The Occurrence, Behavior, Fate, Risk Assessment, and Treatment of per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Dear Colleagues,

PFAS represent >4000 synthetic chemicals that usually consist of a hydrophobic and lipophilic fluorinated carbon chain and various types of hydrophilic end/head functional groups such as alcohol, carboxylate, sulfonamide, sulfonate, and phosphonates. Thanks to their unique properties as well as their high chemical and thermal stability, since the 1940s, PFAS have been manufactured in large quantities and widely used in a range of consumer, commercial, and industrial applications. In particular, PFAS are the active ingredients in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), which, when mixed with water and discharged, can form an aqueous film that cuts off oxygen from fires. The carbon–fluorine bond in PFAS has a high dissociation energy and many PFAS are recalcitrant to both biotic and abiotic degradation. As a result of their widespread use, recalcitrant nature, and relatively high aqueous solubilities, PFAS are ubiquitous within the soil, groundwater, surface water, and biota. Human exposure to PFAS has been linked to health issues such as cancer, elevated cholesterol, obesity, immune suppression, and endocrine disruption. On April 10, 2024, EPA announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS. This Special Issue seeks research papers, including review articles, that elucidate (1) the occurrence, behavior, fate, and remediation of PFAS within the natural environment (e.g., soil and surface and groundwater); (2) treatment techniques for removing PFAS from both drinking water and wastewater; (3) human and ecological exposure to PFAS, ranging from molecular mechanisms of PFAS toxicity to epidemiological studies; and (4) the social and economic aspects of PFAS pollution, regulation, and remediation.

Dr. Shangping Xu
Dr. Yin Wang
Dr. Joseph E. Mondloch
Guest Editors

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• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
• aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)
• contaminant transport
• groundwater pollution
• surface water pollution
• drinking water pollution
• water treatment
• human and ecological exposure.