The use of carbon adsorbents for the removal of perfluoroalkyl acids from potable reuse systems

Adsorptive removal of perfluorooctanoic acid from aqueous matrices using peanut husk-derived magnetic biochar: Statistical and artificial intelligence approaches, kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamics

Removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water matrices is crucial owing to its pervasiveness and adverse ecological and human health effects. This study investigates the adsorptive removal of PFOA using magnetic biochar (MBC) derived from FeCl3-treated peanut husk at different temperatures (300, 600, and 900 °C). Preliminary experiments demonstrated that MBC600 exhibited superior performance, with its characterization confirming the presence of γ-Fe2O3. However, efficient PFOA removal from water matrices depends on determining the optimum combination of inputs in the treatment approaches. Therefore, optimization and predictive modeling of the PFOA adsorption were investigated using the response surface methodology (RSM) and the artificial intelligence (AI) models, respectively. The central composite design (CCD) of RSM was employed as the design matrix. Further, three AI models, viz. artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were selected to predict PFOA adsorption. The RSM-CCD model applied to optimize three input process parameters, namely, adsorbent dose (100-400 mg/L), pH (3-10), and contact time (20-60 min), showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) effect on PFOA removal. Maximum PFOA removal of about 98.3% was attained at the optimized conditions: adsorbent dose: 400 mg/L, pH: 3.4, and contact time: 60 min. Non-linear analysis showed PFOA adsorption was best fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.9997). PFOA adsorption followed Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.9951) with a maximum adsorption capacity of ∼307 mg/g. Thermodynamics and spectroscopic analyses revealed that PFOA adsorption is a spontaneous, exothermic, and physical phenomenon, with electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bonding governing the process. A comparative analysis of the statistical and AI models for PFOA adsorption demonstrated high R2 (>0.99) for RSM-CCD, ANN, and ANFIS. This research demonstrates the applicability of the statistical and AI models for efficient prediction of PFOA adsorption from water matrices using MBC (MBC600).

Regeneration of exhausted adsorbents after PFAS adsorption: A critical review

The adsorption process efficiently removes per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, but managing exhausted adsorbents presents notable environmental and economic challenges. Conventional disposal methods, such as incineration, may reintroduce PFAS into the environment. Therefore, advanced regeneration techniques are imperative to prevent leaching during disposal and enhance sustainability and cost-effectiveness. This review critically evaluates thermal and chemical regeneration approaches for PFAS-laden adsorbents, elucidating their operational mechanisms, the influence of water quality parameters, and their inherent advantages and limitations. Thermal regeneration achieves notable desorption efficiencies, reaching up to 99% for activated carbon. However, it requires significant energy input and risks compromising the adsorbent's structural integrity, resulting in considerable mass loss (10-20%). In contrast, chemical regeneration presents a diverse efficiency landscape across different regenerants, including water, acidic/basic, salt, solvent, and multi-component solutions. Multi-component solutions demonstrate superior efficiency (>90%) compared to solvent-based solutions (12.50%), which, in turn, outperform salt (2.34%), acidic/basic (1.17%), and water (0.40%) regenerants. This hierarchical effectiveness underscores the nuanced nature of chemical regeneration, significantly influenced by factors such as regenerant composition, the molecular structure of PFAS, and the presence of organic co-contaminants. Exploring the conditional efficacy of thermal and chemical regeneration methods underscores the imperative of strategic selection based on specific types of PFAS and material properties. By emphasizing the limitations and potential of particular regeneration schemes and advocating for future research directions, such as exploring persulfate activation treatments, this review aims to catalyze the development of more effective regeneration processes. The ultimate goal is to ensure water quality and public health protection through environmentally sound solutions for PFAS remediation efforts.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in agricultural contexts and mitigation of their impacts using biochar: A review

Growing concern over the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in agricultural compartments (e.g., soil, water, plants, soil fauna) has led to an increased interest in scalable and economically feasible remediation technologies. Biochar is the product of pyrolyzing organic materials (crop waste, wood waste, manures, grasses) and has been used as a low-cost adsorbent to remove contaminants including PFAS. This review frames biochar as a strategy for mitigating the detrimental impacts of PFAS in agricultural systems and discusses the benefits of this strategy within the framework of the needs and challenges of contaminant remediation in agriculture. To gauge the optimal physicochemical characteristics of biochar in terms of PFAS adsorption, principal component analysis using >100 data points from the available literature was performed. The main biochar-based PFAS treatment strategies (water filtration, soil application, mixing with biosolids) were also reviewed to highlight the benefits and complications of each. Life cycle analyses on the use of biochar for contaminant removal were summarized, and data from selected studies were used to calculate (for the first time) the global warming potential and net energy demand of various agriculturally important biochar classes (crop wastes, wood wastes, manures) in relation to their PFAS adsorption performance. This review serves to identify key gaps in our knowledge of (i) PFAS adsorption by biochars in agricultural remediation applications and (ii) environmental costs/benefits of biochars in relation to their adsorptive properties toward PFAS. The concepts introduced in this review may assist in developing large-scale biochar-based PFAS remediation strategies to help protect the agricultural food production environment.

Activation of sawdust biochar with water and wastewater treatment residuals for sorption of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in water

Recent research has found biochar to be a cost-effective adsorbent for removal of perfluoroalkyl substances in water. To promote cleaner production and sustainable waste management, this study explored the potential to produce activated biochars by co-pyrolyzing sawdust with iron-rich biosolids and polyaluminum sludge. The maximum capacity to adsorb perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) reached 27.2 mg g-1 with biosolids-activated biochar and 19.2 mg g-1 with aluminum sludge-activated biochar, compared to 6.2 mg g-1 with sawdust biochar. The increased adsorption capacities were attributed to electrostatic interactions between the anionic PFOS and metal functionalities on the biochar surface. In contrast, hydrophobic interaction was the dominant adsorption mechanism of sawdust biochar. The presence of dissolved organic matter at 5-50 mg L-1 was found to inhibit adsorption of PFOS in water, while pH as low as 3.0 and sodium chloride concentrations up to 100 mM enhanced removal of PFOS by all the three adsorbents. In batch adsorption tests at environmentally relevant PFOS dosages and adsorbent dosage of 0.25 g L-1, the biosolids-sawdust biochar and Al sludge-sawdust biochar removed 71.4% and 66.9% of PFOS from drinking water and 77.9% and 87.9% of PFOS from filtrate of sludge digestate, respectively. The biosolids-sawdust biochar additionally removed Fe, although the Al sludge-sawdust biochar released Al into the alkaline drinking water and filtrate. Overall, this study proved co-pyrolyzing sawdust and Fe-rich biosolids to be an effective approach to activate sawdust biochar for enhanced removal of PFOS while recycling wastewater treatment residuals and sawdust.

Treatment of aqueous per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances: A review of biochar adsorbent preparation methods

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely used in everyday products, causing elevated concentrations in drinking water and posing a global challenge. While adsorption methods are commonly employed for PFAS removal, the substantial cost and environmental footprint of commercial adsorbents highlight the need for more cost-effective alternatives. Additionally, existing adsorbents exhibit limited effectiveness, particularly against diverse PFAS types, such as short-chain PFAS, necessitating modifications to enhance adsorption capacity. Biochar can be considered a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to conventional adsorbents. With abundant feedstocks and favorable physicochemical properties, biochar shows significant potential to be applied as an adsorbent for removing contaminants from water. Despite its effectiveness in adsorbing different inorganic and organic contaminants from water environments, some factors restrict its effective application for PFAS adsorption. These factors are related to the biochar properties, and characteristics of PFAS, as well as water chemistry. Therefore, some modifications have been introduced to overcome these limitations and improve biochar's adsorption capacity. This review explores the preparation conditions, including the pyrolysis process, activation, and modification techniques applied to biochar to enhance its adsorption capacity for different types of PFAS. It addresses critical questions about the adsorption performance of biochar and its composites, mechanisms governing PFAS adsorption, challenges, and future perspectives in this field. The surge in research on biochar for PFAS adsorption indicates a growing interest, making this timely review a valuable resource for future research and an in-depth exploration of biochar's potential in PFAS remediation.

