Removal of perfluorinated carboxylates from washing wastewater of perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride using activated carbons and resins

•PFOSF washing wastewater contains high concentrations of perfluorinated carboxylates.•Bamboo-derived activated carbon and resin IRA67 are suitable for PFCA removal.•PFOA is preferentially adsorbed on BAC and IRA67 among different PFCAs.•BAC exhibits stable removal of three PFCAs in the wide pH range.•IRA67 is successfully regenerated and exhibits stable removal in adsorption cycles. Perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF) washing wastewater contains high concentrations of perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) including perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA, 0.10mmol/L), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA, 0.11mmol/L), and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, 0.29mmol/L). For the first time, we investigated the removal of these PFCAs from actual wastewater using the bamboo-derived activated carbon (BAC) and resin IRA67. Adsorption kinetics, effects of adsorbent dose, solution pH, and inorganic ions, as well as regeneration and reuse experiments were studied. The removal percents of three PFCAs by BAC and IRA67 followed the increasing order of PFHxA