Abstract
This article aims to elucidate on usefulness of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) for photoreductive degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a representative perfluorinated compound (PFC), in water for the first time. Bench-scale tests were conducted on oxidative and reductive (with aquated electron: e −aq ) mineralization of PFOA using low-pressure UV (LPUV) lamps and potassium iodide. Unlike with 254 nm wavelength (UVC), the reductive mineralization with VUV was very inefficient compared to the corresponding oxidative mineralization. The inefficiency is attributed to low reactivity of e −aq with PFOA and its fluorinated products than that of 185 nm photons. Direct VUV photolysis of PFOA and its products in reductive reaction conditions was not apparent due to a very big difference in reactivity of 185 and 254 nm photons with iodide. The results demonstrated that highly energetic VUV photons are not suitable for photoreductive degradations of PFCs involving e −aq , but they can be best used for oxidative degradations. These findings should serve as an important reference on VUV usage to decompose refractory micropollutants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cao MH, Wang BB, Yu HS, Wang LL, Yuan SH, Chen J (2010) Photochemical decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid in aqueous periodate with VUV and UV light irradiation. J Hazard Mater 179:1143–1146. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.02.030
Chen J, Zhang P (2006) Photodegradation of perfluorooctanoic acid in water under irradiation of 254 nm light by use of persulfate. Water Sci Technol 54(11–12):317–325. doi:10.2166/wst.2006.731
Chen J, Zhang P, Liu J (2007) Photodegradation of perfluorooctanoic acid by 185 nm vacuum ultraviolet light. J Environ Sci 19:387–390. doi:10.1016/S1001-0742(07)60064-3
Clara M, Scheffknecht C, Scharf S, Weiss S, Gans O (2008) Emissions of perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) from point sources: identification of relevant branches. Water Sci Technol 58(1):59–66. doi:10.2166/wst.2008.641
Corsini E, Sangiovanni E, Avogadro A, Galbiati V, Viviani B, Marinovich M, Galli CL, Dell’Agli M, Germolec DR (2012) In vitro characterization of the immunotoxic potential of several perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 258:248–255. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2011.11.004
Domingo JL (2012) Health risks of dietary exposure to perfluorinated compounds. Environ Int 40:187–195. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2011.08.001
Giri RR, Ozaki H, Morigaki T, Taniguchi S, Takanami R (2011) UV photolysis of perfluorioctanoic acid (PFOA) in dilute aqueous solution. Water Sci Technol 63(2):276–282. doi:10.2166/wst.2011.050
Giri RR, Ozaki H, Okada T, Taniguchi S, Takanami R (2012) Factors influencing UV photodecomposition of perfluoroocanoic acid in water. Chem Eng J 180:197–203. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2011.11.049
Huang L, Dong W, Hou H (2007) Investigation of the reactivity of hydrated electron toward perfluorinated carboxylates by laser flash photolysis. Chem Phys Lett 436:124–128. doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2007.01.037
Iglev H, Trifonov A, Thaller A, Vuchvarov I, Fiebig T, Laubereau A (2005) Photoionization dynamics of an aqueous iodide solution: the temperature dependence. Chem Phys Lett 403:198–204. doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2005.01.014
Jortner J, Ottolenghi M, Stein G (1964) On the photochemistry of aqueous solutions of chloride, bromide and iodide. J Phys Chem 68(2):247–255. doi:10.1021/j100784a005
Lau C, Butenhoff JL, Rogers JM (2004) The developmental toxicity of perfluoroalkyl acids and their derivatives. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 198:231–241. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2003.11.031
Lien NPH, Fuji S, Tanaka S, Nozoe M, Wirojanagud W, Anton A, Lindstrom G (2006) Perfluorinated substances in tap water of Japan and several countries and their relationship to surface water contamination. Environ Eng Res 43:611–618. http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200704/000020070407A0046125.php. Accessed 15 May 2012
Park H (2010) Photolysis of aqueous perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctane sulfonate. Rev Roum Chim 55(10):611–619. http://revroum.getion.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/RRCh_10_2010/Art%2002.pdf. Accessed 12 July 2012
Park H, Vecitis CD, Cheng J, Choi W, Mader BT, Hoffman MR (2009) Reductive defluorination of aqueous perfluorinated alkyl surfactants: effects of ionic head group and chain length. J Phys Chem A 113:690–696. doi:10.1021/jp807116q
Qu Y, Zhang C, Li F, Chen J, Zhou Q (2010) Photo-reductive defluorination of perfluorooctanoic acid in water. Water Res 44:2939–2947. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2010.02.019
Saito N, Harada K, Inoue K, Sasaki K, Yoshinaga T, Koizumi A (2004) Perfluorooctonate and perfluorooctane sulfonate concentrations in surface water in Japan. J Occup Health 46:49–59. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/joh/46/1/46_1_49/_pdf. Accessed 26 June 2012
Tang H, Xiang Q, Lei M, Yan J, Zhu L, Zou J (2012) Efficient degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid by UV-Fenton process. Chem Eng J 184:156–162. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2012.01.020
Wang Y, Zhang P, Pan G, Chen H (2008) Ferric ion mediated photochemical decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by 254 nm UV light. J Hazard Mater 160:181–186. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.02.105
Acknowledgments
This research was carried out under the project “Strategic Research Foundation Grant-Aided Project for Private Universities” (2012–2017) financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giri, R.R., Ozaki, H., Guo, X. et al. Oxidative–reductive photodecomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid in water. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 11, 1277–1284 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0312-2
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0312-2