Separation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid from Water Using Meso- and Macroporous Syndiotactic Polystyrene Gels

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are an emerging class of contaminants that are environmentally persistent, bioaccumulative, and noxious to human health. Among these, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) molecules are widely found in ground and surface water sources. A novel high surface area, meso- and macroporous syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) wet gel is used in this work as the adsorbent of PFOA molecules from water at environmentally relevant PFOA concentrations (≤1 μg/L) and cleanse water to below the U.S. EPA's 2023 health advisory limit of 4 parts per trillion (ppt). The sigmoidal shape of the PFOA adsorption isotherm indicates a two-step adsorption mechanism attributed to the strong affinity of PFOA molecules for the sPS surface and molecular aggregation at solid-liquid interfaces or within the pores of the sPS wet gel. The adsorption kinetics and the effects of sPS wet gel porosity, pore size, and pore volume on the removal efficiency are reported. The adsorption kinetics is seen to be strongly dependent on pore size and pore volume.

Transport and release behaviors of PFOA in saturated and unsaturated porous media with biochar amendment

The widespread usage of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in daily consumer products and its high mobility in porous media have resulted in ubiquitous contamination of PFOA in the natural environment. Developing techniques to immobilize and inhibit the transport of PFOA thus is critical to reduce its potential risks. In present study, biochar, one type of environmental-friendly material produced from cellulose, was utilized in porous media to test its addition on inhibiting the transport and release of PFOA before and after aging process. We found that although PFOA had high mobility in saturated/unsaturated porous media, biochar addition could significantly inhibit PFOA transport in porous media with different saturations due to its high adsorption capacity towards PFOA. The inhibited transport of PFOA by biochar also held true in solution with copresence of natural organic matter and in actual river water. Moreover, we found that negligible PFOA was released from porous media with biochar amendment even after exposure to freeze-thaw/dry-wet treatment. PFOA adsorbed onto biochar could be completely desorbed and the biochar could be reused for subsequent cycles after desorption. Clearly, amendment of porous media with biochar would be a feasible and cost-effective method to immobilize PFOA in natural environment and reduce its environmental risks.

Advancing PFAS Sorbent Design: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Perspectives

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals characterized with persistence and multisurface resistance. Their accumulation in the environment and toxicity to human beings have contributed to the rapid development of regulations worldwide since 2002. The sorption strategy, taking advantage of intermolecular interactions for PFAS capture, provides a promising and efficient solution to the treatment of PFAS contaminated sources. Hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions are the two commonly found in commercially available PFAS sorbents, with the fluorous interaction being the novel mechanism applied for sorbent selectivity. The main object of this Perspective is to provide a critical review on the current design criteria of PFAS sorbents, with particular focus on their sorption and interaction mechanisms as well as limitations. An outlook on future innovative design for efficient PFAS sorbents is also provided.

PFAS remediation in soil: An evaluation of carbon-based materials for contaminant sequestration

The presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soils is a global concern as these emerging contaminants are highly resistant to degradation and cause adverse effects on human and environmental health at very low concentrations. Sequestering PFAS in soils using carbon-based materials is a low-cost and effective strategy to minimize pollutant bioavailability and exposure, and may offer potential long-term remediation of PFAS in the environment. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of current insights on sequestration of PFAS in soil using carbon-based sorbents. Hydrophobic effects originating from fluorinated carbon (C-F) backbone "tail" and electrostatic interactions deriving from functional groups on the molecules' "head" are the two driving forces governing PFAS sorption. Consequently, varying C-F chain lengths and polar functional groups significantly alter PFAS availability and leachability. Furthermore, matrix parameters such as soil organic matter, inorganic minerals, and pH significantly impact PFAS sequestration by sorbent amendments. Materials such as activated carbon, biochar, carbon nanotubes, and their composites are the primary C-based materials used for PFAS adsorption. Importantly, modifying the carbon structural and surface chemistry is essential for increasing the active sorption sites and for strengthening interactions with PFAS. This review evaluates current literature, identifies knowledge gaps in current remediation technologies and addresses future strategies on the sequestration of PFAS in contaminated soil using sustainable novel C-based sorbents.

Progress and perspectives on carbon-based materials for adsorptive removal and photocatalytic degradation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (also known as 'forever chemicals') have emerged as trace pollutants of global concern, attributing to their persistent and bio-accumulative nature, pervasive distribution, and adverse public health and environmental impacts. The unregulated discharge of PFAS into aquatic environments represents a prominent threat to the wellbeing of humans and marine biota, thereby exhorting unprecedented action to tackle PFAS contamination. Indeed, several noteworthy technologies intending to remove PFAS from environmental compartments have been intensively evaluated in recent years. Amongst them, adsorption and photocatalysis demonstrate remarkable ability to eliminate PFAS from different water matrices. In particular, carbon-based materials, because of their diverse structures and many exciting properties, offer bountiful opportunities as both adsorbent and photocatalyst, for the efficient abatement of PFAS. This review, therefore, presents a comprehensive summary of the diverse array of carbonaceous materials, including biochar, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, that can serve as ideal candidates in adsorptive and photocatalytic treatment of PFAS contaminated water. Specifically, the efficacy of carbon-mediated PFAS removal via adsorption and photocatalysis is summarised, together with a cognizance of the factors influencing the treatment efficiency. The review further highlights the neoteric development on the novel innovative approach 'concentrate and degrade' that integrates selective adsorption of trace concentrations of PFAS onto photoactive surface sites, with enhanced catalytic activity. This technique is way more energy efficient than conventional energy-intensive photocatalysis. Finally, the review speculates the cardinal challenges associated with the practical utility of carbon-based materials, including their scalability and economic feasibility, for eliminating exceptionally stable PFAS from water matrices.

The untold story of PFAS alternatives: Insights into the occurrence, ecotoxicological impacts, and removal strategies in the aquatic environment

Due to increasing regulations on the production and consumption of legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the global use of PFAS substitutes increased tremendously, posing serious environmental risks owing to their bioaccumulation, toxicity, and lack of removal strategies. This review summarized the spatial distribution of alternative PFAS and their ecological risks in global freshwater and marine ecosystems. Further, toxicological effects of novel PFAS in various freshwater and marine species were highlighted. Moreover, degradation mechanisms for alternative PFAS removal from aquatic environments were compared and discussed. The spatial distribution showed that 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 CI-PFAES, also known as F-53B) was the most dominant emerging PFAS found in freshwater. Additionally, the highest levels of PFBS and PFBA were observed in marine waters (West Pacific Ocean). Moreover, short-chain PFAS exhibited higher concentrations than long-chain congeners. The ecological risk quotients (RQs) for phytoplankton were relatively higher >1 than invertebrates, indicating a higher risk for freshwater phytoplankton species. Similarly, in marine water, the majority of PFAS substitutes exhibited negligible risk for invertebrates and fish, and posed elevated risks for phytoplanktons. Reviewed studies showed that alternative PFAS undergo bioaccumulation and cause deleterious effects such as oxidative stress, hepatoxicity, neurotoxicity, histopathological alterations, behavioral and growth abnormalities, reproductive toxicity and metabolism defects in freshwater and marine species. Regarding PFAS treatment methods, photodegradation, photocatalysis, and adsorption showed promising degradation approaches with efficiencies as high as 90%. Finally, research gaps and future perspectives for alternative PFAS toxicological implications and their removal were offered.

Surface modifications of biopolymers for removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from water: Current research and perspectives

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly recalcitrant organic contaminants that have attracted ever-increasing attention from the general public, government agencies and scientific communities. To remove PFAS from water, especially the enormous volume of drinking water, stormwater, and groundwater, sorption is the most practical approach. Success of this approach demands green, renewable, and sustainable materials for capturing PFAS at ng/L or µg/L levels. To meet this demand, this manuscript critically reviewed sorbents developed from biopolymers, such as chitosan (CTN), alginate (ALG), and cellulose (CEL) covering the period from 2008 to 2023. The use of different cross-linkers for the surface modifications of biopolymers were described. The underlying removal mechanism of biosorbents for PFAS adsorption from molecular perspectives was discussed. Besides reviewing and comparing the performance of different bio-based sorbents with respect to environmental factors like pH, and sorption kinetics and capacity, strategies for modifying biosorbents for better performance were proposed. Additionally, approaches for regeneration and reuse of the biosorbents were discussed. This was followed by further discussion of challenges facing the development of biosorbents for PFAS removal.

