Heterogenous Perfluorooctanoic Acid Degradation with Molecular Copper Electrocatalyst

The increasing emission of chemically resistant perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) into the natural environment, along with their global presence in natural and treated waters and in both human and animal organisms, presents a significant environmental challenge. A cost-effective method for the successful degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in aqueous solutions is crucial. Electrochemical oxidation has been demonstrated to uniquely degrade PFOA. In this study, we present a molecular copper (I) complex, [CuT2]•ClO4, in a heterogeneous aqueous system capable of degrading PFOA by up to 84% with a defluorination rate of 91% through anodic oxidation using controlled current electrolysis (CCE). Furthermore, we utilized ESI/MS to identify the degradation products from the electrochemical oxidation of PFOA. The shortening of the PFOA chain results in reduced toxicity due to decreased persistence. Thus, the findings of this study show that the [CuT2]•ClO4 complex is an efficient catalyst for the degradation and defluorination of PFOA.