Journal article
Linking PFAS partitioning behavior in sewage solids to the solid characteristics, solution chemistry, and treatment processes
Chemosphere (Oxford), v 271, pp 129530-129530
01 May 2021
PMID: 33482527
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained increasing attention due to the potential health risks that they present. Secondary sludge and biosolids are known as notable PFAS emission routes to the environment. In this study, partitioning behavior of 14 PFAS were investigated across four secondary wastewater treatment types (activated sludge, trickling filter, biological nutrient removal, and rotating biological contactor; n = 10) and three sludge stabilization methods (composting, aerobic digestion, and anaerobic digestion; n = 6). Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate how PFAS sorption to secondary sludge and biosolid was affected by various treatment methods, solid properties, and solution chemistry parameters. Insignificant differences in compound-specific partitioning coefficients (K-d) were observed among the four secondary treatment methods. However, sludge stabilization resulted in significantly different partitioning behavior among biosolid samples, in which anaerobically digested biosolids generally had significantly higher K-d values compared to aerobically digested and composted biosolids (anaerobic digestion > aerobic digestion > composting). Multiple linear regression models were developed to explain analyte-specific K-d values across the biosolid samples and identified that solid-specific property significance was as follows: protein fraction > organic matter fraction > lipid fraction. Stabilization generally decreased the PFAS sorption capacity relative to the secondary sludge samples. Furthermore, PFAS K-d increased with elevated calcium concentrations and ionic strengths and decreased with increasing pH values in sludge and biosolid samples. These findings could inform the decision-making process to reduce the release of PFAS to the environment. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- Linking PFAS partitioning behavior in sewage solids to the solid characteristics, solution chemistry, and treatment processes
- Creators
- Farshad Ebrahimi - Temple UniversityAsa J. Lewis - Drexel UniversityChristopher M. Sales - Drexel UniversityRominder Suri - Temple Univ, Dept Civil & Environm Engn, 1947 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19122 USAErica R. McKenzie - Temple University
- Publication Details
- Chemosphere (Oxford), v 271, pp 129530-129530
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 8
- Grant note
- W911NF1910131 / Army Research Office DURIP CBET-1805588 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF) Temple University College of Engineering 5002 / Water Research Foundation Temple University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000633464400050
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85100137571
- Other Identifier
- 991019168040304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences