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WHAT HAPPENS TO FLUOROTELOMER POLYMER PRODUCTS DURING WASTEWATER TREATMENT?
Citation:
BOULANGER, B., M. MILLS, C. M. ACHESON, AND T. J. HOLDSWORTH. WHAT HAPPENS TO FLUOROTELOMER POLYMER PRODUCTS DURING WASTEWATER TREATMENT? Presented at SETAC 2006. 27th Annual Meeting of The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Montreal, QC, CANADA, November 05 - 09, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Fluorotelomer based polymers formulate numerous products relied upon by society. Despite their widespread use and high opportunity for down-the-drain disposal, the fate and stability of fluorotelomer polymer products in wastewater treatment systems remains unknown. To address this issue, our research investigates the fate of four fluorotelomer polymer products under aerobic biological wastewater treatment conditions. The specific aims of our research are to: 1) understand the composition of fluorotelomer polymer formulations released to the environment. 2) determine how fluorotelomer components of the polymer formulation will partition during aerobic biological wastewater treatment, and 3) determine the biotransformation potential of fluorotelomer polymer products during aerobic biological wastewater treatment. Our evaluation is part of an Agency-wide effort to understand the importance of fluorinated surfactants in the environment and has been undertaken at a direct request for support from the Office of Pollution, Prevention, and Toxics.