Removal of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate from Wastewater by Ion Exchange

Congener specific organic carbon normalized soil and sediment-water partitioning coefficients for the C1 through C8 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids

“…for n-PFOS, [82] more than 2.3 log 10 units above the calculated value (-1.08; based on solubilities in octanol and water) for the potassium salt given by other studies [6,102] and 2 to 3 log 10 units below the K ow,SPARC (4.7), D octanol,SPARC (3.4), and P ALOGPS (4.2) estimates. The experimental details behind this preliminary K ow report are lacking, so it is difficult to assess whether it could potentially be a significant underestimate due to the extraction and analysis difficulties known for PFSA determinations, as well as from failing to account for sorption losses and the possible presence of a significant interfacial layer.…”

“…Laboratory scale sorption of the straight chain C 4 and C 8 PFSAs and C 7 PFCA onto activated carbon (granular (GAC) and particulate (PAC)), zeolite, ion exchange resins, and wastewater sludge has been reported. [7,[82][83][84] Increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length and a sulfonic acid head group (versus a carboxylate moiety) increased the sorption onto GAC. [83] For n-PFOS, the relative order of sorption effectiveness was GAC > zeolite > sludge, and increasing silica content was noted as improving sorption to zeolites.…”

“…n-PFOS was preferentially sorbed onto GAC and PAC in one study, whereas an amberlite anion exchange resin was found to be superior to GAC and PAC for removing n-PFOA from solution. [84] Recent work by Lampert et al found that there were significant differences in removal efficiencies for n-PFOA and n-PFOS depending on the anion exchange resin type, but that a quaternary amine acrylic polymer resin could effectively remove both analytes, [82] which is perhaps expected for PFAs given how this cationic amine resin may be able to effectively mimic a proteinophilic sorption surface. Interestingly, Lampert et al have also indirectly provided clear support for a n-PFOA pK a of between 3 and 4 during their evaporation treatment studies on this compound.…”

“…[20,[54][55][56]70] PFAs, like their hydrocarbon fatty acid analogs, [92,93] also sorb to inorganic surfaces such as sands, clays, iron oxides, calcium fluoride, and surface modified silicas. [82,94,95] but organic matter sorption is thought to be dominant in most environmental systems and offer the most promising for treatment methods.…”

Treatment technologies for aqueous perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA)

“…A number of fluorochemical, specifically PFOS and PFOA, treatment technologies have been evaluated in the literature. Granular activated carbon has been shown to be effective in removing PFOA and PFOS at ppb levels from relatively clean water (i.e., post-WWTP) [6,80] and is utilized today. The spent activated carbon is incinerated [81] to destroy the adsorbed fluorosurfactants.…”