This is the first report on the environmental occurrence of a chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (locally called F-53B, C8ClF16O4SK). It has been widely applied as a mist suppressant by the chrome plating industry in China for decades but has evaded the attention of environmental research and regulation. In this study, F-53B was found in high concentrations (43-78 and 65-112 μg/L for the effluent and influent, respectively) in wastewater from the chrome plating industry in the city of Wenzhou, China. F-53B was not successfully removed by the wastewater treatments in place. Consequently, it was detected in surface water that receives the treated wastewater at similar levels to PFOS (ca. 10-50 ng/L) and the concentration decreased with the increasing distance from the wastewater discharge point along the river. Initial data presented here suggest that F-53B is moderately toxic (Zebrafish LC50-96 h 15.5 mg/L) and is as resistant to degradation as PFOS. While current usage is limited to the chrome plating industry, the increasing demand for PFOS alternatives in other sectors may result in expanded usage. Collectively, the results of this work call for future assessments on the effects of this overlooked contaminant and its presence and fate in the environment.

Electrochemical systems are an attractive option for onsite latrine wastewater treatment due to their high efficiency and small footprint. While concerns remain over formation of toxic byproducts during treatment, rigorous studies examining byproduct formation are lacking. Experiments treating authentic latrine wastewater over variable treatment times, current densities, chloride concentrations, and anode materials were conducted to characterize byproducts and identify conditions that minimize their formation. Production of inorganic byproducts (chlorate and perchlorate) and indicator organic byproducts (haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes) during electrolysis dramatically exceeded recommendations for drinking water after one treatment cycle (∼10–30 000 times), raising concerns for contamination of downstream water supplies. Stopping the reaction after ammonium was removed (i.e., the chlorination breakpoint) was a promising method to minimize byproduct formation without compromising disinfection and nutrient removal. Though treatment was accelerated at increased chloride concentrations and current densities, byproduct concentrations remained similar near the breakpoint. On TiO2/IrO2 anodes, haloacetic acids (up to ∼50 μM) and chlorate (up to ∼2 μM) were of most concern. Although boron-doped diamond anodes mineralized haloacetic acids after formation, high production rates of chlorate and perchlorate (up to ∼4 and 25 μM) made them inferior to TiO2/IrO2 anodes in terms of toxic byproduct formation. Organic byproduct formation was similar during chemical chlorination and electrolysis of wastewater, suggesting that organic byproducts are formed by similar pathways in both cases (i.e., reactions with chloramines and free chlorine).

Efficient, inexpensive, and stable electrode materials are key components of commercially viable electrochemical wastewater treatment system. In this study, blue-black TiO2 nanotube array (BNTA) electrodes are prepared by electrochemical self-doping. The 1-D structure, donor state density, and Fermi energy level position are critical for maintaining the semimetallic functionality of the BNTA. The structural strength of the BNTA is enhanced by surface crack minimization, reinforcement of the BNTA-Ti metal interface, and stabilized by a protective overcoating with nanoparticulate TiO2 (Ti/EBNTA). Ti/EBNTA electrodes are employed as both anodes and cathodes with polarity switching at a set frequency. Oxidants are generated at the anode, while the doping levels are regenerated along with byproduct reduction at the cathode. The estimated maximum electrode lifetime is 16 895 h. Ti/EBNTA has comparable hydroxyl radical production activity (6.6 × 10–14 M) with boron-doped diamond (BDD, 7.4 × 10–14 M) electrodes. The chlorine production rate follows a trend with respective to electrode type of Ti/EBNTA > BDD > IrO2. Ti/EBNTA electrodes operated in a bipolar mode have a minimum energy consumption of 62 kWh/kg COD, reduced foam formation due to less gas bubble production, minimum scale formation, and lower chlorate production levels (6 mM vs 18 mM for BDD) during electrolytic wastewater treatment.

This 18-page file contains ten figures, two tables and one text.