Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Volume -, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03669
Keywords
8; 2 fluorotelomer alcohol; FTOH; AFFF; PFAS; redox condition; high-resolution mass spectrometry; biotransformation
Categories
Funding
- Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) [W912HQ-18-C-0014, ER18-1149]
- NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) [CBET-1919870]
- China Scholarship Council
- Auburn University Graduate School
- Office of International Programs
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The biotransformation of 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) in AFFF-impacted soils was studied under nitrate-, iron-, and sulfate-reducing conditions. The biotransformation was slower under sulfate and iron-reducing conditions, with different transformation products observed compared to nitrate-reducing conditions. The study highlights the importance of considering redox conditions and microbial communities in assessing PFAS transformations in natural environments.
The environmental fate of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) remains largely unknown, especially under the conditions representative of natural subsurface systems. In this study, the biotransformation of 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH), a component of new-generation AFFF formulations and a byproduct in fluorotelomer-based AFFFs, was investigated under nitrate-, iron-, and sulfate-reducing conditions in microcosms prepared with AFFF-impacted soils. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) were employed to identify biotransformation products. The biotransformation was much slower under sulfate and iron-reducing conditions with > 60 mol % of initial 8:2 FTOH remaining after & SIM;400 days compared to a half-life ranging from 12.5 to 36.5 days under nitrate-reducing conditions. Transformation products 8:2 fluorotelomer saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids (8:2 FTCA and 8:2 FTUA) were detected under all redox conditions, while 7:2 secondary fluorotelomer alcohol (7:2 sFTOH) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were only observed as transformation products under nitrate-reducing conditions. In addition, 1H-perfluoroheptane (F(CF2)6CF2H) and 3-F-7:3 acid (F(CF2)7CFHCH2COOH) were identified for the first time during 8:2 FTOH biotransformation. Comprehensive biotransformation pathways for 8:2 FTOH are presented, which highlight the importance of accounting for redox condition and the related microbial community in the assessment of PFAS transformations in natural environments.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available