Investigation on removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) using water treatment sludge and biochar

This work assessed the adsorption performance of three common PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS) on two water treatment sludges (WTS) and two biochars (commercial biomass biochar and semi-pilot scale biosolids biochar). Of the two WTS samples included in this study, one was sourced from poly-aluminium chloride (PAC) and the other from alum (Al2(SO4)3). The results of experiments using a single PFAS for adsorption reinforced established trends in affinity - the shorter-chained PFHxS was less adsorbed than PFOS, and the sulphates (PFOS) were more readily adsorbed than the acid (PFOA). Interestingly, PAC WTS, showed an excellent adsorption affinity for the shorter chained PFHxS (58.8%), than the alum WTS and biosolids biochar at 22.6% and 41.74%, respectively. The results also showed that the alum WTS was less effective at adsorption than the PAC WTS despite having a larger surface area. Taken together, the results suggest that the hydrophobicity of the sorbent and the chemistry of the coagulant were critical factors for understanding PFAS adsorption on WTS, while other factors, such as the concentration of aluminium and iron in the WTS could not explain the trends seen. For the biochar samples, the surface area and hydrophobicity are believed to be the main drivers in the different performances. Adsorption from the solution containing multiple PFAS was also investigated with PAC WTS and biosolids biochar, demonstrating comparable performance on overall adsorption. However, the PAC WTS performed better with the short-chain PFHxS than the biosolids biochar. While both PAC WTS and biosolids biochar are promising candidates for adsorption, the study highlights the need to explore further the mechanisms behind PFAS adsorption, which could be a highly variable source to understand better the potential for WTS to be utilized as a PFAS adsorbent.

Unique fluorophilic pores engineering within porous aromatic frameworks for trace perfluorooctanoic acid removal

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a representative of per/polyfluorinated alkyl substances, has become a persistent water pollutant of widespread concern due to its biological toxicity and refractory property. In this work, we design and synthesize two porous aromatic frameworks (PAF) of PAF-CF3 and PAF-C2F5 using fluorine-containing alkyl based monomers in tetrahedral geometry. Both PAFs exhibit nanosized pores (∼1.0 nm) of high surface areas (over 800 m2 g-1) and good fluorophilicity. Remarkable adsorption capacity (˃740 mg g-1) and superior efficiency (˃24 g mg-1 h-1) are achieved toward the removal of PFOA with 1 μg L-1 concentration owing to unique C-F···F-C interactions. In particular, PAF-CF3 and PAF-C2F5 are able to reduce the PFOA concentration in water to 37.9 ng L-1 and 43.3 ng L-1, below EPA regulations (70 ng L-1). The reusability and high efficiency give both PAFs a great potential for sewage treatment.

An overview on human exposure, toxicity, solid-phase microextraction and adsorptive removal of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) from water matrices

Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are sub-class of perfluoroalkyl substances commonly detected in water matrices. They are persistent in the environment, hence highly toxic to living organisms. Their occurrence at trace amount, complex nature and prone to matrix interference make their extraction and detection a challenge. This study consolidates current advancements in solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques for the trace-level analysis of PFCAs from water matrices. The advantages of the methods in terms of ease of applications, low-cost, robustness, low solvents consumption, high pre-concentration factors, better extraction efficiency, good selectivity and recovery of the analytes have been emphasized. The article also demonstrated effectiveness of some porous materials for the adsorptive removal of the PFCAs from the water matrices. Mechanisms of the SPE/adsorption techniques have been discussed. The success and limitations of the processes have been elucidated.

Impact of effluent organic matter on perfluoroalkyl acid removal from wastewater effluent by granular activated carbon and alternative adsorbents

Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in wastewater effluent coupled with increasingly stringent regulations has increased the need for more effective sorption-based PFAA treatment approaches. This study investigated the impact of ozone (O3)- biologically active filtration (BAF) as integral components of non-reverse osmosis (RO)-based potable reuse treatment trains and as a potential pretreatment option to improve adsorptive PFAA removal from wastewater effluent by nonselective (e.g., granular activated carbon (GAC) and selective (e.g., anionic exchange resins (AER) and surface-modified clay (SMC)) adsorbents. For nonselective GAC, O3 and BAF resulted in similar PFAA removal improvements, while BAF alone performed better than O3 for AER and SMC. O3-BAF in tandem resulted in the highest PFAA removal performance improvement among pretreatments investigated for selective and nonselective adsorbents. Side by side evaluation of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) breakthrough curves and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) for each pretreatment scenario suggested that despite the higher affinity of selective adsorbents towards PFAAs, the competition between PFAA and effluent organic matter (EfOM) (molecular weights (MWs): 100-1000 Da) negatively impacts the performance of these adsorbents. The SEC results also demonstrated that transformation of hydrophobic EfOM to more hydrophilic molecules during O3 and biotransformation of EfOM during BAF were the dominant mechanisms responsible for alleviating the competition between PFAA and EfOM, resulting in PFAA removal improvement.

Hydrochar coupled with iodide for efficient photodegradation of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid under ultraviolet light

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are typical emerging persistent organic pollutants that are raising concerns regarding their environmental persistence. The photodegradation of these chemicals in water can be promoted by generating hydrated electrons (e_aq^-). The present work demonstrates a highly efficient process combining ultraviolet (UV) radiation, hydrochar (H-BC) and KI that is capable of decomposing PFOA and PFOS. After 60 min of photolysis using this technique, 99.5 % and 94.1 % of the initial amounts of PFOA and PFOS in aqueous solution were degraded, respectively, with corresponding defluorination percentages of 87.8 % and 71.7 %, respectively. These degradation values were higher than the sum of those obtained using UV radiation with only H-BC or KI, implying a synergistic effect from the combination of H-BC and KI. This effect can be attributed to the unique structure and numerous oxygen-containing functional groups of the H-BC. This material was able to absorb PFOA and PFOS, reduce iodide oxidation products back to I^-, act as an electron shuttle and shorten the diffusion distance to the target substrate. These factors all increased the probability of reactions between the contaminants and e_aq^-. Analyses by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry showed that short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids with less than seven carbons were the primary degradation intermediates, suggesting that the photodegradation proceeded stepwise. These results confirmed the cooperative effect of the H-BC and iodide, leading to effective e_aq^- generation. This work is expected to facilitate the development of new strategies for the treatment of water systems contaminated with PFOA and PFOS.

A review of PFAS adsorption from aqueous solutions: Current approaches, engineering applications, challenges, and opportunities

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have drawn great attention due to their wide distribution in water bodies and toxicity to human beings. Adsorption is considered as an efficient treatment technique for meeting the increasingly stringent environmental and health standards for PFAS. This paper systematically reviewed the current approaches of PFAS adsorption using different adsorbents from drinking water as well as synthetic and real wastewater. Adsorbents with large mesopores and high specific surface area adsorb PFAS faster, their adsorption capacities are higher, and the adsorption process are usually more effective under low pH conditions. PFAS adsorption mechanisms mainly include electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interaction, anion exchange, and ligand exchange. Various adsorbents show promising performances but challenges such as requirements of organic solvents in regeneration, low adsorption selectivity, and complicated adsorbent preparations should be addressed before large scale implementation. Moreover, the aid of decision-making tools including response surface methodology (RSM), techno-economic assessment (TEA), life cycle assessment (LCA), and multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) were discussed for engineering applications. The use of these tools is highly recommended prior to scale-up to determine if the specific adsorption process is economically feasible and sustainable. This critical review presented insights into the most fundamental aspects of PFAS adsorption that would be helpful to the development of effective adsorbents for the removal of PFAS in future studies and provide opportunities for large-scale engineering applications.

