PFAS in Drinking Water: Risk Factor for Human Life, Modern Sources of Pollution, Methods of Control and Approaches to Water Purification (review)

The current state of aquatic micropollutant contamination is reviewed using polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are widely used in industry and are components of consumer products such as cosmetics, fire-fighting foams, household goods, clothing, pesticides, and food packaging. Due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment, PFAS have been detected in rivers and coastal zones, bottom sediments, soils, landfill leachates, and groundwater. It has been found that, due to their heat-resistant properties, PFAS are used as binders in polymer explosives and in various ammunition components. Toxic contamination from ammunition over time may pose a greater danger to the population than the acute detonation of ammunition. Types of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances are reviewed. It was found that the most common forms are long-chain perfluorinated PFAS substances, which exhibit carcinogenic, reproductive and immunotoxic properties, are bioaccumulative and can cause liver and kidney toxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, obesity, type 2 diabetes and various types of cancer. The main methods for the determination of trace amounts of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds are described, including gas or liquid chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry, which are expensive and require complex sample preparation. Currently, solid-phase extraction is preferred for the concentration of micropollutants, which allows expanding the limits of their detection when using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. A package of tandem chromatography-mass spectrometry methods is recommended for the analysis of PFAS in drinking water. Control methods and approaches to the purification of drinking water sources are reviewed. Electrochemical, sonochemical, advanced oxidation methods, as well as new hybrid methods including the use of nanoadsorbents of natural origin are effective for the removal of short-chain PFAS in laboratory conditions, but have limitations in field application. One of the promising methods for water purification in field conditions is photocatalysis in combination with membrane filtration or electrochemical oxidation.