Journal article
Potential-Driven Electron Transfer Lowers the Dissociation Energy of the C–F Bond and Facilitates Reductive Defluorination of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
ACS applied materials & interfaces, Vol.11(37), pp.33913-33922
09/18/2019
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b10449
PMID: 31436952
Abstract
The widespread environmental occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has attracted significant regulatory, research, and media attention because of their toxicity, recalcitrance, and ability to bioaccumulate. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a particularly troublesome member of the PFAS family due to its immunity to biological remediation and radical-based oxidation. In the present study, we present a heterogeneous reductive degradation process that couples direct electron transfer (ET) from surface-modified carbon nanotube electrodes (under low potential conditions) to sorbed PFOS molecules using UV-generated hydrated electrons without any further chemical addition. We demonstrate that the ET process dramatically increases the PFOS defluorination rate while yielding shorter chain (C3–C7) perfluorinated acids and present both experimental and ab initio evidence of the synergistic relationship between electron addition to sorbed molecules and their ability to react with reductive hydrated electrons. Because of the low energy consumption associated with the ET process, the use of standard medium-pressure UV lamps and no further chemical addition, this reductive degradation process is a promising method for the destruction of persistent organic pollutants, including PFAS and other recalcitrant halogenated organic compounds.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Potential-Driven Electron Transfer Lowers the Dissociation Energy of the C–F Bond and Facilitates Reductive Defluorination of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
- Creators
- Yiming Su - University of California, Los AngelesUnnati Rao - University of California, Los AngelesChia Miang Khor - University of California, Los AngelesMadeline G JensenLynn M TeeschBryan M Wong - University of California, RiversideDavid M CwiertnyDavid Jassby - University of California, Los Angeles
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- ACS applied materials & interfaces, Vol.11(37), pp.33913-33922
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- DOI
- 10.1021/acsami.9b10449
- PMID
- 31436952
- ISSN
- 1944-8244
- eISSN
- 1944-8252
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000005, name: U.S. Department of Defense, award: ER18-1595
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/18/2019
- Academic Unit
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Core Research Facilities; Public Policy Center (Archive); Chemistry; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Medicine Administration
- Record Identifier
- 9984197246902771
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