Sorptive removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from aqueous solution: Enhanced sorption, challenges and perspectives

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered attention globally given their ubiquitous occurrence, toxicity, bioaccumulative potential, and environmental persistence. Sorption is widely used to remove PFASs given its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. This article reviews recently fabricated sorbents, including carbon materials, minerals, polymers, and composite materials. The characteristics and interactions of the sorbents with PFASs are discussed to better understand sorptive processes. Various sorbents have exhibited high removal rates for legacy perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Novel polymers with special design better remove long- and short-chain PFASs than other sorbents. Although hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions mainly drive the sorption of anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic PFASs, enhancing PFAS sorption on designed sorbents has mainly depended on improving electrostatic interactions. Pearson correlation analysis showed that PFOS sorption capacity of sorbents is positively correlated with their specific surface area. Newly discovered pathways, including the air-water interfacial adsorption, F-F fluorophilic interactions, and (hemi) micelle formation, can enhance PFAS sorption to a certain extent. In addition to PFOA and PFOS, the sorption of emerging PFASs, including aqueous film-forming foam-relevant PFASs, constitutes a new research direction. The functionalization methods for enhancing PFAS sorption and challenges of PFAS sorption are also discussed to provide scope for future research. The discussions herein may contribute to developing efficient sorption technologies to remove PFASs.

Adsorption properties and mechanism of zinc acrylic carbon nanosphere aggregates for perfluorooctanoic acid from aqueous solution

This study found that the cross-linkable zinc acrylic nanosphere aggregates (NAs) as precursors were successfully prepared by a simple one-step synthesis route, and Zn,O dopped-carbon nanocomposites were obtained through temperature-controllable engineering, which showed excellent adsorption capacities for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). A series of experiments were performed to investigate and compare carbon materials for the efficient removal of PFOA. The maximum adsorption capacities of PFOA absorbed on carbon nanospheres aggregates (CNAs) were calculated by the Langmuir (360.98 mg/g) and Sips models (309.65 mg/g). The kinetic model indicated there was chemical adsorption and physical adsorption in the adsorption process. Van der Waals force and electrostatic interactions might be the dominant mechanism of the adsorption process. Additionally, pore-filling also played a role in the adsorption process. Furthermore, the adsorption efficiency was still above 90% after five cycles. The selective adsorption ability was tested through various pollutants (metal ions and dye solutions) absorbed by the CNAs. Our results proved that carbon nanosphere aggregates (CNAs) are expected to be outstanding adsorption materials for the decontamination of PFOA from wastewater.

A juxtaposed review on adsorptive removal of PFAS by metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with carbon-based materials, ion exchange resins, and polymer adsorbents

The removal of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the aquatic environment is a universal concern due to the adverse effects of these substances on both the environment and public health. Different adsorbents, including carbon-based materials, ion exchange resins, biomaterials, and polymers, have been used for the removal of short-chain (C < 6) and long-chain (C > 7) PFAS from water with varying performance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a new generation of adsorbents, have also been recently used to remove PFAS from water. MOFs provide unique properties such as significantly enhanced surface area, structural tunability, and improved selectivity compared to conventional adsorbents. However, due to various types of MOFs, their complex chemistry and morphology, different PFAS compounds, lack of standard adsorption test, and different testing conditions, there are inconclusive and contradictory findings in the literature. Therefore, this review aims to provide critical analysis of the performance of different types of MOFs in the removal of long-chain (C > 7), short-chain (C < 6), and ultra-short-chain (C < 3) PFAS and comprehensively study the efficiency of MOFs for PFAS removal in comparison with other adsorbents. In addition, the adsorption mechanisms and kinetics of PFAS components on different MOFs, including Materials of Institute Lavoisier (MIL), Universiteit of Oslo (UiO), Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and other hybrid types of MOF were discussed. The study also discussed the effect of environmental factors such as pH and ionic strength on the adsorption of PFAS on MOFs. In addition to the adsorption process, the reusability and regeneration of MOFs in the PFAS removal process are discussed. Finally, challenges and future outlooks of the utility of MOFs for PFAS removal were discussed to inspire future critical research efforts in removing PFAS.

Batch and fixed bed sorption of low to moderate concentrations of aqueous per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on Douglas fir biochar and its Fe3O4 hybrids

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can cause deleterious effects at low concentrations (70 ng/L). Their remediation is challenging. Aqueous μg/L levels of PFOS, PFOS, PFOSA, PFBS, GenX, PFHxS, PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFHpA (abbreviations defined in Table 1) multi-component adsorption (pH dependence, kinetics, isotherms, fixed-bed adsorption, regeneration, complex matrix) was studied on commercial Douglas fir biochar (BC) and its Fe₃O₄-containing BC. BC is a waste product when syn-gas is produced in a large scale from wet Douglas fir wood fed to gasification at 900-1000 °C and held for 1-20 s. This generates a relatively high surface area (∼700 m²/g) and large pore volume (∼0.25 cm³/g) biochar. Treatment of BC with FeCl₃/FeSO₄ and NaOH to chemically precipitate Fe₃O₄ onto BC. BC and its magnetic Fe₃O₄/BC analogue rapidly adsorbed (20-45 min equilibrium time) significant amounts of PFOS (∼14.6 mg/g) and PFOA (∼652 mg/g) at natural waters' pH range (6-8). Adsorption from μg/L concentrations has produced remediated aqueous PFAS concentrations of ∼50 ng/L or below the detection limits, which is closing in on EPA advisory limits. Column capacities of PFOS were 215.3 mg/g on BC and 51.9 mg/g Fe₃O₄/BC vs 53.0 mg/g and 21.8 mg/g, respectively, for PFOA. Hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions are thought to drive this sorption. Successful stripping regeneration by methanol was achieved. Thus, hydrophobic Douglas fir biochar produced by fast high temperature pyrolysis and its Fe₃O₄/BC analogue are adsorbent candidates for PFAS remediation from the dilute PFAS concentrations often found in polluted environments. Small Fe₃O₄/BC particles can be magnetically removed from batch treatments avoiding filtration.

Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids on granular activated carbon supported chitosan: Role of nanobubbles

The safety threat posed by Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in drinking water is a growing concern. In this study, we loaded chitosan (CS) on granular activated carbon (GAC) to adsorb PFAAs, and we explored the role of nanobubbles in the adsorption process through experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Compared with GAC, we found that the use of the composite adsorbent (CS/GAC) enhanced the removal rate of perfluorooctanoic acid by 136% with the assistance of nanobubbles. PFAAs with different chain lengths have different adsorption mechanisms owing to surface activity differences. PFAAs with longer C-F chains can be directly enriched with amino groups on the CS or air-water interface on composite adsorbents. Additionally, PFAAs can be enriched with nanobubbles in solution to form nanobubble-PFAA colloids, which are adsorbed by protonated amino groups on CS through electrostatic interactions. We found that PFAAs with shorter C-F chains are less affected by nanobubbles, and DFT calculations indicated that the adsorption of short-chain PFAAs is mainly affected by electrostatic interactions. We also proved that the electrostatic interactions between CS and PFAAs are mainly derived from the abundant protonated amino groups.

Black Carbon-Amended Engineered Media Filters for Improved Treatment of Stormwater Runoff

Urban stormwater runoff is a significant driver of surface water quality impairment. Recently, attention has been drawn to potential beneficial use of urban stormwater runoff, including augmenting drinking water supply in water-stressed areas. However, beneficial use relies on improved treatment of stormwater runoff to remove mobile dissolved metals and trace organic contaminants (TrOCs). This study assesses six engineered media mixtures consisting of sand, zeolite, high-temperature gasification biochar, and regenerated activated carbon (RAC) for removing a suite of co-contaminants comprising five metals, three herbicides, four pesticides, a corrosion inhibitor, six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This long-term laboratory-scale column study uses a novel approach to generate reproducible synthetic stormwater that incorporates catch basin material and straw-derived dissolved organic carbon. Higher flow conditions (20 cm hr^-1), larger sized media (0.42-1.68 mm), and downflow configuration with outlet control increase the relevance of this study to better enable implementation in the field. Biochar- and RAC-amended engineered media filters removed nearly all of the TrOCs in the effluent over the course of three months of continuous flow (480 empty bed volumes), while sample ports spaced at 25% and 50% along the column depth provide windows to observe contaminant transport. Biochar provided greater benefit to TrOC removal than RAC on a mass basis. This study used relatively high concentrations of contaminants and low biochar and RAC content to observe contaminant transport. Performance in the field is likely to be significantly better with higher biochar- and RAC-content filters and lower ambient stormwater contaminant concentrations. This study provides proof-of-concept for biochar- and RAC-amended engineered media filters operated at a flow rate of 20 cm hr^-1 for removing dissolved TrOCs and metals and offers insights on the performance of biochar and RAC for improved stormwater treatment and field trials.

