Li Y.-FChien W.-YLiu Y.-JLee Y.-CLo S.-LHu C.-Y.SHANG-LIEN LO2021-08-052021-08-052020456535https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85097440388&doi=10.1016%2fj.chemosphere.2020.128949&partnerID=40&md5=0352ffc0e6e8288fd2a57a1942dfeed4https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/577017Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was separated and recovered using a foam flotation process aided by cationic surfactants. The PFOA removal efficiency was in the following decreasing order: OTAB (C8TAB) > DTAB (C10TAB) > CTAB (C16TAB) > TBAB, which indicates that cationic surfactants with an alkyl chain that had a similar length to that of PFOA had higher affinities to PFOA. PFOA removal slightly decreased with increasing ionic strength of the surfactant but did not change with the pH. PFOA could be completely removed in 20 min with 1.25 mM of OTAB in actual wastewater. The energy yield value of foam flotation with a cationic surfactant was much higher than those of other methods, which means that using foam flotation with a cationic surfactant as the collector is a simple, fast, and energy-efficient method to separate and recover PFOA from dilute water solutions. ? 2020 Elsevier LtdBiophysics; Energy efficiency; Flotation; Ionic strength; Alkyl chain; Energy efficient; Energy yields; Foam flotation; Perfluorooctanoic acid; Removal efficiencies; Water solutions; Cationic surfactants; fluorocarbon; octanoic acid derivative; perfluorooctanoic acid; surfactant; wastewater; Caprylates; Fluorocarbons; Surface-Active Agents; Waste Water[SDGs]SDG3[SDGs]SDG6[SDGs]SDG7Biophysics; Energy efficiency; Flotation; Ionic strength; Alkyl chain; Energy efficient; Energy yields; Foam flotation; Perfluorooctanoic acid; Removal efficiencies; Water solutions; Cationic surfactants; fluorocarbon; octanoic acid derivative; perfluorooctanoic acid; surfactant; wastewater; Caprylates; Fluorocarbons; Surface-Active Agents; Waste Waterjournal article10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128949332808432-s2.0-85097440388