species in aqueous electrolytes at different pH conditions. The state of the art of aqueous advanced redox processes for brominated, chlorinated, and fluorinated organic compounds is presented, along with reported mechanisms for aqueous destruction of select PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Future research directions for aqueous electrocatalytic destruction of organohalogens are identified, emphasizing the crucial need for developing a quantitative mechanistic understanding of degradation pathways, the improvement of analytical detection methods for organohalogens and transient species during advanced redox processes, and the development of new catalysts and processes that are globally scalable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine K Wilsey
- Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA.
| | - Teona Taseska
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
| | - Ziyi Meng
- Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA.
| | - Wanqing Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
| | - Astrid M Müller
- Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
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