Paper
Electrochemical Oxidation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid on a Bi2O3–SnO2/Ti4O7 Reactive Electrochemical Membrane: Application to Groundwater Treatment with Mechanistic Insights
This study investigated electrochemical oxidation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) using a Bi2O3–SnO2 catalyst supported on a Ti4O7 reactive electrochemical membrane (BTO/REM). In an inert NaClO4 electrolyte, the BTO/REM achieved 98.1 ± 0.4% PFOA removal, 85.6 ± 3.6% fluoride yield, and 94.4 ± 4.6% total fluorine balance at 4.2 V/SHE and a 60 s hydraulic residence time (tr). Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) with three to six perfluoroalkyl carbons formed at a combined yield of 15.3 ± 2.6%. In real groundwater, PFOA removal was limited (?1%) due to low ionic conductivity, but adding NaClO4 increased removal to ?91% at 4.7 V/SHE with tr of 15 s.
Product Tag:
PFAS Removal
Industry Tag:
Water Treatment
Historical Blood Serum Samples from Wilmington, North Carolina: The Importance of Ultrashort-Chain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
This study highlights that ultrashort-chain PFAS dominated the PFAS signature in serum samples of Wilmington, NC, residents collected between 2010 and 2016. At the measured serum levels, ultrashort-chain PFAS may be an important contributor to PFAS-associated toxicity.
Product Tag:
PFAS Measurement
Industry Tag:
Safety
Upcycling PVDF into Carbon Electrodes for Zinc-Ion Supercapacitors to Avoid Its Entry into the Ecosystem
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose a global threat due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), as a high-performance fluoropolymer, is indispensable in many fields and cannot be completely phased out in the short term. This has led to a dilemma between the necessity of PVDF and its environmental risks throughout its life cycle, which has become a core bottleneck in the regulation of fluorochemicals. In light of this, this study converts recycled PVDF into microparticles for application in the field of supercapacitor energy storage. The prepared electrode with PVDF micro-particles not only achieves an ultra-high mass loading of 100 mg cm?2, an ultra-high specific capacitance of 31.4 mAh cm?2, and ultra-long cycling of more than 15 000 cycles, but also realizes an ultra-high energy density of 29.7 mWh cm?2.
Product Tag:
PFAS Destruction
Industry Tag:
Material
Pyrene-Based Multicomponent Metallacages for Highly Efficient Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid
The remediation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) remains a critical challenge due to its exceptional chemical stability and bioaccumulation risks. Here, we present two pyrene-based multicomponent metallacages that synergistically integrate high-capacity adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of PFOA. The 4,4’-bipyridine tetracarboxylate-derived metallacage demonstrates a high PFOA adsorption capacity of 1223 mg/g, facilitated by multivalent electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Subsequent photocatalytic treatment of the preconcentrated PFOA achieves 91% defluorination within 6 h through a superoxide radical-mediated chain-shortening mechanism, as verified by electron paramagnetic resonance and intermediate analyses.
Product Tag:
PFAS Degradation
Industry Tag:
Chemicals
Role of PFAS in gas–liquid displacement in unsaturated porous media: a pore-scale study
The accurate prediction of PFAS transport in the vadose zone depends critically on reliable continuum-scale parameters. However, the common practice of using parameter correlations derived for pure water is of uncertain validity, as the influence of PFAS on the underlying gas–liquid displacement process is unknown. To address this issue, we employ microfluidic pore-network experiments to investigate PFAS effects under evaporative conditions. Results show that PFAS produces a more flattened percolation front and induces formation of colloidal liquid bridges within pores. Using a new pore-network model that incorporates these colloidal liquid bridges, we further quantify PFAS-induced changes in transport parameters. The flattened percolation front leads to lower relative permeability and a reduced tortuosity factor for PFAS compared to pure water. Our findings unequivocally demonstrate that pure-water parameter correlations cannot be directly applied or simply scaled for PFAS. Therefore, accurate predictive models must integrate the specific modifications that PFAS impart to gas–liquid displacement processes.
Product Tag:
PFAS Measurement
Industry Tag:
Environment
Toxicity assessment of exposure to four short- and ultra-short PFAS using Daphnia magna and Hydra vulgaris as models
This study aimed to (1) investigate acute toxicity of these emerging PFAS using Daphnia magna (immobility, mortality, reproduction, and body size) and Hydra vulgaris (morphological changes and reproduction) and (2) assess the sub-chronic/chronic toxicity of TFA in both species. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was also assessed in both species after long-term exposure to TFA. Chemical analysis confirmed presence and stability of the 4 PFAS in exposure media. For all tested PFAS, endpoints examined after acute tests were not markedly affected by exposure and LC50 values were?>?1000?mg/L. However, this toxicity was significantly affected by media acidification induced by the tested chemicals (LC50?=?316 and 31,6?mg/L for D. magna and H. vulgaris, respectively).
Product Tag:
PFAS Impact
Industry Tag:
Safety
Fipronil presence in feed materials: hints for a geographical risk analysis to support the transition towards safe and sustainable food systems
There was recently the case of Fipronil, an insecticide currently under intense focus due to its designation as a “Forever Chemical”—PFAS—because of the presence of two CF3 groups, which confer environmental persistence and reduced metabolism in biota; due to its eco-toxicological potential is today ranked among the list of highly hazardous pesticides (PAN - Pesticide Action Network, Citation2024) and considered for stricter restriction in uses as source of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) into water bodies—a transformation product from the urban wastewater avanced oxidative treatments of organic fluorinated substances (Brienza and Garcia-Segura Citation2022; Joerss et al. Citation2024).
Product Tag:
PFAS Assessment
Industry Tag:
Environment
Optimizing the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay: enhanced PFAS quantification and analytical gap bridging in complex environmental matrices
The Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) assay was optimized to overcome the limitations of targeted analyses in detecting diverse PFAS compounds. This study evaluated key factors influencing the assay’s effectiveness, including temperature, sorption, oxidation, and reagent-to-organic compound ratios, using both spiked solutions and real environmental matrices. The efficiency of solid-phase extraction (SPE) was assessed before and after the assay, revealing that post-oxidation SPE improved sensitivity, particularly at low PFAS concentrations.
Product Tag:
PFAS Measurement
Industry Tag:
Environment
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