Concept Development of Chemical Treatment Strategy for PFOS-Contaminated Water

Some chemical groups, known as persistent organic chemicals (POCs), are strongly resistant to biological and chemical decomposition. This project gives special attention to the most stable chemical group, perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs, also more widely per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]). The primary goal of this research was to develop a practical, high-efficiency, chemical treatment strategy for the most challenging chemical, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in water. In order to expedite the removal of PFOS, the researchers investigated advanced oxidation integrated with chemical reduction (AIR as a novel treatment strategy), hypothesizing that the AIR strategy has high potential to effectively remove PFOS via various chemical routes combining hydroxyl radical-oxidation, sulfate radical-oxidation, superoxide radical anion-reduction, and electrochemical defluorination. The strategy developed for high reaction efficiency and treatment flexibility will enable water utilities to deal with POC-contaminated water more efficiently within limited operating budgets. Published in 2020.

Originally funded as WERF project U2R16.