Residual organic fluorinated compounds from thermal treatment of PFOA,PFHxA and PFOS adsorbed onto granular activated carbon (GAC)

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) adsorbed onto granular activated carbon (GAC) were thermally treated in N₂ gas stream. The purpose was to assess the fate of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) during thermal regeneration of GAC, which had been used for water treatment. Mineralized F, residual PFASs including short-chained species, and volatile organic fluorine (VOF) were determined. In a temperature condition of 700 °C, VOF were 13.2, 4.8, and 5.9 % as for PFOA, PFHxA, and PFOS. However, the VOF decreased to 0.1 %, if the GAC and off-gas were kept at 1000 °C. No PFASs remained in GAC at 700–1000 °C; at the same time, short-chained PFASs were slightly detected in the aqueous trapping of off-gas at 800 and 900 °C conditions. The destruction of PFASs on GAC could be perfect if the temperature is higher than 700 °C; however, the process is competitive against volatile escape from GAC. Destruction in gaseous phase needs a temperature as high as 1000 °C. Destruction of PFASs on the surface of GAC, volatile escape from the site, and thermolysis in gas phase should be considered, as to thermal regeneration of GAC.     

Polychlorinated biphenyl (118) activates osteoclasts and induces bone resorption in goldfish

To analyze the effect of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 118 on fish bone metabolism, we examined osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, as well as plasma calcium levels, in the scales of PCB (118)-injected goldfish. In addition, effect of PCB (118) on osteoclasts and osteoblasts was investigated in vitro. Immature goldfish, in which the endogenous effects of sex steroids are negligible, were used. PCB (118) was solubilized in dimethyl sulfoxide at a concentration of 10 ppm. At 1 and 2 days after PCB (118) injection (100 ng/g body weight), both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, and plasma calcium levels were measured. In an in vitro study, then, both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities as well as each marker mRNA expression were examined. At 2 days, scale osteoclastic activity in PCB (118)-injected goldfish increased significantly, while osteoblastic activity did not change significantly. Corresponding to osteoclastic activity, plasma calcium levels increased significantly at 2 days after PCB (118) administration. Osteoclastic activation also occurred in the marker enzyme activities and mRNA expressions in vitro. Thus, we conclude that PCB (118) disrupts bone metabolism in goldfish both in vivo and in vitro experiments.     

Investigation of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids in leachates from industrial and municipal solid waste landfills,and their treated waters and effluents from their closest leachate treatment plants

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used in products, such as aqueous film-forming foam and fluorochemical surfactants, because of...     

Matrix diffusion coefficients in volcanic rocks at the Nevada test site: influence of matrix porosity, matrix permeability, and fracture coating minerals

Diffusion cell experiments were conducted to measure nonsorbing solute matrix diffusion coefficients in forty-seven different volcanic rock matrix samples from eight different locations (with multiple depth intervals represented at several locations) at the Nevada Test Site. The solutes used in the experiments included bromide, iodide, pentafluorobenzoate (PFBA), and tritiated water ((3)HHO). The porosity and saturated permeability of most of the diffusion cell samples were measured to evaluate the correlation of these two variables with tracer matrix diffusion coefficients divided by the free-water diffusion coefficient (D(m)/D*). To investigate the influence of fracture coating minerals on matrix diffusion, ten of the diffusion cells represented paired samples from the same depth interval in which one sample contained a fracture surface with mineral coatings and the other sample consisted of only pure matrix. The log of (D(m)/D*) was found to be positively correlated with both the matrix porosity and the log of matrix permeability. A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that both parameters contributed significantly to the regression at the 95% confidence level. However, the log of the matrix diffusion coefficient was more highly-correlated with the log of matrix permeability than with matrix porosity, which suggests that matrix diffusion coefficients, like matrix permeabilities, have a greater dependence on the interconnectedness of matrix porosity than on the matrix porosity itself. The regression equation for the volcanic rocks was found to provide satisfactory predictions of log(D(m)/D*) for other types of rocks with similar ranges of matrix porosity and permeability as the volcanic rocks, but it did a poorer job predicting log(D(m)/D*) for rocks with lower porosities and/or permeabilities. The presence of mineral coatings on fracture walls did not appear to have a significant effect on matrix diffusion in the ten paired diffusion cell experiments.     

Monitoring OH-PCBs in PCB transport worker’s urine as a non-invasive exposure assessment tool

In this study, we analyzed hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) in urine of both PCB transport workers and PCB researchers. A method to monitor OH-PCB in urine was developed. Urine was solid-phase extracted with 0.1% ammonia/ methanol (v/v) and glucuronic acid/sulfate conjugates and then decomposed using β-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase. After alkaline digestion/derivatization, the concentration of OH-PCBs was determined by HRGC/HRMS-SIM. In the first sampling campaign, the worker’s OH-PCB levels increased several fold after the PCB waste transportation work, indicating exposure to PCBs. The concentration of OH-PCBs in PCB transport workers’ urine (0.55~11 μg/g creatinine (Cre)) was higher than in PCB researchers’ urine (< 0.20 μg/g Cre). However, also a slight increase of OH-PCBs was observed in the researchers doing the air sampling at PCB storage area. In the second sampling, after recommended PCB exposure reduction measures had been enacted, the worker’s PCB levels did not increase during handling of PCB equipment. This suggests that applied safety measures improved the situation. Hydroxylated trichlorobiphenyls (OH-TrCBs) were identified as a major homolog of OH-PCBs in urine. Also, hydroxylated tetrachlorobiphenyls (OH-TeCBs) to hydroxylated hexachlorobiphenyls (OH-HxCBs) were detected. For the sum of ten selected major indicators, a strong correlation to total OH-PCBs were found and these can possibly be used as non-invasive biomarkers of PCB exposure in workers managing PCB capacitors and transformer oils. We suggest that monitoring of OH-PCBs in PCB management projects could be considered a non-invasive way to detect exposure. It could also be used as a tool to assess and improve PCB management. This is highly relevant considering the fact that in the next 10 years, approx. 14 million tons of PCB waste need to be managed. Also, the selected populations could be screened to assess whether exposure at work, school, or home has taken place.     

Recovery of Nd and Dy from rare earth magnetic waste sludge by hydrometallurgical process

This paper describes a hydrometallurgical process for recovering neodymium (Nd) and dysprosium (Dy) from a magnetic waste sludge generated from the Nd–Fe–B(–Dy) manufacturing process. Phase analysis by XRD study revealed Nd(OH)₃ and Fe₂O₃ as main mineral phases, and chemical analysis by ICP showed the contents of 35.1 wt% Nd, 29.5 wt% Fe, 1.1 wt% Dy and 0.5 wt% B. A solution of 1 M HNO₃ + 0.3 M H₂O₂ was used to dissolve up to 98 % Nd and 81 % Dy, while keeping Fe dissolution below 15 % within 10 min. Fe dissolved in solution was completely removed as Fe(OH)₃ at pH 3 followed by precipitation of Nd and Dy with oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) and recovered 91.5 % of Nd and 81.8 % of Dy from solution. The precipitate containing Nd and Dy was calcined at 800 °C to obtain Nd₂O₃ as final product with 68 % purity, and final recovery of 69.7 % Nd and 51 % of Dy was reported in this process.