Abstract:
In order to promote the reduction and phase-out of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS/PFOSF), and prevent and control environmental risks, it is urgent to carry out safe and harmless treatment of the products, by-products and wastes containing PFOS/PFOSF produced during production and use. The survey and data analysis show that China stopped production of PFOSF in 2021, and the total production of PFOS/PFOSF during 2002-2020 is about 2120 t. Typical liquid wastes containing PFOS/PFOSF include waste firefighting foam, residual liquid collected after use of firefighting foam, waste electroplating solution, process or cleaning wastewater, waste organic solvent, etc. Solid/semisolid wastes include distillation (rectification) still residue, wastewater treatment sludge, contaminated soil, electroplating filter residue, waste adsorbent and filter material, etc. At present, the feasible non-destructive treatment technologies for PFOS/PFOSF liquid wastes mainly include activated carbon and resin adsorption, membrane filtration and coagulation. The feasible PFOS/PFOSF destruction treatment technologies include incineration/cement kiln, ultrasonic degradation and sub/supercritical water treatment, but they all have certain preconditions in their application. For solid/semisolid wastes, feasible PFOS/PFOSF non-destructive treatment technologies include stabilization and landfill, and incineration/cement kiln is currently the most feasible PFOS/PFOSF destructed treatment technology. It is recommended to adopt appropriate treatment and disposal technologies according to the characteristics of typical PFOS/PFOSF wastes, while applying mature technologies, try to adopt sub/supercritical water treatment technology, ultrasonic degradation technology and other relatively new technologies. Wastes with PFOS/PFOSF content ≥50 mg/kg should be treated with PFOS/PFOSF destruction technologies, and wastes with PFOS/PFOSF content <50 mg/kg can be landfilled after stabilization pretreatment.