Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, 410001, Nigeria; Department of Environmental Health and Risk Management, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, 410001, Nigeria; Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, 410001, Nigeria; Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
Chemosphere. 2024 Sep;364:143168. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143168. Epub 2024 Aug 23.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are rampant, toxic contaminants from anthropogenic sources, called forever chemicals for their recalcitrance. Although banned in several parts of the world for public health implications, including liver, kidney, and testicular diseases, PFAS are abundant in water sources due to easy dispersion. With chemical properties resulting from strong hydrophobic bonds, they defile many physicochemical removal methods. Though adsorption processes such as granular activated carbon (GAC) are widely used, they are marred by several limitations, including cost and secondary contamination. Thus, eco-friendly methods involving a synergy of the removal principles have been preferred for ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and near-zero effect on the environment. We present novel eco-friendly methods as the solution to PFAS remediation towards environmental sustainability. Current eco-friendly methods of PFAS removal from water sources, including electrocoagulation, membrane/filtration, adsorption, and phytoremediation methods, were highlighted, although with limitations. Novel eco-friendly methods such as microbial fuel cells, photoelectrical cells, and plasma treatment offer solutions to PFAS remediation and are quite efficient in terms of cost, result, and environmental sustainability. Overall, the successful integration of eco-friendly techniques in a seamless manner ensures the desired result. We also present a balanced position on the ecosystem impact of these ecofriendly methods, noting the successes towards environmental sustainability while exposing the gaps for further research.
全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）是人为来源的普遍存在且有毒的污染物，因其难以降解而被称为“永久性化学物质”。尽管由于易于分散，PFAS 因其对公共健康的影响（包括肝脏、肾脏和睾丸疾病）而在世界上的一些地区被禁止使用，但它们在水源中仍然大量存在。由于具有强疏水键的化学性质，它们玷污了许多物理化学去除方法。虽然颗粒活性炭（GAC）等吸附工艺被广泛使用，但它们存在成本和二次污染等多种限制。因此，为了便于使用、具有成本效益且对环境的影响接近零，已经优先采用涉及去除原理协同作用的环保方法。我们提出了新颖的环保方法，作为解决 PFAS 修复以实现环境可持续性的方案。目前从水源中去除 PFAS 的环保方法，包括电絮凝、膜/过滤、吸附和植物修复方法，虽然存在局限性，但都得到了强调。新型环保方法，如微生物燃料电池、光电电池和等离子体处理，为 PFAS 修复提供了解决方案，在成本、效果和环境可持续性方面都非常高效。总的来说，以无缝方式成功整合环保技术可确保达到预期的效果。我们还对这些环保方法对生态系统的影响提出了平衡的观点，指出了它们在环境可持续性方面取得的成功，同时也暴露了进一步研究的空白。
