Chapter 6
Source and Fate of Perchlorate
in the Environment: A Grave Concern
for World
Paulami Sahu
6.1 Prologue
Perchlorate is an emerging contaminant and considered as a worldwide health issue
as it disrupts normal functioning of human thyroid gland by interfering in iodide
uptake by it and poses serious threat to overall growth of human, dominantly of
foetus and children, by affecting the regulation of metabolism and brain development
(Plummer et al. 2006). Perchlorate (ClO 4
− ) is a naturally occurring inorganic anion
of oxyhalide salts that is frequently detected in the environment (Rajagopalan et al.
2006), and though ClO 4
− of ammonium (NH 4
+ ), potassium (K
+ ), magnesium (Mg 2
+ )
and sodium (Na
+ ) remain inert at solid state, it can pollute water and soil when
dissolved in water (Duncan et al. 2005). Perchloric acid (HClO 4 ) also contaminates
soil and water. As chlorine in ClO 4
− has a maximal +7 oxidation state, it shows a very
strong oxidizing character, and it is highly soluble too (Kumarathilaka et al. 2016). In
terms of kinetics, at ambient condition, ClO 4
− is relatively stable, and this stability
is due to the tetrahedral arrangement of oxygen atoms around central chlorine atom,
and these oxygen atoms restrict central chlorine to react with reductants (Xu et al.
2015). Due to this stable nature, ClO 4
− may persist for very long period of time,
may be decades, in surface and groundwater (Sturchio et al. 2014). This persistent
behaviour of the ClO 4
− compelled many environmentalists to determine the fate
of ClO 4
− in the environment. At ambient temperature, common ClO 4
− compounds
are mainly solid in nature and appeared as white or clear crystals. Their physical
properties and uses are given in Table 6.1.
P. Sahu (B)
School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Sector-30,
Gandhinagar 382030, Gujarat, India
e-mail: paulamisahu@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Kumar et al. (eds.), Contaminants in Drinking and Wastewater Sources,
Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4599-3_6
137
Source and Fate of Perchlorate
in the Environment: A Grave Concern
for World
Paulami Sahu
6.1 Prologue
Perchlorate is an emerging contaminant and considered as a worldwide health issue
as it disrupts normal functioning of human thyroid gland by interfering in iodide
uptake by it and poses serious threat to overall growth of human, dominantly of
foetus and children, by affecting the regulation of metabolism and brain development
(Plummer et al. 2006). Perchlorate (ClO 4
− ) is a naturally occurring inorganic anion
of oxyhalide salts that is frequently detected in the environment (Rajagopalan et al.
2006), and though ClO 4
− of ammonium (NH 4
+ ), potassium (K
+ ), magnesium (Mg 2
+ )
and sodium (Na
+ ) remain inert at solid state, it can pollute water and soil when
dissolved in water (Duncan et al. 2005). Perchloric acid (HClO 4 ) also contaminates
soil and water. As chlorine in ClO 4
− has a maximal +7 oxidation state, it shows a very
strong oxidizing character, and it is highly soluble too (Kumarathilaka et al. 2016). In
terms of kinetics, at ambient condition, ClO 4
− is relatively stable, and this stability
is due to the tetrahedral arrangement of oxygen atoms around central chlorine atom,
and these oxygen atoms restrict central chlorine to react with reductants (Xu et al.
2015). Due to this stable nature, ClO 4
− may persist for very long period of time,
may be decades, in surface and groundwater (Sturchio et al. 2014). This persistent
behaviour of the ClO 4
− compelled many environmentalists to determine the fate
of ClO 4
− in the environment. At ambient temperature, common ClO 4
− compounds
are mainly solid in nature and appeared as white or clear crystals. Their physical
properties and uses are given in Table 6.1.
P. Sahu (B)
School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Sector-30,
Gandhinagar 382030, Gujarat, India
e-mail: paulamisahu@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Kumar et al. (eds.), Contaminants in Drinking and Wastewater Sources,
Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4599-3_6
137