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Perfluorooctane sulfonate decomposition by a high photon flux UV/SO32−/N2 system: kinetics and influence factors

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Abstract

Hydrated electron (eaq−) induced reduction processes are promising for reductive decomposition of recalcitrant organic pollutants, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In this work, effective defluorination of PFOS by eaq− was conducted in sulfite solution under UV irradiation. Results show that the defluorination efficiency of PFOS followed the order of UV/SO32−/N2 > UV/SO32−/air > UV/SO32−/O2 > UV/N2 > SO32−/N2, which agreed well with the trend of eaq− generation measured by using resazurin as a fluorogenic probe. Under the conditions of pH 9.0, 20 μM PFOS, 10 mM SO32−, 25 °C, and 150 min of reaction time, the decomposition and defluorination efficiencies of PFOS were 98.6 and 45.3%, respectively. The defluorination of PFOS was enhanced by increasing sulfite concentration (5–40 mM), reaction temperature (20–40 °C), or solution pH (pH 7.0–11.0). PFOS defluorination followed the parallel exponential kinetics model, wherein the fast and slow exponential processes were assigned to the decomposition of branched and linear PFOS, respectively. Accompanying PFOS reduction, short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids were detected and identified. This suggests that eaq−-induced decomposition pathway of PFOS involved defluorination, desulfonation, and centermost C–C bond scission in the UV/SO32−/N2 photolysis system. Humic acid slightly inhibited PFOS defluorination, whereas Cl− and HCO3− showed negligible effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China

    Xiao-Bao Gong

  2. Fengcheng Water Conservancy Bureau, Fengcheng, 331104, Jiangxi, China

    Zong-Wen He

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  1. Xiao-Bao Gong
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  2. Zong-Wen He
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Correspondence to Xiao-Bao Gong.

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Gong, XB., He, ZW. Perfluorooctane sulfonate decomposition by a high photon flux UV/SO32−/N2 system: kinetics and influence factors. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 215 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05144-w

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