Adsorption of emerging sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS) onto soils: Kinetics, isotherms and mechanisms

The widespread use of sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS), a typical alternative to perfluorooctane sulfonate, has resulted in potential threats to the environment, but the adsorption behavior of OBS in soils has not yet been reported. In this study, the adsorption behaviors of OBS on five soils with different physicochemical properties were investigated. The rate of OBS adsorption was fast, and most of the OBS uptake was completed within 12 h. The good model fit of OBS adsorption to the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models indicated the occurrence of chemical adsorption. The adsorption isotherms of OBS on the soils were better described by the Freundlich model than by the Langmuir model, suggesting that the OBS adsorption sites on the soils were heterogeneous. This is possibly associated with various adsorption mechanisms including hydrophobic, π-π, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions, further confirmed by the good model fit to the D-R isotherm. Adsorption of OBS occurred on the soils, and the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. In addition, the soils were more suitable for OBS adsorption at lower pH values due to the stronger electrostatic adsorption. The OBS adsorption on the soils decreased with the increase of soil depth from 0 to 30 cm. Moreover, the presence of organic matter and ammonia nitrogen in the soils was favorable for OBS adsorption, and these parameters decreased with increasing soil depth, making OBS adsorption less prominent in the deeper soil. This study indicates that OBS is easily enriched in surface soils, and that soil organic matter and ammonia nitrogen significantly affect OBS migration in soil.