UV/Sulfite reduction kinetics of perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Yu Chi Lee, Yuan Han Liu, Jo Chen Lin, Ching Yao Hu, Jeff Kuo, Yi Chuan Lin, Shang Lien Lo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Reduction of persistent perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) by UV-activated sulfite (SF) has been recognized as one of the most effective advanced reduction processes (ARPs). With the UV/SF ARP, PFBS degradation reached 66.6 % at 25 °C after 6 h, while PFOS and PFOA were completely degraded within 80 and 20 mins, respectively. PFOA has the largest defluorination efficiency of 77.5 %, greater than 57.8 % for PFOS and 42.7 % for PFBS after 6 h. With the UV/SF system operated at 15, 25, 35 and 45 °C, activation energy (Ea) of PFBS defluorination was determined to be 360.8 kJ/mol, larger than those of PFOS and PFOA (319.4 and 67.3 kJ/mol, respectively), which implies that PFBS is more persistent and difficult to be degraded in the natural environment. Based on the consumption of SF, secondary-order kinetics models were developed to describe the degradation and defluorination of PFBS, PFOS, and PFOA at various reaction times. Concentrations of various intermediate species were determined by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/QTOF-MS) during the PFBS degradation to investigate the reaction pathways in the UV/SF ARP. The proposed reaction mechanisms for PFBS degradation include desulfonation, H/F exchange, and chain shortening via direct C − C bond cleavage.

Original languageEnglish
Article number127505
JournalSeparation and Purification Technology
Volume347
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 11 2024

Keywords

  • And kinetics
  • Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid
  • Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
  • Reduction
  • Sulfite

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Filtration and Separation

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