Decomposition of Carboxylic PFAS by Persulfate Activated by Silver under Ambient Conditions
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 10
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely used in many commercial and military products, have been notorious due to their environmental persistence. Even radical-based advanced oxidation technologies have been reported to be less effective for decomposition of PFAS, particularly perfluoroalkyl ones, while commonly requiring energy-intensive extreme conditions and tools such as ultraviolet, ultrasound, microwave, electron beam, and high temperatures. Herein, for the first time, the potential of a modified Fenton system, i.e., homogeneous persulfate (PS) conjugated with silver (), to decompose PFAS under ambient conditions is communicated. Among many combinations of common oxidants and transition metals tested, only the PS/Ag pair showed significant reactivity at 20°C exclusively toward carboxylic PFAS including perfluorooctanoic acid, resulting in evolution of fluoride ion release and reaction by-product formation. Although sulfonic PFAS still remain challenging, and follow-up assignments are raised to investigate in-depth mechanisms and examine other oxidant and metal pairs, this study offers one step closer to establishing an energy-independent and more practical treatment system for PFAS.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Department of Defense through the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (ER18-1482) and the University of Texas at Arlington through the Interdisciplinary Research Program.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 10 • October 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 3, 2020
Accepted: Jun 16, 2020
Published online: Aug 11, 2020
Published in print: Oct 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jan 11, 2021
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