Photochemical degradation of environmentally persistent perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the presence of Fe(III)

Environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) was difficult to be decomposed under the irradiation of 254 nm UV light. However, in the presence of 80 μmol/L Fe(III), 80% of PFOA with initial concentration of 48 μmol/L (20 mg/L) was effectively degraded and 47.8% of fluorine atoms in PFOA molecule were transformed into inorganic fluoride ion after 4 h reaction. Shorter chain perfluorocarboxylic acids bearing C3–C7 and fluoride ion were detected and identified by LC/MS and IC as the degradation products in the aqueous solution. It was proposed that complexes of PFOA with Fe(III) initiated degradation of PFOA irradiated with 254 nm UV light.