Beach showers as sources of contamination for sunscreen pollution in marine protected areas and areas of intensive beach tourism in Hawaii, USA

In 2019, sands in nearby runoff streams from public beach showers were sampled on three islands in the State of Hawaii and tested for over 18 different petrochemical UV filters. Beach sands that are directly in the plume discharge of beach showers on three of the islands of Hawaii (Maui, Oahu, Hawai'i) were found to be contaminated with a wide array of petrochemical-based UV-filters that are found in sunscreens. Sands from beach showers across all three islands had a mean concentration of 5619 ng/g of oxybenzone with the highest concentration of 34,518 ng/g of oxybenzone at a beach shower in the Waikiki area of Honolulu. Octocrylene was detected at a majority of the beach shower locations, with a mean concentration of 296.3 ng/g across 13 sampling sites with the highest concentration of 1075 ng/g at the beach shower in Waikiki. Avobenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and benzophenone-2 were detected, as well as breakdown products of oxybenzone, including benzophenone-1, 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, and 4-hydroxybenzophenone. Dioxybenzone (DHMB) presented the highest concentration in water (75.4 ng/mL), whereas octocrylene was detected in all water samples. Some of these same target analytes were detected in water samples on coral reefs that are adjacent to the beach showers. Risk assessments for both sand and water samples at a majority of the sampling sites had a Risk Quotient > 1, indicating that these chemicals could pose a serious threat to beach zones and coral reef habitats. There are almost a dozen mitigation options that could be employed to quickly reduce contaminant loads associated with discharges from these beach showers, like those currently being employed (post-study sampling and analysis) in the State of Hawaii, including banning the use of sunscreens using petrochemical-based UV filters or educating tourists before they arrive on the beach.

Changing bioavailability of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to plant in biosolids amended soil through stabilization or mobilization

Biosolids containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) could contaminate the receiving environments once they are land applied. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of controlling the bioavailability of PFAS in biosolids to timothy-grass through stabilization or mobilization approaches. Stabilization was accomplished by adding a sorbent (i.e. granular activated carbon (GAC), RemBind, biochar) to biosolids, while mobilization was achieved by adding a surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), to biosolids. The results showed that the ΣPFAS concentration in grass shoots grown in biosolids amended soil treated by GAC or RemBind at 2% was only 2.77% and 3.35% of the ΣPFAS concentration detected in shoots grown in biosolids amended soil without a sorbent, respectively, indicating the effectiveness of GAC and RemBind for stabilizing PFAS and reduce their bioavailability. On the other hand, mobilization by adding SDS to biosolids at a dose range of 10-100 mg/kg significantly increased the plant uptake of ΣPFAS by 15.48%-108.57%. Thus, mobilization by adding SDS could be a valuable approach for enhancing the PFAS removal if phytoremediation is applied. Moreover, higher rate of PFAS uptake took place after grass cutting was observed in this study. Thus, proper mowing and regrowth of timothy-grass could lead to efficient and cost-effective removal of PFAS from biosolids amended soil through phytoremediation and leave the site clean to be used for other purposes.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) retention by colloidal activated carbon (CAC) using dynamic column experiments

Developing effective remediation methods for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-contaminated soils is a substantial step towards counteracting their widespread occurrence and protecting our ecosystems and drinking water sources. Stabilisation of PFAS in the subsurface using colloidal activated carbon (CAC) is an innovative, yet promising technique, requiring better understanding. In this study, dynamic soil column tests were used to assess the retardation of 10 classical perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) (C₅-C₁₁ perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and C₄, C₆, C₈ perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs)) as well as two alternative PFAS (6:2 and 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonates) using CAC at 0.03% w/w, to investigate the fate and transport of PFAS under CAC treatment applications. Results showed high retardation rates for long-chain PFAS and eight times higher retardation for the CAC-treated soil compared to the non-treated reference soil for the ∑PFAS. Replacement of shorter chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), such as perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), by longer chained PFAS was observed, indicating competition effects. Partitioning coefficients (K_d values) were calculated for the CAC fraction at ∼10³-10⁵ L kg^-1 for individual PFAS, while there was a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) between perfluorocarbon chain length and K_d. Mass balance calculations showed 37% retention of ∑PFAS in treated soil columns after completion of the experiments and 99.7% higher retention rates than the reference soil. Redistribution and elution of CAC were noticed and quantified through organic carbon analysis, which showed a 23% loss of carbon during the experiments. These findings are a step towards better understanding the extent of CAC's potential for remediation of PFAS-contaminated soil and groundwater and the limitations of its applications.

Impact of ozone-biologically active filtration on the breakthrough of Perfluoroalkyl acids during granular activated carbon treatment of municipal wastewater effluent

The presence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in municipal wastewater has highlighted the need to develop PFAA treatment approaches for wastewater effluent and potable reuse applications. Ozone (O₃) and biologically active filtration (BAF) were investigated as standalone and combined pretreatment processes to improve the performance of granular activated carbon (GAC) for PFAA removal from wastewater effluent. As individual processes, ozonation at all three investigated doses (0.35, 0.75, 1.0 mg O₃/mg DOC) and BAF at both tested empty bed contact times (EBCT; 15 and 20 min) led to significant improvement in PFAA removal by subsequent GAC treatment. With respect to standalone ozonation, the specific O₃ dose of 0.75 mg O₃/mg DOC was proven to be the optimum operating condition as further increase of the specific ozone dose to 1.0 mg O₃/mg DOC did not provide considerable additional improvement. Extending the EBCT during standalone BAF from 15 to 20 minutes significantly improved the efficacy of GAC for the removal of tested PFAAs. Pretreatment with O₃-BAF (0.75 mg O₃/mg DOC; 20 min EBCT) in tandem outperformed both standalone ozonation and BAF for the removal of PFAA by GAC. Characterization of effluent organic matter (EfOM) by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) before and after pretreatments suggest that among multiple co-occurring phenomena, the shift towards smaller and more polar EfOM may have predominantly alleviated pore constriction/blockage without having adverse impact on direct site competition. This observation is supported by SEC and FT-ICR-MS results indicating reduced EfOM molecular size through O₃ and BAF pretreatment as well as transition to more hydrophilic byproducts.

Recent progress and challenges on the removal of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from contaminated soil and water

Currently, due to an increase in urbanization and industrialization around the world, a large volume of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) containing materials such as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), protective coatings, landfill leachates, and wastewater are produced. Most of the polluted wastewaters are left untreated and discharged into the environment, which causes high environmental risks, a threat to human beings, and hampered socioeconomic growth. Developing sustainable alternatives for removing PFAS from contaminated soil and water has attracted more attention from policymakers and scientists worldwide under various conditions. This paper reviews the recent emerging technologies for the degradation or sorption of PFAS to treat contaminated soil and water. It highlights the mechanisms involved in removing these persistent contaminants at a molecular level. Recent advances in developing nanostructured and advanced reduction remediation materials, challenges, and perspectives in the future are also discussed. Among the variety of nanomaterials, modified nano-sized iron oxides are the best sorbents materials due to their specific surface area and photogenerated holes and appear extremely promising in the remediation of PFAS from contaminated soil and water.

Ozonation of organic compounds in water and wastewater: A critical review

Ozonation has been applied in water treatment for more than a century, first for disinfection, later for oxidation of inorganic and organic pollutants. In recent years, ozone has been increasingly applied for enhanced municipal wastewater treatment for ecosystem protection and for potable water reuse. These applications triggered significant research efforts on the abatement efficiency of organic contaminants and the ensuing formation of transformation products. This endeavor was accompanied by developments in analytical and computational chemistry, which allowed to improve the mechanistic understanding of ozone reactions. This critical review assesses the challenges of ozonation of impaired water qualities such as wastewaters and provides an up-to-date compilation of the recent kinetic and mechanistic findings of ozone reactions with dissolved organic matter, various functional groups (olefins, aromatic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, aliphatic nitrogen-containing compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, hydrocarbons, carbanions, β-diketones) and antibiotic resistance genes.

