Per- and polyalkyl compounds (PFCs) are anthropogenic industrial compounds used in many applications, including surface coatings, surfactants, and flame retardants. They are, however, emerging contaminants due to their recalcitrant nature; persistence in air, water, and soil environments. Because of their environmental stability, PFCs have been detected in water and soil samples all over the globe, as well as in humans and in wildlife. Decomposition of PFCs using oxidation or reduction methods could produce new treatment approaches. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies of seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) show that the compounds are reducible. The studies were conducted in acetonitrile (CH<sub>3</sub>CN) with tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAHFP) as a supporting electrolyte. CV studies of 5.00 mM solution of all the PFAs, PFOA, and PFOS in the range of 0.50 V and -1.20 V using platinum working and Ag/AgCl, KCl(satd.) reference electrodes showed the same number of major cathodic and anodic peaks, and the same overall appearances with shifts in the peak potentials and variation in the peak heights. The information obtained in this study will be used to develop electrochemical method for the decomposition of PFAs and PFOS in waste water.

Electrochemical studies of perfluoroacids (PFAs) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

2019 Fall National Meeting

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