Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are a group of organofluorine compound<u>s</u> containing primarily C−F and C−C bonds. They are toxic, thermodynamically stable, and oxidation-resistant. Among many PFCs, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is most significant. Once released, PFOS is not (or rarely) decomposed in either natural environments or treatment facilities due to the extraordinarily strong, highly polarized C−F bonds, while significantly contaminating the environment. Considering PFCs, once defluorinated, are vulnerable to chemical oxidation, we are investigating a destructive technology combining reductive defluorination and advanced oxidation. In order to implement the technology, common oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, persulfate, and peroxymonosulfate are injected to nanoscale zerovalent iron. We believe PFOS is defluorinated by electrons, hydrogens, and superoxide radical anions as reducing species and then further decomposed by hydroxyl radicals and sulfate radicals as oxidizing species. In the presentation, we will discuss about the detailed reaction mechanisms of the integrated treatment system and report the reaction pathways and routes of PFOS decomposition.

Mechanistic study on the decomposition of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid by advanced oxidation combined with reductive defluorination

255th National Meeting (2018)

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