Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organofluorine surfactants, are an emerging class of water contaminants that are extremely recalcitrant to degradation by many conventional forms of treatment, including modern advanced oxidation processes. Here we demonstrate the ability of non-equilibrium (cold) plasma technologies to degrade perfluoroalkyl acids (e.g., PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS) in aqueous solutions. Quadrupole time-of-flight high resolution mass spectrometry (QTOF HRMS) was used to quantify target analytes, and SWATH and Independent Data Analysis (IDA) were used to tentatively identify PFAS degradates during plasma treatment; a fluorinated compound library was employed for suspect screening.  Additionally, data worksflows were developed to assess and rank the 1) chromatography and signal, 2) library match, and 3) temporal trends.  Analysis of water spiked with perfluoroalkyl acids revealed that degradation of both sulfonate and carboxylate compounds yielded shorter chain length perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (quantified with targeted methods), and that other species were not observed to be created.  Field-contaminated groundwater was treated with plasma, and HRMS results indicated that perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA) was degraded (non-target analysis) but that many PFAS, including PFCA, were created during plasma treatment.  These results suggest that there are source PFAS that are not included in the library; non-target analysis is underway to try to identify potential compounds.  <br/>

Investigating poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) degradation in non-equilibrium cold plasma technologies treatment using HRMS suspect screening

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.