Kinetics and Mechanism of the Sonolytic Conversion of the Aqueous Perfluorinated Surfactants, Perfiuorooctanoate (PFOA), and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) into Inorganic Products

The perfluorinated surfactants perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are recognized as widespread in the environment as well as recalcitrant toward most conventional water treatment technologies. In this study, acoustic cavitation as driven by high-frequency ultrasound is shown to be effective in the degradation of aqueous solutions of PFOS and PFOA and effective over a wide range of concentrations from 10 nM to 10 μM for a given compound. Sulfur, fluorine, and carbon mass balances indicate that mineralization occurs immediately following the degradation of the initial perfluorinated surfactant. Near complete conversion of PFOS and PFOA to CO, CO₂, F^-, and SO₄^2- occurs due to pyrolytic reactions at the surface and vapor phase of transiently collapsing cavitation bubbles. The initial PFOS or PFOA pyrolytic degradation occurs at the bubble-water interface and involves the loss of the ionic functional group leading to the formation of the corresponding 1H-fluoroalkane or perfluoroolefin. The fluorochemical intermediates undergo a series of pyrolytic reactions in the bubble vapor leading to C₁ fluoro-radicals. Secondary vapor-phase bimolecular reactions coupled with concomitant hydrolysis converts the C₁ fluoro-radicals to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and HF, forming a proton and fluoride upon dissolution. Sonochemical half-lives, which are calculated from high-temperature gas-phase kinetics, are consistent with kinetic observations and suggest that mineralization occurs shortly after initial perfluorinated surfactant interfacial pyrolysis.