Leveraging DOM UV absorbance and fluorescence to accurately predict and monitor short-chain PFAS removal by fixed-bed carbon adsorbers

Carbon adsorbent fouling by dissolved organic matter (DOM) inhibits the ability of the widely-used rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) to accurately predict the removal of organic micropollutants (OMP) from water by full-scale carbon adsorbers. Here, the adsorption of 11 short-chain per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater, surface water, and wastewater was examined in pilot columns as well as RSSCTs using constant diffusivity (CD) and proportional diffusivity (PD) designs. Neither the CD- or PD-RSSCT accurately predicted pilot adsorber breakthrough of PFAS using standard diffusional mass transfer models. However, PFAS breakthrough relative to optical property (e.g., peak C, UV absorbance at 254 nm) breakthrough remained constant between pilot column, CD-RSSCT, and PD-RSSCT designs. This finding permitted accurate breakthrough predictions for the sum of PFAS and for 9 of the 11 PFAS on an individual basis in pilot columns using RSSCTs. Multiple linear regressions incorporating influent and treated water optical parameters enabled the modeling approach to be applied to water sources with heterogeneous DOM characteristics. It is hypothesized that this methodology was successful because (i) optical parameters adequately quantified the competitive nature of DOM and their adsorption behaved similar to OMP and (ii) competitive adsorption by low-molecular weight DOM was the predominant fouling mechanism. An OMP monitoring approach was developed for waters containing DOM with heterogenous characteristics that also relied on raw and treated water optical properties. UVA254 and fluorescence monitoring could therefore enable water treatment to remove PFAS in a variety of scenarios that face inhibitory cost and analytical limitations, such as decentralized and low-resource settings.

A review on per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in microplastic and food-contact materials

Plastic, paper and cardboard are widely used as food contact materials (FCMs), due to its numerous favourable characteristics. However, they are usually coated with hazardous substances, such as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs). PFASs, with its functional properties of oil- and water-repellency, can migrate from FCMs into the food and cause potential risk to human health. There are also increasing concerns about the harm that FCMs can cause to the environment. These concerns include accumulation of non-degradable plastics in the environment, generation of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics, and release of PFASs from FCMs. While many reviews have been conducted on PFASs in the environment, including their occurrence, fate, toxicity, biodegradation, migration in ecosystems and remediation technologies, a systematic review of PFASs in FCMs and MPs is currently lacking. In addition, our knowledge of the PFAS sorption processes on MPs is rather limited, and in particular their desorption processes. Thus, this review aims to (1) review the presence of various classes of PFASs in FCMs and their migration into food, (2) review the PFASs in MPs and summarize the sorption mechanisms, and factors that influence their sorption behaviour on MPs in the aquatic environment, and (3) identify the current research gaps and future research directions to predict the risks associated with the presence and sorption of PFASs in FCMs and MPs.

A Review of Treatment Techniques for Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Substances

In recent years, an increasing amount of short-chain perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) alternatives has been used in industrial and commercial products. However, short-chain PFASs remain persistent, potentially toxic, and extremely mobile, posing potential threats to human health because of their widespread pollution and accumulation in the water cycle. This study systematically summarized the removal effect, operation conditions, treating time, and removal mechanism of various low carbon treatment techniques for short-chain PFASs, involving adsorption, advanced oxidation, and other practices. By the comparison of applicability, pros, and cons, as well as bottlenecks and development trends, the most widely used and effective method was adsorption, which could eliminate short-chain PFASs with a broad range of concentrations and meet the low-carbon policy, although the adsorbent regeneration was undesirable. In addition, advanced oxidation techniques could degrade short-chain PFASs with low energy consumption but unsatisfied mineralization rates. Therefore, combined with the actual situation, it is urgent to enhance and upgrade the water treatment techniques to improve the treatment efficiency of short-chain PFASs, for providing a scientific basis for the effective treatment of PFASs pollution in water bodies globally.

Effective destruction of perfluorooctanoic acid by zero-valent iron laden biochar obtained from carbothermal reduction: Experimental and simulation study

This study investigated the degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) on zerovalent iron-laden biochar (BC-ZVI) prepared by carbothermal reduction. Results show that over 99% PFOA can be removed by BC-ZVI in hydrothermal conditions under 240 °C within 6 h. The maximum defluorination rate of 63.2% was achieved after 192 h, and this outcome was significantly better than biochar (BC) and zero-valent iron (ZVI) alone. The short-chain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and perfluoroheptanal were detected in the liquid phase after degradation, suggesting that the degradation of PFOAs by BC-ZVI followed the Kobel decarboxylation process. XRD and SEM-EDS analyses strongly suggested that carbothermal reduction could avoid the agglomeration of ZVI loaded onto biochar, which helped make the PFOA degradation more efficient. The frontier molecular orbital theory calculated by density functional theory revealed there were two possibilities for ZVI loading on BC (edged or internal loading), while the edge loaded ZVI had a greater tendency to provide electrons for the defluorination of PFOA than internally loaded ZVI.

Selectivity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Sensors and Sorbents in Water

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of engineered chemicals that have been widely used in industrial production. PFAS have drawn increasing attention due to their frequent occurrence in the aquatic environment and their toxicity to animals and humans. Developing effective and efficient detection and remediation methods for PFAS in aquatic systems is critical to mitigate ongoing exposure and promote water reuse. Adsorption-based removal is the most common method for PFAS remediation since it avoids hazardous byproducts; in situ sensing technology is a promising approach for PFAS monitoring due to its fast response, easy operation, and portability. This review summarizes current materials and devices that have been demonstrated for PFAS adsorption and sensing. Selectivity, the key factor underlying both sensor and sorbent performance, is discussed by exploring the interactions between PFAS and various probes. Examples of selective probes will be presented and classified by fluorinated groups, cationic groups, and cavitary groups, and their synergistic effects will also be analyzed. This review aims to provide guidance and implication for future material design toward more selective and effective PFAS sensors and sorbents.

Occurrence and removal of poly/perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants

The presence of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has caused serious problems for drinking water supplies especially at intake locations close to PFAS manufacturing facilities, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and sites where PFAS-containing firefighting foam was regularly used. Although monitoring is increasing, knowledge on PFAS occurrences particularly in municipal and industrial effluents is still relatively low. Even though the production of C8-based PFAS has been phased out, they are still being detected at many WWTPs. Emerging PFAS such as GenX and F-53B are also beginning to be reported in aquatic environments. This paper presents a broad review and discussion on the occurrence of PFAS in municipal and industrial wastewater which appear to be their main sources. Carbon adsorption and ion exchange are currently used treatment technologies for PFAS removal. However, these methods have been reported to be ineffective for the removal of short-chain PFAS. Several pioneering treatment technologies, such as electrooxidation, ultrasound, and plasma have been reported for PFAS degradation. Nevertheless, in-depth research should be performed for the applicability of emerging technologies for real-world applications. This paper examines different technologies and helps to understand the research needs to improve the development of treatment processes for PFAS in wastewater streams.

Efficient adsorptive removal of short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids using reed straw-derived biochar (RESCA)

Drinking water and groundwater treatment of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) heavily relies on adsorption-based approaches using carbonaceous materials, such as granular activated carbon (GAC). Application of GAC is restricted by its inefficiency to remove short-chain PFAAs that have prevalently emerged as substitutes and/or metabolites of long-chain polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Here, we synthesized reed straw-derived biochar (RESCA) exhibiting exceptional removal efficiencies (>92%) toward short-chain PFAAs at environment-relevant concentrations (e.g., 1 μg/L). Pseudo-second-order kinetic constants of RESCA were 1.13 and 1.23 L/(mg h) for perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), respectively, over six times greater than GAC. SEM imaging and BET analysis revealed the combination of highly hydrophobic surface and scattered distribution of mesopores (2-10 nm in diameter) was associated with the rapid adsorption of short-chain PFAAs. RESCA-packed filters demonstrated effective removal of the mixture of three short-chain and three long-chain PFAAs in the influent with the flow rate up to 45 mL/min. In contrast, GAC-packed filters were significantly less efficient in the removal of short-chain PFAAs, which were also negatively affected by the increase of the flow rate. Efficacy of RESCA-packed filters was also validated in four PFAA-spiked groundwater samples from different sites. Dissolved organic matter (DOC) of >8 mg/L can negatively affect the removal of short-chain PFAAs by RESCA. Feasibility of scaling up the RESCA adsorption system was investigated using breakthrough simulation. Overall, RESCA represents a green adsorbent alternative for the feasible and scalable treatment of a wide spectrum of PFAAs of different chain lengths and functional moieties.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance remediation from soil and sorbents: A review of adsorption behaviour and ultrasonic treatment

