The wide spread of carcinogenic perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in environment, food chain and even human beings has attracted increasing attention on its degradation techniques. In the present study, a synergetic heterogeneous UV and electrochemical (UV-E) system was developed for PFOS enrichment and redox from aqueous media. An electrode fabricated by multi-wall carbon nanotube covered with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) thin film or hemimicelle on surface successfully co-located PFOS molecules with hydrated electrons, electrons from power supply, and hydroxyl radicals on its surface. This design leads to a substantial increase of degradation rate of PFOS. Our experimental and density function theory (DFT) calculation results showed that induced electron transfer (ET) process (facilitated by CTAB thin film or hemimicelle) is responsible for defluorination, while both ET process and can drive desulfonation after PFOS molecule accepting one electron. Our work established a novel method for degrading persistent organic pollutants by incorporating simultaneous adsorption, advanced oxidation and reduction.

Enhanced degradation of perfluorooctane sulfonate in a heterogeneous UV-electrochemical system

2019 Spring National Meeting

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