Here, the roles of sediment components in perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) adsorption onto aquatic sediments and relevant adsorption mechanisms were investigated in terms of adsorption isotherms and influences of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) contamination.

Due to the complexity of the sediments, instead of randomly selecting different component sediments, the selective dissolution method was used to better explore the effects of sediment compositions, such as sediment organic matter (SOM) and ferric oxides (dithionite–citrate–bicarbonate DCB] Fe), and TiO₂ NPs pollution on PFOS adsorption. Mathematical equations (Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin) were used to describe the adsorption behavior of PFOS on different sediments and adsorption mechanisms of multiple pollutant interactions. Moreover, the characterization methods of zeta potential, nitrogen (N₂) adsorption–desorption, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, as well as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, explained effects of the sediment components and TiO₂ NPs on PFOS adsorption properties in view of physicochemical theories.

The adsorption isotherms of PFOS on six tested sediments were all nonlinear (Freundlich model, R² = 0.992~1.000). The Freundlich sorption affinities (K_F) of PFOS on S (original sediments), S1 (sediment organic matter (SOM)-removed S), and S2 (ferric oxides (DCB Fe)-removed S1) were 0.232, 0.179, and 0.120, respectively. Both SOM and DCB Fe influenced the physicochemical properties of the sediments, e.g., zeta potential, specific surface area, and permanent negative charge. The addition of TiO₂ NPs increased the K_F of PFOS for S, S1, and S2 by approximately 9.9%, 14.5%, and 26.7%, respectively, by increasing the zeta potential and specific surface area (S_BET, S_ext, and S_micro) and by changing the water and oil properties of the three sediments. However, the addition of TiO₂ NPs decreased the linearity of the sorption isotherm (1/n). FT-IR spectroscopy showed that hydrophobicity, ion exchange, surface complexation, and hydrogen bonding interactions (non-fingerprint region) could all play a role in PFOS sorption onto tested sediments. However, the hypothesis of hydrogen bonding to promote PFOS adsorption on sediment layer silicates (fingerprint region) should be studied further.

The content of both SOM and DCB Fe affected the physicochemical properties of sediment. Both SOM and DCB Fe showed a positive relationship with sorption of PFOS on sediment. The addition of TiO₂ NPs increased PFOS sorption by altering the sediment surface properties. Hydrophobic interactions certainly impelled and ligand and ion exchange and hydrogen bonding (non-fingerprint region) could promote PFOS sorption on the sediments.