Impact of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) on secondary sludge microorganisms: removal, potential toxicity, and their implications on existing wastewater treatment regulations in Canada

Abstract

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are two of the most commonly researched per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Globally, many long-chain PFAS compounds including PFOS and PFOA are highly...

Sulfonamide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Can Impact Microorganisms Used in Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Trichloroethene Bioremediation

“…The AmPr-FHxSA exposed cultures were unique in containing Acinetobacter , Gram-negative bacteria known to be resistant to antibiotics , Our finding that the most abundant genera in the PFAS-exposed cultures are Gram-negative bacteria is consistent with findings in other microbial systems exposed to PFASs . There are conflicting reports on higher adsorption capacity of anionic PFASs onto Gram-positive or Gram-negative , bacterium models.…”

“…The Sediminibacterium genus only has seven reported species, all of which are also Gram-negative heterotrophic aerobes. Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, all Gram-negative, were reported to increase in activated sludge exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid and PFOS . The inoculum and FHxSA culture shared a small abundance of Vulgatibacter .…”

“…Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, all Gram-negative, were reported to increase in activated sludge exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid and PFOS. 51 The inoculum and FHxSA culture shared a small abundance of Vulgatibacter . The literature on the Vulgatibacer genus, detected in the inoculum and in the FHxSA cultures, is sparse: this genus contains Gram-negative obligate heterotrophic aerobes.…”

“… 54 , 55 Our finding that the most abundant genera in the PFAS-exposed cultures are Gram-negative bacteria is consistent with findings in other microbial systems exposed to PFASs. 51 There are conflicting reports on higher adsorption capacity of anionic PFASs onto Gram-positive 56 or Gram-negative 20 , 57 bacterium models. If sorption to the cell membrane impacts cell function and decreases the abundance of bacteria, our findings suggest that the robustness of Gram-negative bacteria extends to perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides such as AmPr-FHxSA and FHxSA.…”

“…Alpha-and Gammaproteobacteria, all Gram-negative, were reported to increase in activated sludge exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid and PFOS. 51 The inoculum and FHxSA culture shared a small abundance of Vulgatibacter.…”