Improved photocatalysis of perfluorooctanoic acid in water and wastewater by Ga2O3/UV system assisted by peroxymonosulfate

Bentuo Xu; John L. Zhou; Ali Altaee; Mohammad B. Ahmed; Md Abu Hasan Johir; Jiawei Ren; Xiaowei Li

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124722

Improved photocatalysis of perfluorooctanoic acid in water and wastewater by Ga₂O₃/UV system assisted by peroxymonosulfate

Bentuo Xu, John L. Zhou, Ali Altaee, Mohammad B. Ahmed, Md Abu Hasan Johir, Jiawei Ren, Xiaowei Li

Research output: Journal Publication › Article › peer-review

79 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has attracted considerable attention worldwide due to its widespread occurrence and environmental impacts. This research focused on the photocatalytic process for the treatment of PFOA in water and wastewater. Gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were mixed directly in PFOA solution, which was irradiated under different light sources. The treatment system showed excellent performance that 100% PFOA was degraded within 90 min and 60 min under 254 nm and 185 nm UV irradiation, respectively. Moreover, the degradation efficacy was unaffected by initial PFOA concentration from 50 ng L⁻¹ to 50 mg L⁻¹. Acidic solution (pH 3) improved the degradation process. The quantum yield in the PMS/Ga₂O₃ system under UV light (254 nm) was estimated to be 0.009 mol E⁻¹. Scavengers such as tert-butanol (t-BuOH), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA-Na₂) and benzoquinone (BQ) were added into PFOA solution to prove that sulfate radicals (SO₄^•–), superoxide radical (O₂^•–) and photogenerated electrons (e^–) were the main active species with strong redox ability for PFOA degradation in PMS/Ga₂O₃/UV system. Combined with the intermediates analysis, PFOA was degraded stepwise from long chain compound to shorter chain intermediates. In addition, PFOA in real wastewater exhibited similar degradation efficiency, together with 75–85% TOC removal by Ga₂O₃/PMS under 254 nm UV irradiation. Therefore, Ga₂O₃/PMS system was highly effective for PFOA photodegradation under UV irradiation, which has potential to be applied for the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment in water and wastewater.

Original language	English
Article number	124722
Journal	Chemosphere
Volume	239
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124722
Publication status	Published - Jan 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Perfluorooctanoic acid
Photocatalytic pathway
PMS/GaO/UV system
Quantum yield
Sulfate radicals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Chemistry
General Chemistry
Pollution
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Access to Document

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124722

Cite this

@article{89f39467303e47e4b165b260921f4804,

title = "Improved photocatalysis of perfluorooctanoic acid in water and wastewater by Ga2O3/UV system assisted by peroxymonosulfate",

abstract = "Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has attracted considerable attention worldwide due to its widespread occurrence and environmental impacts. This research focused on the photocatalytic process for the treatment of PFOA in water and wastewater. Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were mixed directly in PFOA solution, which was irradiated under different light sources. The treatment system showed excellent performance that 100\% PFOA was degraded within 90 min and 60 min under 254 nm and 185 nm UV irradiation, respectively. Moreover, the degradation efficacy was unaffected by initial PFOA concentration from 50 ng L−1 to 50 mg L−1. Acidic solution (pH 3) improved the degradation process. The quantum yield in the PMS/Ga2O3 system under UV light (254 nm) was estimated to be 0.009 mol E−1. Scavengers such as tert-butanol (t-BuOH), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA-Na2) and benzoquinone (BQ) were added into PFOA solution to prove that sulfate radicals (SO4•–), superoxide radical (O2•–) and photogenerated electrons (e–) were the main active species with strong redox ability for PFOA degradation in PMS/Ga2O3/UV system. Combined with the intermediates analysis, PFOA was degraded stepwise from long chain compound to shorter chain intermediates. In addition, PFOA in real wastewater exhibited similar degradation efficiency, together with 75–85\% TOC removal by Ga2O3/PMS under 254 nm UV irradiation. Therefore, Ga2O3/PMS system was highly effective for PFOA photodegradation under UV irradiation, which has potential to be applied for the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment in water and wastewater.",