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are xenobiotics, present at variable concentrations in soils and groundwater worldwide. Some of the current remediation techniques being researched or applied for PFAS-impacted soils involve solidification-stabilisation, soil washing, excavation and disposal to landfill, on site or in situ smouldering, thermal desorption, ball milling and incineration. Given the large volumes of soil requiring treatment, there is a need for a more environmentally friendly technique to remove and treat PFASs from soils. Sorbents such as granular/powdered activated carbon, ion exchange resins and silicas are used in water treatment to remove PFAS. In this work, PFAS adsorption mechanisms and the effect of pore size, pH and organic matter on adsorption efficacy are discussed. Then, adsorption of PFAS to soils and sorbents is considered when assessing the viability of remediation techniques. Sonication-aided treatment was predicted to be an effective removal technique for PFAS from a solid phase, and the effect of varying frequency, power and particle size on the effectiveness of the desorption process is discussed. Causes and mitigation strategies for possible cavitation-induced particle erosion during ultrasound washing are also identified. Following soil remediation, degrading the extracted PFAS using sonolysis in a water-organic solvent mixture is discussed. The implications for future soil remediation and sorbent regeneration based on the findings in this study are given.

Investigation of an immobilization process for PFAS contaminated soils

A two-phased bench-scale study was conducted to evaluate various sorbents for possible use as chemical stabilizing agents, along with cement solidification, for possible use in an in-situ solidification/stabilization (immobilization) treatment process for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) contaminated soils. The first phase involved sorption experiments for six selected PFAS compounds diluted in a water solution, using five selected sorbents: granular activated carbon (GAC), activated carbon-clay blend, modified clay, biochar, iron (Fe)-amended biochar, and Ottawa sand as a control media. The second phase involved chemical stabilization treatment (via sorption), using the most effective sorbent identified in the first phase, followed by solidification of two soils from PFAS-contaminated sites. Physical solidification was achieved by adding cement as a binding agent. Results from the first phase (sorption experiments) indicated that GAC was slightly more successful than the other sorbents in sorption performance for a 3000 μg/L solution containing a mixture of the six selected PFAS analytes (500 μg/L concentration each of shorter- and longer-chain alkyl acids), and was the only sorbent used in the second phase of this study. While the GAC, activated carbon-clay blend, and modified clay sorbents showed similar sorption performance for the longer chain analytes tested, both the activated carbon-clay blend and modified clay, exhibited slightly less sorptive capacity than GAC for the shorter-chain alkyl acids. Immobilization effectiveness was evaluated by soil leachability testing using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1312, Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) on the samples collected from two PFAS-contaminated sites. For the majority of the PFAS soil analytes, the addition of GAC sorbent (chemical stabilization) substantially reduced the leachability of PFAS compounds from the contaminated soil samples, and the addition of cement as a physical binding agent (solidification) further decreased leachability for a few of the PFAS compounds. Overall immobilization of PFAS analytes that were detectable in the leachate from two PFAS contaminated soils ranged from 87.1% to 99.9%. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider that the laboratory testing results presented here may have application to further pilot or limited field-scale studies within a broader suite of PFAS-contaminated site treatment options that are currently available for treating PFAS contaminated soils.

A review of the occurrence, transformation, and removal of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater treatment plants

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise more than 4,000 anthropogenically manufactured compounds with widescale consumer and industrial applications. This critical review compiles the latest information on the worldwide distribution of PFAS and evaluates their fate in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). A large proportion (>30%) of monitoring studies in WWTPs were conducted in China, followed by Europe (30%) and North America (16%), whereas information is generally lacking for other parts of the world, including most of the developing countries. Short and long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) were widely detected in both the influents (up to 1,000 ng/L) and effluents (15 to >1,500 ng/L) of WWTPs. To date, limited data is available regarding levels of PFAS precursors and ultra-short chain PFAS in WWTPs. Most WWTPs exhibited low removal efficiencies for PFAS, and many studies reported an increase in the levels of PFAAs after wastewater treatment. The analysis of the fate of various classes of PFAS at different wastewater treatment stages (aerobic and/aerobic biodegradation, photodegradation, and chemical degradation) revealed biodegradation as the primary mechanism responsible for the transformation of PFAS precursors to PFAAs in WWTPs. Remediation studies at full scale and laboratory scale suggest advanced processes such as adsorption using ion exchange resins, electrochemical degradation, and nanofiltration are more effective in removing PFAS (~95-100%) than conventional processes. However, the applicability of such treatments for real-world WWTPs faces significant challenges due to the scaling-up requirements, mass-transfer limitations, and management of treatment by-products and wastes. Combining more than one technique for effective removal of PFAS, while addressing limitations of the individual treatments, could be beneficial. Considering environmental concentrations of PFAS, cost-effectiveness, and ease of operation, nanofiltration followed by adsorption using wood-derived biochar and/or activated carbons could be a viable option if introduced to conventional treatment systems. However, the large-scale applicability of the same needs to be further verified.

What is specific in adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids on carbon materials?

Various activated carbon products show wide variability in adsorption performance towards perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and predictive tools are largely missing. In order to gain a better understanding on the adsorption mechanisms of PFAAs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was compared with its fluorine-free analogon octanoic acid (OCA) as well as phenanthrene (nonionic) in terms of their response towards changes in carbon surface chemistry. For this approach, a commercial activated carbon felt (ACF) with high content of acidic surface groups was modified by amino-functionalisation as well as thermal defunctionalisation in H₂ (yielding DeCACF). While improvement by amino-functionalisation was moderate, defunctionalisation drastically enhanced adsorption of PFOA and other PFAAs. In comparison, OCA and phenanthrene were much less affected. Electrostatic interactions and charge compensation provided by positively charged surface sites (quantified by their anion exchange capacity) are obviously more crucial for PFAAs than for common organic acids (such as the tested OCA). A possible reason is their exceptionally strong acidity with pK_a < 1. Nevertheless, at the best modified ACF material (DeCACF) the sorption coefficients (K_d) for PFOA and perfluorooctylsulfonic acid (PFOS) at environmentally relevant concentrations reach the range of 10⁷ L/kg which is outstanding. DeCACF provides a surface with overall low polarity (low O-content), low density of acidic sites causing electrostatic repulsion, but nevertheless a sufficient density of charge-balancing sites for organic anions. The results of the present study contribute to an optimized selection of adsorbents for PFAA adsorption from water considering also various salt matrices and the presence of natural organic matter.

Sorption of perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) onto granular activated carbon and biochar

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have attracted increasing concerns owing to their potential ecotoxicological effects. The sorption of PFASs, i.e. perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutansulfonic acid (PFBS), by granular activated carbon (GAC) and softwood-derived biochar was studied. The sorption equilibrium of PFASs on GAC was obtained within 3-24 h, while the time required to reach equilibrium for biochar was 12-48 h. PFASs sorption on both GAC and biochar were well represented by the pseudo-second-order model. In the case of sorption isotherms, the PFAS sorption capacity was chain-length dependent with following order: PFOS > PFOA > PFBS > PFBA. GAC exhibited high maximum Langmuir sorption capacity for both PFOS (123.5 µmol g^-1) and PFOA (86.2 µmol g^-1), which were 43% and 39.6% greater than biochar. The maximum sorption capacity for PFBS on GAC (48.3 µmol g^-1) was higher than that for PFBA (31.4 µmol g^-1), while the opposite sorption trend was observed for biochar. The sorption mechanisms involved both electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interaction. The sorption of PFASs increased with the decrease in pH. The competitive sorption of PFASs occurred during the sorption process, resulting in decreased PFASs removal efficiencies. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses indicated the presence of a variety of functional groups on the surfaces of adsorbents. Some FTIR responses shifted after sorption, indicating electronic interactions during sorption. All the results indicate that adsorption technology is a feasible method to control the contamination of PFASs, and both GAC and biochar are effective adsorbents for PFASs removal from wastewater.

