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6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge of waste water treatment plants
Abstract
The aerobic biotransformation of 6:2 FTS salt [F(CF2)6CH2CH2SO3- K+] was determined in closed bottles for 90d in diluted activated sludge from three waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) to compare its biotransformation potential with that of 6:2 FTOH [F(CF2)6CH2CH2OH]. The 6:2 FTS biotransformation was relatively slow, with 63.7% remaining at day 90 and all observed transformation products together accounting for 6.3% of the initial 6:2 FTS applied. The overall mass balance (6:2 FTS plus observed transformation products) at day 90 in live and sterile treatments averaged 70% and 94%, respectively. At day 90, the stable transformation products observed were 5:3 acid [F(CF2)5CH2CH2COOH, 0.12%], PFBA [F(CF2)3COOH, 0.14%], PFPeA [F(CF2)4COOH, 1.5%], and PFHxA [F(CF2)5COOH 1.1%]. In addition, 5:2 ketone [F(CF2)5C(O)CH3] and 5:2 sFTOH [F(CF2)5CH(OH)CH3] together accounted for 3.4% at day 90. The yield of all the stable transformation products noted above (2.9%) was 19 times lower than that of 6:2 FTOH in aerobic soil. Thus 6:2 FTS is not likely to be a major source of PFCAs and polyfluorinated acids in WWTPs. 6:2 FTOH, 6:2 FTA [F(CF2)6CH2COOH], and PFHpA [F(CF2)6COOH] were not observed during the 90-d incubation. 6:2 FTS primary biotransformation bypassed 6:2 FTOH to form 6:2 FTUA [F(CF2)5CF=CHCOOH], which was subsequently degraded via pathways similar to 6:2 FTOH biotransformation. A substantial fraction of initially dosed 6:2 FTS (24%) may be irreversibly bound to diluted activated sludge catalyzed by microbial enzymes. The relatively slow 6:2 FTS degradation in activated sludge may be due to microbial aerobic de-sulfonation of 6:2 FTS, required for 6:2 FTS further biotransformation, being a rate-limiting step in microorganisms of activated sludge in WWTPs.
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In the citing paper
“Biotransformation of 6:2 FTS has been studied in various mixed microbial culture (e.g., river sediment, activated sludge) (Wang et al., 2011; Ochoa-Herrera, 2016; Zhang et al., 2016) and pure microbial cultures (Key et al., 1998; Van Hamme et al., 2013; Shaw et al., 2019).”
From Formation of perfluorocarboxylic acids from 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) in landfill leachate: Role of microbial communities (2020) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“Desulfonation, considered to be the rate-limiting step in 6:2 FTS biotransformation (Wang et al., 2011), can be catalyzed by monooxygenases.”
From Formation of perfluorocarboxylic acids from 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) in landfill leachate: Role of microbial communities (2020) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“There are few assessments of human and ecological risks associated with 6:2 FTAB and 6:2 FTSA, but these compounds can be further transformed into PFHpA and other short-chain PFCAs in the environment (Harding-Marjanovic et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2016; Wang et al., 2011).”
From Biotransformation of perfluoroalkyl acid precursors from various environmental systems: advances and perspectives (2021) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“Aerobic biotransformation of 6:2 FTSA in WWTP activated sludge resulted in same transformation products as 6:2 FTOH, namely 5:2 sFTOH, 5:2 ketone and short chain PFCAs (Wang et al., 2011).”
From A review of microbial degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Biotransformation routes and enzymes (2023) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“High concentrations of short chain PFAAs among the two campaigns might be due to degradation of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide substances”
From Release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a waste management facility fire to an urban creek (2022) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“it has been suggested that 6:2 FTS and long-chain PFAS (e.g., PFOS) can decompose into short-chain PFAS via biological and abiotic processes e. g., aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge from WWTPs (Wang et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2021).”
From Occurrence of emerging and persistent organic pollutants in the rivers Cam, Ouse and Thames, UK (2025) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“PFAS persist in the environment,5−8”
From Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Groundwater Used as a Source of Drinking Water in the Eastern United States (2022) · cites this paper as [6]
In the citing paper
“The increase of PFAAs has been attributed to the degradation of the PFAS precursor compounds [32, 33], fluorotelomer sulfonoates (FTS) and fluorotelomer alcohols (FOTH), that have been shown to transform to stable PFAAs in WWTP sludge [34, 35].”
From An investigation into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nineteen Australian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (2019) · cites this paper as [35]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Wang, N., Liu, J., Buck, R. C., Korzeniowski, S. H., Wolstenholme, B. W., Folsom, P. W., & Sulecki, L. M.
- Affiliations
- DuPont (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wang, Ning
- Venue
- Chemosphere
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-02
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 853-858
- ISSN
- 0045-6535 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115951227
- Cited by
- 333
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 7.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chemosphere (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate, aerobic biotransformation, activated sludge, wastewater treatment plants, perfluorinated carboxylic acids, perfluoroalkyl acids, degradation intermediates, perfluorobutanoic acid, PFPeA, perfluorohexanoic acid, fluorotelomer carboxylic acids, mass balance
- MeSH terms
- Aerobiosis, Alkanesulfonates, Bacteria, Aerobic, Biotransformation, Chromatography, Liquid, Sewage, Waste Disposal, Fluid, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Tandem Mass Spectrometry
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