Berger, Urs

Hagenaars, An

Herzke, Dorte

Huber, Sandra

Knapen, Dries

Moe, Morten K.

Pabon, Martial

Svenson, Johan

Tr\ufcmper, Monika

Abstract: For several decades, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has widely been used as a fluorinated surfactant in aqueous film forming foams used as hydrocarbon fuel fire extinguishers. Due to concerns regarding its environmental persistence and toxicological effects, PFOS has recently been replaced by novel fluorinated surfactants such as Forafac\uae1157, developed by the DuPont company. The major component of Forafac\uae1157 is a 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB), and a link between the trade name and the exact chemical structure is presented here to the scientific community for the first time. In the present work, the structure of the 6:2 FTAB was elucidated by 1H, 13C and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Moreover, its major metabolites from blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and its photolytic transformation products were identified. Contrary to what has earlier been observed for PFOS, the 6:2 FTAB was extensively metabolized by blue mussel and turbot exposed to Forafac\uae1157. The major metabolite was a deacetylated betaine species, from which mono- and di-demethylated metabolites also were formed. Another abundant metabolite was the 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide. In another experiment, Forafac\uae1157 was subjected to UV-light induced photolysis. The experimental conditions aimed to simulate Arctic conditions and the deacetylated species was again the primary transformation product of 6:2 FTAB. A 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide was also formed along with a non-identified transformation product. The environmental presence of most of the metabolites and transformation products was qualitatively demonstrated by analysis of soil samples taken in close proximity to an airport fire training facility

Institutional Repository Universiteit Antwerpen

The structure of the fire fighting foam surfactant Forafac\uae1157 and its biological and photolytic transformation products

The structure of the fire fighting foam surfactant Forafac\uae1157 and its biological and photolytic transformation products

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Institutional Repository Universiteit Antwerpen