Perfluorooctanesulfonate Alternatives Research Articles

Study on the biodegradation of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and PFOS alternatives.

ObjectivesIn this study, we investigated the biodegradation features of 4 perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) alternatives developed at Changwon National University compared to those of PFOS.MethodsBiodegradation testing was performed with microorganisms cultured in the good laboratory practice laboratory of the Korea Environment Corporation for 28 days following the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines for the testing of chemicals (Test No. 301 C).ResultsWhile C8F17SO3Na, PFOS sodium salt was not degraded after 28 days, the 4 alternatives were biodegraded at the rates of 20.9% for C15F9H21S2O8Na2, 8.4% for C17F9H 25S2O8Na2, 22.6% for C23F18H28S2O8Na2, and 23.6% for C25F17H32O13S3Na3.ConclusionsC25F17H32S3O13Na3, C23F18H28S2O8Na2, and C15F9H21S2O8Na2 were superior to PFOS in terms of biodegradation rates and surface tension, and thus they were considered highly applicable as PFOS alternatives. Environmental toxicity, human toxicity, and economic feasibility of these compounds should be investigated prior to their commercialization.

Identification of Novel Polyfluorinated Ether Sulfonates as PFOS Alternatives in Municipal Sewage Sludge in China.

A 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFAES) with the trade name F-53B, is an alternative to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in electroplating industry that is uniquely used in China. It was developed as a mist suppressant initially in the 1970s, but the environmental behaviors and potential adverse effects of the 6:2 Cl-PFAES have only recently been investigated. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of perfluoroalkyl sulfonate (PFSA), fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTSA), and PFAES analogues were investigated in municipal sewage sludge samples collected around China. Perfluorobutane, perfluorohexane, perfluorooctane, and perfluorodecanesulfonates, 6:2 and 8:2 FTSAs, and the emerging 6:2 Cl-PFAES were detected. Moreover, 8:2 and 10:2 Cl-PFAESs were identified for the first time as new polyfluorinated contaminants using high resolution mass spectrometry. These fluorinated analytes were further quantified with the aid of commercial and laboratory-purified standards. PFOS was the predominant contaminant with a geometric mean (GM) value of 3.19 ng/g dry weight (d.w.), which was subsequently followed by 6:2 Cl-PFAES and 8:2 Cl-PFAES (GM: 2.15 and 0.50 ng/g d.w., respectively). Both 6:2 and 8:2 Cl-PFAES were positively detected as the major components in the F-53B commercial product, and discrete 6:2 Cl-PFAES/8:2 Cl-PFAES ratios in the product and sludge samples might suggest 8:2 Cl-PFAES had enhanced sorption behavior in the sludge due to the increase in hydrophobicity.