Removal of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate from Wastewater by Ion Exchange
Publication: Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management
Volume 11, Issue 1
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that fully fluorinated surfactant molecules have a tendency to accumulate in biological tissues. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency has sought to reduce the usage of these chemicals and limit their discharge into the environment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is used in the manufacture of fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers and is present as a component of some top-antireflective coating (TARC) materials. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a component of some TARCs and photoacid generators used by the semiconductor industry in its fabrication processes. The purpose of this study is to determine effective and economically feasible methods to treat PFOA/PFOS contaminated process wastewater. A treatment screening study was performed investigating activated carbon adsorption, adsorption onto calcium fluoride solids, evaporation, ion exchange, and liquid-liquid extraction. Ion exchange was determined to be the best technology for treatment of PFOA/PFOS wastewater. Batch equilibrium isotherm experiments and a continuous-flow column study were performed to determine a feasible design. In addition, a model based upon equilibrium multicomponent chromatography theory was employed for prediction of column breakthrough curves.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). The contents of this report do not necessarily represent the policies or intentions of AMD.
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Published In
Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management
Volume 11 • Issue 1 • January 2007
Pages: 60 - 68
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: May 21, 2004
Accepted: Mar 28, 2006
Published online: Jan 1, 2007
Published in print: Jan 2007
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