Objective To evaluate the effect of conventional treatment process on the removal efficiency of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in water by comparing the concentrations of PFCs between source water and finished water after conventional treatment in both dry season and wet season.
Methods Solid-phase extraction-ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry SPE-UPLC-MS/MS was used to measure 11 kinds of short-and medium-chain PFCs in source water and finished water, and analysis was performed in terms of detection rate, concentration level, and the removal effect of conventional treatment process.
Results The result showed that PFCs were detected in both source water and finished water, with a detection rate of 1.67%-73.3% and 0%-63.3%, respectively. The mean removal rate of ΣPFCs in water by conventional treatment process was 14.4%, and the removal rate of three compounds showed a negative increase. The detection rate and concentration level of PFCs in wet season were higher than those in dry season, and the removal effect of conventional treatment process on PFCs in wet season was better than that in dry season.
Conclusion Conventional treatment process has a limited removal effect on PFCs in drinking water, and in some water plants, the concentration of PFCs in finished water is higher than that in source water. If necessary, more effective water treatment method should be considered to reduce the concentration level of PFCs in drinking water.
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