Biochar Water Treatment for Control of Organic Micropollutants with UVA Surrogate Monitoring

Biochar adsorbent can be produced in low-resource settings using local materials and simple pyrolysis technology, and it has shown promise for uptake of micropollutants (MPs) such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial compounds, and chemicals released from consumer goods present in water at ng/L to μg/L levels. Accordingly, the use of biochar in water treatment applications where granular activated carbon (GAC) is economically or logistically infeasible is gaining interest. Monitoring treatment systems for individual MPs require laboratory analytical techniques that are typically cost-prohibitive and impractical for low-resource settings. Therefore, identification of surrogate parameters(s) for adsorbent bed life that can be measured inexpensively and in the field is a high priority. Background dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous in natural and anthropogenic waters at concentrations typically 1,000 to 100,000 that of MPs. Some constituents of DOM foul the adsorbent and reduce bed life for removal of target contaminants. Aromatic DOM foulants absorb ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 254 nm (UVA₂₅₄). Because DOM fouling directly affects MP adsorption capacity and DOM is a bulk water parameter that can be quantified using relatively inexpensive and portable instruments, it could be exploited as a surrogate for monitoring biochar adsorber bed life under field conditions. The objective of this study was to quantify removal of MPs from waters containing different types and concentrations of background DOM (surface water, wastewater, dump leachate) and thus exhibiting different UVA₂₅₄ breakthrough profiles in bench-scale column experiments. Breakthrough profiles of weakly to moderately adsorbing MPs, including herbicides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and perfluoroalkyl acids, were collected using biochars generated under different pyrolysis conditions and a commercial GAC as a performance benchmark. Optimal conditions for biochar water treatment include using biochar produced from wood at ≥850°C under slightly aerobic conditions, empty bed contact times of ≥30 min, and upstream treatment processes to reduce DOM. Relative UVA₂₅₄ breakthrough (C/C ₀) up to 0.6-0.9 corresponded to ≥90% MP removal for most MP-water combinations studied.

Sequestration and potential release of PFAS from spent engineered sorbents

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have contaminated land and water at numerous sites worldwide that now require remediation. The most common approach for treating contaminated water currently relies on removal of PFAS by sorption. The spent sorbents loaded with PFAS can potentially be disposed of at landfills, provided the sorbed contaminants remain sequestered and certain risk criteria are met. Hence, it is essential that remediation sorbents (i) rapidly adsorb a large variety of PFAS under varying water chemistry conditions, and (ii) do not release the adsorbed PFAS in due course. This review aims at establishing the current state of knowledge about the potential release of PFAS that may occur during and after treatment. The scientific literature currently provides data for a very restricted range of long-chain PFAS. Our knowledge of the dynamics of PFAS adsorption processes on engineered sorbents is limited, and even less is known about their desorption processes. The sorption of PFAS can be strongly affected by changes in the solution pH, ionic strength and dissolved organic matter content, and the process is also subject to complex competition mechanisms in the presence of other PFAS as well as organic contaminants and inorganic salts. Several studies suggest that changes in one or several of these factors may trigger the release of PFAS from engineered sorbents. This phenomenon is more likely to occur for PFAS with shorter carbon chain lengths (<C8), at high pH and in the presence of other PFAS or other anionic sorbates. The release of PFAS from spent sorbent materials, stored or deposited under conditions that vary over time, is highly undesirable, as they can potentially become a secondary source of PFAS in the environment. Our analysis identifies a number of knowledge-gaps that should be urgently addressed in order to design sustainable remediation solutions, including an improved management of spent sorbent materials.

Exploring the factors that influence the adsorption of anionic PFAS on conventional and emerging adsorbents in aquatic matrices

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have raised great concern due to their ubiquity in aquatic environments, and adsorption technologies are among the most promising treatment solutions. This study investigated the key factors that influence the adsorption of anionic PFASs on conventional and emerging adsorbents. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the removal of 20 target PFASs at environmentally relevant concentrations by three different activated carbon (AC) materials and two different β-cyclodextrin polymers (CDPs). Experiments were conducted in Milli-Q water and in groundwater. Major physical properties of the adsorbents were measured, along with general water chemistry parameters for each groundwater sample. Principal component analysis (PCA) was subsequently employed to extract the important associations from the multivariate dataset. The distinct performances of ACs and CDPs were attributed to their different surface chemistry and the distinct nature of their adsorption binding sites. Hydrophobic interactions dominated PFAS adsorption onto ACs while CDPs mostly attracted anionic PFASs via favorable electrostatic interactions. ACs of a smaller average particle size performed better, with our data pointing to an increased external specific surface area as the likely reason. pH and the concentration of cations were the primary contributors to adsorption inhibition in groundwater. Higher pH values limit anionic PFAS adsorption by deprotonating the functional groups on adsorbent surfaces. The elevated levels of cations in some groundwater samples limited the effects of attractive electrostatic interactions. Knowledge of PFAS adsorption mechanisms gained from this study can be used to design more efficient adsorbents and to predict their performance under a range of environmental scenarios.

Removal of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water by adsorption: Role of PFAS chain length, effect of organic matter and challenges in adsorbent regeneration

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a wide group of environmentally persistent organic compounds of industrial origin, which are of great concern due to their harmful impact on human health and ecosystems. Amongst long-chain PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are the most detected in the aquatic environment, even though their use has been limited by recent regulations. Recently, more attention has been posed on the short-chain compounds, due to their use as an alternative to long-chain ones, and to their high mobility in the water bodies. Therefore, short-chain PFAS have been increasingly detected in the environmental compartments. The main process investigated and implemented for PFAS removal is adsorption. However, to date, most adsorption studies have focused on synthetic water. The main objective of this article is to provide a critical review of the recent peer-reviewed studies on the removal of long- and short-chain PFAS by adsorption. Specific objectives are to review 1) the performance of different adsorbents for both long- and short-chain PFAS, 2) the effect of organic matter, and 3) the adsorbent regeneration techniques. Strong anion-exchange resins seem to better remove both long- and short-chain PFAS. However, the adsorption capacity of short-chain PFAS is lower than that observed for long-chain PFAS. Therefore, short-chain PFAS removal is more challenging. Furthermore, the effect of organic matter on PFAS adsorption in water or wastewater under real environmental conditions is overlooked. In most studies high PFAS levels have been often investigated without organic matter presence. The rapid breakthrough of PFAS is also a limiting factor and the regeneration of PFAS exhausted adsorbents is very challenging and needs more research.

Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from aqueous solution - A review

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have gained increasingly global attention in recent years. Due to their unique amphiphilic properties and stability, PFASs are recognized as highly persistent, toxic, and environmentally bioaccumulative. Among several physicochemical technologies, adsorption has been extensively used and proved to be an effective method for removing PFASs from aqueous environment. In this review article, the technical feasibility of the use of different adsorbents, such as activated carbon, ion exchange resins, minerals, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and a wide range of potentially low-cost biosorbents, for PFASs removal from water or wastewater is critically reviewed. The evaluation and comparison of their PFASs sorption behavior in terms of kinetics and isotherms is presented. The mechanisms involved in PFASs adsorption processes, such as diffusion, electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, ion exchange and hydrogen bond, are discussed. The effects of the parameters variability on sorption process are highlighted. Based on the literature reviewed, a few recommendations for future research on PFASs adsorption are also elaborated. Capsule: The adsorption behavior and mechanisms of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on various adsorbents are reviewed.

Research progress on the removal of hazardous perfluorochemicals: A review

Perfluorinated substances are global and ubiquitous pollutants. The persistent organic pollution of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) have drawn attentions worldwide. In view of the current need for sustainable development, many researchers began to study the remediation techniques for PFCs. Due to its unique hydrophobic and oil-phobic characteristics, the requirements for the PFCs removal process are different, so that their remediation techniques are still under continuous exploration. Hence, this review summarized the removal behaviors of various PFCs on different materials which supply a good foundation for future investigations in this field. It is evident from previous literature that every remediation techniques for PFCs has its own advantages. Among various currently evaluated removal methods, adsorption seems to be one of the most commonly used and recognized techniques for PFCs pollution control. Other innovative and promising techniques, such as physical and/or chemical methods, have also been tested for their effectiveness in removing perfluorinated compounds.