Biotransformation potential of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA) in aerobic and anaerobic sediment
Abstract
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) products are used in industrial and military firefighting around the globe. These products contain fluoroalkylthioamido sulfonates, fluoroalkylthiobetaine, and other related substances as the major ingredients, which can be biotransformed in the environment to form 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA, F(CF2)6CH2CH2SO3-) as one of the major initial biotransformation products. Limited information is available on 6:2 FTSA aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge and pure microbial culture. This is the first study to report 6:2 FTSA biotransformation in aerobic and anaerobic sediment. 6:2 FTSA was rapidly biotransformed in aerobic river sediment with a half-life less than 5 d. Major stable transformation products observed after 90 d included 5:3 Acid [F(CF2)5CH2CH2COOH), 16 mol%), PFPeA [F(CF2)4COOH, 21 mol%] and PFHxA (F(CF2)5COOH, 20 mol%). 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol [6:2 FTOH, F(CF2)6CH2CH2OH] was readily biotransfomed whereas 6:2 FTSA biotransformation did not occur in anaerobic sediment over 100 d, indicating that the enzymatic desulfonation step limited 6:2 FTSA biotransformation in anaerobic sediment. These results suggest that 6:2 FTSA related products, after release to the aerobic environment, is likely to biodegrade forming 5:3 Acid, PFPeA and PFHxA. This study also indicates that 6:2 FTSA formed from its aforementioned precursors may be persistent in the anaerobic environment after their potential release. This work provides insight to understanding the fate and environmental loading of AFFF-related products and their major transformation products in the environment.
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Hamid et al. (2020) indicate that indirect photolysis of 6:2 FTS is a relevant transformation pathway with a 15-day half-life using simulated sunlight in the presence of landfill leachate, suggesting that photolysis is a likely transformation catalyst in sunlit aquatic environments.
“Hamid et al. (2020) 43 indicate that indirect photolysis of 6:2 FTS is a relevant transformation pathway with a 15-day half-life using simulated sunlight in the presence of landfill leachate, suggesting that photolysis is a likely transformation catalyst in sunlit aquatic environments.”
The main PFAA transformation products of 6:2 FTS are short-chain PFCAs.
“The main PFAA transformation products of 6:2 FTS are short-chain PFCAs (Zhang et al., 2016; Yang et al., 2022a; Yang et al., 2022b).”
From Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mass flux and mass balance at an aqueous film-forming foam release site in semiarid eastern New Mexico, USA (2025) · cites this paper as Zhang et al., 2016
Biotransformation of 6:2 FTS has been studied in various mixed microbial cultures and pure microbial cultures.
“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 Zhang et al., 2016
6:2 FTAB and 6:2 FTSA can be further transformed into PFHpA and other short-chain PFCAs in the environment.
“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 Zhang et al., 2016
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References 33 · Cited by 186
- Authors
- Zhang, S., Lu, X., Wang, N., & Buck, R. C.
- Affiliations
- Peking University (CN)
- DuPont (United States) (US)
- Chemours (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wang, Ning
- Venue
- Chemosphere
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-07
- Volume
- 154
- Pages
- 224-230
- ISSN
- 0045-6535 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2317764661
- Cited by
- 186
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 6.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chemosphere (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (41471391)
- 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 › Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
- Keywords
- 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate, aqueous film-forming foam, biotransformation, river sediments, aerobic biodegradation, anaerobic sediments, PFPeA, perfluorohexanoic acid, fluorotelomer alcohols, PFAS, firefighting foam, activated sludge, degradation intermediates
- MeSH terms
- Alcohols, Alkanesulfonates, Anaerobiosis, Biodegradation, Environmental, Biotransformation, Fires, Half-Life, Sewage, Geologic Sediments, Rivers
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