Electrochemical degradation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in the presence of natural organic matter

Poulami Mukherjee, Krishnamoorthy Sathiyan, Tomer Zidki, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda, Virender K. Sharma

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a contentious group of highly fluorinated, persistent, and potentially toxic chemicals, have been associated with human health risks. Currently, treatment processes that destroy PFAS are challenged by transforming these contaminants into additional toxic substances that may have unknown impacts on human health and the environment. Electrochemical oxidation (EO) is a promising method for scissoring long-chain PFAS, especially in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM), which interferes with most other treatment approaches used to degrade PFAS. The EO method can break the long-chain PFAS compound into short-chain analogs. The underlying mechanisms that govern the degradation of PFAS by electrochemical processes are presented in this review. The state-of-the-art anode and cathode materials used in electrochemical cells for PFAS degradation are overviewed. Furthermore, the reactor design to achieve high PFAS destruction is discussed. The challenge of treating PFAS in water containing NOM is elucidated, followed by EO implementation to minimize the influence of NOM on PFAS degradation. Finally, perspectives related to maximizing the readiness of EO technology and optimizing process parameters for the degradation of PFAS are briefly discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number124639
JournalSeparation and Purification Technology
Volume325
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Nov 2023

Keywords

  • Boron-doped diamond electrode
  • Electrochemical oxidation
  • Natural organic matter
  • Per-fluoroalkyl substances
  • Water treatment

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