keywords = "Perfluorooctanoic acid, Photocatalytic pathway, PMS/GaO/UV system, Quantum yield, Sulfate radicals",

author = "Bentuo Xu and Zhou, \{John L.\} and Ali Altaee and Ahmed, \{Mohammad B.\} and Johir, \{Md Abu Hasan\} and Jiawei Ren and Xiaowei Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124722",

language = "English",

volume = "239",

journal = "Chemosphere",

issn = "0045-6535",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Improved photocatalysis of perfluorooctanoic acid in water and wastewater by Ga2O3/UV system assisted by peroxymonosulfate

AU - Xu, Bentuo

AU - Zhou, John L.

AU - Altaee, Ali

AU - Ahmed, Mohammad B.

AU - Johir, Md Abu Hasan

AU - Ren, Jiawei

AU - Li, Xiaowei

PY - 2020/1

Y1 - 2020/1

N2 - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has attracted considerable attention worldwide due to its widespread occurrence and environmental impacts. This research focused on the photocatalytic process for the treatment of PFOA in water and wastewater. Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were mixed directly in PFOA solution, which was irradiated under different light sources. The treatment system showed excellent performance that 100% PFOA was degraded within 90 min and 60 min under 254 nm and 185 nm UV irradiation, respectively. Moreover, the degradation efficacy was unaffected by initial PFOA concentration from 50 ng L−1 to 50 mg L−1. Acidic solution (pH 3) improved the degradation process. The quantum yield in the PMS/Ga2O3 system under UV light (254 nm) was estimated to be 0.009 mol E−1. Scavengers such as tert-butanol (t-BuOH), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA-Na2) and benzoquinone (BQ) were added into PFOA solution to prove that sulfate radicals (SO4•–), superoxide radical (O2•–) and photogenerated electrons (e–) were the main active species with strong redox ability for PFOA degradation in PMS/Ga2O3/UV system. Combined with the intermediates analysis, PFOA was degraded stepwise from long chain compound to shorter chain intermediates. In addition, PFOA in real wastewater exhibited similar degradation efficiency, together with 75–85% TOC removal by Ga2O3/PMS under 254 nm UV irradiation. Therefore, Ga2O3/PMS system was highly effective for PFOA photodegradation under UV irradiation, which has potential to be applied for the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment in water and wastewater.

AB - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has attracted considerable attention worldwide due to its widespread occurrence and environmental impacts. This research focused on the photocatalytic process for the treatment of PFOA in water and wastewater. Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were mixed directly in PFOA solution, which was irradiated under different light sources. The treatment system showed excellent performance that 100% PFOA was degraded within 90 min and 60 min under 254 nm and 185 nm UV irradiation, respectively. Moreover, the degradation efficacy was unaffected by initial PFOA concentration from 50 ng L−1 to 50 mg L−1. Acidic solution (pH 3) improved the degradation process. The quantum yield in the PMS/Ga2O3 system under UV light (254 nm) was estimated to be 0.009 mol E−1. Scavengers such as tert-butanol (t-BuOH), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA-Na2) and benzoquinone (BQ) were added into PFOA solution to prove that sulfate radicals (SO4•–), superoxide radical (O2•–) and photogenerated electrons (e–) were the main active species with strong redox ability for PFOA degradation in PMS/Ga2O3/UV system. Combined with the intermediates analysis, PFOA was degraded stepwise from long chain compound to shorter chain intermediates. In addition, PFOA in real wastewater exhibited similar degradation efficiency, together with 75–85% TOC removal by Ga2O3/PMS under 254 nm UV irradiation. Therefore, Ga2O3/PMS system was highly effective for PFOA photodegradation under UV irradiation, which has potential to be applied for the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment in water and wastewater.

KW - Perfluorooctanoic acid

KW - Photocatalytic pathway

KW - PMS/GaO/UV system

KW - Quantum yield

KW - Sulfate radicals

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DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124722

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