Solvent-Free Nonthermal Destruction of PFAS Chemicals and PFAS in Sediment by Piezoelectric Ball Milling

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-14-2023

Abstract

Studies on the destruction of solid per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals and PFAS-laden solid wastes significantly lag behind the urgent social demand. There is a great need to develop novel treatment processes that can destroy nonaqueous PFAS at ambient temperatures and pressures. In this study, we develop a piezoelectric-material-assisted ball milling (PZM-BM) process built on the principle that ball collisions during milling can activate PZMs to generate ∼kV potentials for PFAS destruction in the absence of solvents. Using boron nitride (BN), a typical PZM, as an example, we successfully demonstrate the complete destruction and near-quantitative (∼100%) defluorination of solid PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) after a 2 h treatment. This process was also used to treat PFAS-contaminated sediment. Approximately 80% of 21 targeted PFAS were destroyed after 6 h of treatment. The reaction mechanisms were determined to be a combination of piezo-electrochemical oxidation of PFAS and fluorination of BN. The PZM-BM process demonstrates many potential advantages, as the degradation of diverse PFAS is independent of functional group and chain configurations and does not require caustic chemicals, heating, or pressurization. This pioneering study lays the groundwork for optimizing PZM-BM to treat various PFAS-laden solid wastes.

Identifier

85146174861 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Environmental Science and Technology Letters

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00902

e-ISSN

23288930

First Page

198

Last Page

203

Issue

2

Volume

10

Grant

2120452

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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