Sorption of Perfluorinated Compounds onto different types of sewage sludge and assessment of its importance during wastewater treatment
Abstract
The distribution coefficient (Kd) and the organic carbon distribution coefficient (KOC) were determined for four Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) to three different types of sludge taken from a conventional Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Batch experiments were performed in six different environmental relevant concentrations (200ngL(-1)to 5μgL(-1)) containing 1gL(-1) sludge. Kd values ranged from 330 to 6015, 329 to 17432 and 162 to 11770Lkg(-1) for primary, secondary and digested sludge, respectively. The effects of solution's pH, ionic strength and cation types on PFCs sorption were also evaluated. Sorption capacities of PFCs significantly decreased with increased pH values from 6 to 8. Furthermore, the divalent cation (Ca(2+)) enhanced PFCs sorption to a higher degree in comparison with the monovalent cation (Na(+)) at the same ionic strength. The obtained Kd values were applied to estimate the sorbed fractions of each PFC in different stages of a typical STP and to calculate their removal through treated wastewater and sludge. In primary settling tank, the predicted sorbed fractions ranged from 3% for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) to 55% for Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA), while in activated sludge tank and anaerobic digester sorption was more than 50% for all target compounds. Almost 86% of initial PFOA load is expected to be detected in treated wastewater; while Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), PFUdA and Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) can be significantly removed (>49%) via sorption to primary and excess secondary sludge. In anaerobic digester, the major part (>76%) of target PFCs is expected to be sorbed to sludge, while almost 3% of initial PFOA load will be detected in sludge leachates.
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In some studies, concentrations of PFCAs and PFSAs have increased from influent to final effluent.
“In some studies, concentrations of compounds such as perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA) have increased from influent to final effluent [11, 27, 31].”
From An investigation into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nineteen Australian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (2019) · cites this paper as [27]
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- Authors
- Arvaniti, O. S., Andersen, H. R., Thomaidis, N. S., & Stasinakis, A. S.
- Affiliations
- University of the Aegean (GR)
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Stasinakis, Athanasios S.
- Venue
- Chemosphere
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-09
- Volume
- 111
- Pages
- 405-411
- ISSN
- 0045-6535 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2077160815
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 4.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chemosphere (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- European Social Fund
- 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 › Water Science and Technology › Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal
- Keywords
- perfluorinated compounds, sewage sludge, sorption, distribution coefficient, primary sludge, secondary sludge, anaerobic digestion sludge, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, PFOS, sludge leachate, wastewater treatment, pH effect, cation effects, ionic strength
- MeSH terms
- Adsorption, Caprylates, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Decanoic Acids, Fluorocarbons, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Ions, Osmolar Concentration, Sewage, Mass Spectrometry, Waste Disposal, Fluid, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Water Purification, Solid Phase Extraction
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