Effects of salinity and organic matter on the partitioning of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAs) to clay particles
Abstract
The influence of salinity and organic matter on the distribution coefficient (K(d)) for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in a brackish water-clay system was studied. The distribution coefficients (K(d)) for PFAs onto inorganic clay surfaces increased with salinity, providing evidence for electrostatic interaction for the sorption of PFAs, whereas the relationship between K(d) and organic carbon content (f(oc)) suggested that hydrophobic interaction is the primary driving force for the sorption of PFAs onto organic matter. The organic carbon normalized adsorption coefficient (K(oc)) of PFAs can be slightly overestimated due to the electrostatic interaction within uncoated inorganic surfaces. In addition, the dissolved organic matter released from coated clay particles seemed to solvate PFA molecules in solution, which contributed to a decrease in K(d). A positive relationship between K(d) and salinity was apparent, but an empirical relationship for the 'salting-out' effect was not evident. The K(d) values of PFAs are relatively small compared with those reported for persistent organic pollutants. Thus, sorption may not be a significant route of mass transfer of PFAs from water columns in estuarine environments. However, enhancement of sorption of PFAs to particulate matter at high salinity values could evoke potential risks to benthic organisms in estuarine areas.
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These KMIN values are similar to the range of Kd values (2.6-14 L/kg for PFOS and 0.5-2.3 L/kg for PFOA) obtained on pure phyllosilicate minerals such as kaolinite and montmorillonite.
“These values are similar to the range of K d values (2.6-14 L kg -1 for PFOS and 0.5-2.3L kg -1 for PFOA) obtained on pure phyllosilicate minerals such as kaolinite and montmorillonite (Jeon et al., 2011;Johnson et al., 2007;Xiao et al., 2011)”
From Modelling the sorption behaviour of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates and perfluoroalkane sulfonates in soils (2021) · cites this paper as Jeon et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Jeon, J., Kannan, K., Lim, B. J., An, K. G., & Kim, S. D.
- Affiliations
- Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
- New York State Department of Health (US)
- Chungnam National University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Kim, Sang Don
- Venue
- Journal of Environmental Monitoring
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1803
- ISSN
- 1464-0325 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-0333
- OpenAlex
- W2093248101
- Cited by
- 263
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 4.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Environmental Monitoring (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DORA Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
- Keywords
- PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluoroalkyl acids, salinity, dissolved organic matter, clay particles, adsorption, distribution coefficient, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, salting-out, estuarine environment, benthic organisms, mass transfer
- MeSH terms
- Clay, Aluminum Silicates, Caprylates, Fluorocarbons, Kinetics, Seawater, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Geologic Sediments, Salinity
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