Wastewater
from certain industrial processes can be primary emission
sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and fluorinated
alternatives like chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates (Cl-PFESA).
Two such industrial processes are electroplating and textile printing
and dyeing (PD). This study focused on the fate of Cl-PFESA in wastewater
from these two industrial processes, in comparison to other PFAS,
as they went through different wastewater treatment plants located
in southeast China. The total target PFAS concentrations were 520
± 30 and 4200 ± 270 ng/L at the effluents of the PD WWTP
and electroplating WWTP, respectively. Specifically, 6:2 Cl-PFESA
(18%) and 8:2 Cl-PFESA (0.7%) were abundant in electroplating-wastewater.
Cl-PFESA were also detected in PD wastewater but at trace concentrations
and were likely present due to diffuse emissions. The dissolved-phase
Cl-PFESA and PFAS mass flows through the WWTPs were fairly constant
throughout both facilities. The majority of Cl-PFESA was captured
by sludge sedimentation. However, there were individual treatment
processes that could cause the wastewater concentrations to fluctuate,
and also could lead to relative enrichment of specific Cl-PFESAs as
indicated by the 6:2/8:2 Cl-PFESA ratios. Cl-PFESA and perfluoroalkyl
sulfonic acids were more influenced by the investigated treatment
processes than perfluorocarboxylic acids.
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