Peschka M, Fichtner N, Hierse W, Kirsch P, Montenegro E, Seidel M, Wilken RD, Knepper TP. Synthesis and analytical follow-up of the mineralization of a new fluorosurfactant prototype.
Chemosphere 2008;
72:1534-1540. [PMID:
18586299 DOI:
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.04.066]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2008] [Revised: 04/21/2008] [Accepted: 04/22/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Fluorinated surfactants have become essential in numerous technical applications due to their unparalleled effectiveness and efficiency. The environmental persistence of the non-biodegradable perfluorinated alkyl moiety has become a matter of concern. Therefore, it was searched for new molecules with chemically stable fluorinated end groups which can be microbially transformed into labile fluorinated substances. One prototype substance, 10-(trifluoromethoxy)decane-1-sulfonate, has shown biomineralization. Monitoring the formation of metabolites over time elucidated the mechanism of biotransformation. Analysis was performed utilizing liquid chromatography-single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (QqTOF-MS). It was possible to distinguish between two major degradation pathways of the fluorinated alkylsulfonate derivative: (i) a desulfonation and subsequent oxidation and degradation of the alkyl chain being predominant and (ii) an insertion of oxygen with a subsequent cleavage and degradation of the molecule. The utilized trifluoromethoxy-endgroup resulted in instable trifluoromethanol after degradation of the alkyl chain, which led to a high degree of mineralization of the molecule.
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