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Recent advances on PFAS degradation via thermal and nonthermal methods
Citation:
Verma, S., T. Lee, Endalkac Sahle-Demessie, Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, AND Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda. Recent advances on PFAS degradation via thermal and nonthermal methods. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances. Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, 13:100421, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2022.100421
Impact/Purpose:
PFASs have a tremendously strong molecular structure. PFASs are persistent in the environment due to their exceptional physical and chemical properties, so it is a challenge to eliminate them effectively from the environmental matrices. Studies utilizing nonthermal and thermal methods for PFASs mineralization have been effectively investigated, with some drawbacks including the generation of greenhouse gases and harmful by-products. Mostly, thermal and nonthermal treatment technologies have been utilized at the lab scale. In contrast, their full-scale applications have not been investigated precisely to eliminate PFASs.
Description:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a set of synthetic chemicals which contain several carbon-fluorine (C¿F) bonds and have been in production for the past eight decades. PFAS have been used in several industrial and consumer products including nonstick pans, food packaging, firefighting foams, and carpeting. PFAS require proper investigations worldwide due to their omnipresence in the biotic environment and the resulting pollution to drinking water sources. These harmful chemicals have been associated with adverse health effects such as liver damage, cancer, low fertility, hormone subjugation, and thyroid illness. In addition, these fluorinated compounds show high chemical, thermal, biological, hydrolytic, photochemical, and oxidative stability. Therefore, effective treatment processes are required for the removal and degradation of PFAS from wastewater, drinking water, and groundwater. Previous review papers have provided excellent summaries on PFAS treatment technologies, but the focus has been on the elimination efficiency without providing mechanistic understanding of removal/degradation pathways.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Recent advances on PFAS degradation via thermal and nonthermal methods
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