Advancements in Pfas Treatment Solutions

Exciting update from Rice University in Texas! Researchers have unveiled a cutting-edge technology with the potential to transform environmental cleanup endeavors. Through the utilization of flash joule heating (FJH), a rapid heating method, they have devised a way to upcycle granular activated carbon (GAC) typically used in PFAS water filtration. This groundbreaking technique not only aids in environmental preservation but also offsets some of the cleanup expenses. By conducting computer simulations and laboratory trials, the team illustrated that subjecting PFAS to extreme temperatures exceeding 3,000 °C (5,432 °F) can efficiently disintegrate the harmful compounds. Through the incorporation of sodium and calcium salts as mineralizing agents, useful salts such as sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride salts are formed as a byproduct. https://lnkd.in/dJXSQHqf

Ultrasound may rid groundwater of toxic 'forever chemicals'. Ohio State University. Published: September 28, 2023. Excerpt: New research suggests ultrasound may have potential in treating a group of harmful chemicals known as #PFAS to eliminate them from contaminated #groundwater. Invented nearly a century ago, per- and #poly-#fluoroalkyl #substances, also known as “#forever #chemicals,” were once widely used to create products such as cookware, waterproof clothing and personal care items. Today, scientists understand #exposure to PFAS can cause a number of human health issues such as #birth #defects and #cancer. But because the bonds inside these chemicals do not break down easily, they’re notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Difficulties have led researchers at The Ohio State University to study how #ultrasonic #degradation, a process that uses sound to degrade substances by cleaving apart the molecules that make them up, might work against different types and concentrations of these chemicals. By conducting experiments on lab-made mixtures containing three differently sized compounds of #fluorotelomer #sulfonates – PFAS compounds typically found in firefighting foams – results showed that over a period of three hours, the smaller compounds degraded much faster than the larger ones. This is in contrast to many other PFAS treatment methods in which smaller PFAS are actually more challenging to treat. “We showed the challenging smaller compounds can be treated, and more effectively than the larger compounds,” said co-author of the study Linda Weavers, a professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering at The Ohio State University. “That’s what makes this technology potentially really valuable.” Publication: ACS | Journal of Physical Chemistry A. July 25, 2023 Kinetics and Mechanism of Ultrasonic Defluorination of Fluorotelomer Sulfonates https://lnkd.in/ert52dr4

Breakthrough Method Destroys ‘Forever Chemicals’—And Recycles Their Components Introduction: Tackling a Global Environmental Threat Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often dubbed “forever chemicals,” have long been used in everyday products like non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foams. Despite their usefulness, PFAS persist in the environment and human body, where they’ve been linked to serious health risks including several cancers. Until now, eliminating them safely and effectively has remained a daunting challenge. Key Details of the Discovery • Groundbreaking Research Team • Led by scientists from the University of Oxford and Colorado State University, the study was recently published in Nature. • Dr. Long Yang, a chemist at Oxford, called the method “a simple yet powerful solution” to a major global problem. • The New Method: Destroy and Recycle • PFAS samples are first treated with potassium phosphate salts. • Then, the mixture is ground together using metal ball bearings—a mechanical process known as ball milling. • This method breaks the tough chemical bonds that make PFAS so persistent. • Remarkably, it also recovers valuable elements, offering the potential for chemical reuse and recycling. • Advantages Over Previous Techniques • Traditional methods of PFAS destruction often require high temperatures, expensive equipment, or generate hazardous by-products. • This new approach is low-energy, scalable, and cleaner, making it a viable candidate for wide adoption in waste management and industrial cleanup efforts. Why It Matters: Health and Environmental Impact • A Major Public Health Victory • PFAS contamination affects drinking water supplies worldwide and has been associated with cancers, immune dysfunction, liver damage, and developmental issues. • The new method offers a way to neutralize existing PFAS pollution without creating new environmental hazards. • Scalability and Future Promise • The technology could be implemented in municipal waste treatment facilities, manufacturing plants, and environmental cleanup sites, especially in areas with severe PFAS contamination. • It represents a paradigm shift in managing chemical pollutants—combining destruction with resource recovery. This breakthrough doesn’t just destroy PFAS—it may also restore public trust in how we handle industrial chemicals and protect global health. Keith King https://lnkd.in/gHPvUttw

Hemp, known for its versatility, is now being recognized for its potential in cleaning up PFAS contamination through phytoremediation. This process involves plants like hemp absorbing contaminants from soil and water. Specifically, hemp shows promise in absorbing PFAS, particularly smaller, more water-soluble molecules. While hemp's absorption capabilities vary, researchers are exploring innovative approaches to enhance its uptake, such as utilizing nanoparticles to mobilize larger, less soluble PFAS molecules. In phytoremediation, hemp plants leverage their root systems to absorb PFAS, with a preference for smaller molecules due to their higher water solubility. Researchers are actively seeking ways to boost hemp's capacity to take in larger PFAS molecules, with nanoparticle assistance being a key focus for improving accessibility to the plant's roots. Moreover, studies indicate that hemp plants may not only absorb but also degrade PFAS over an extended period, potentially accelerating a natural process that could span thousands of years. Further research delves into leveraging fungi and bacteria to aid in the degradation of PFAS within hemp plants. Additionally, the application of hydrothermal liquefaction can play a vital role in breaking down the biomass of harvested hemp plants, offering a potential avenue for further diminishing PFAS levels. Notably, hemp-based remediation proves to be a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods, making it a viable solution for addressing large-scale contamination scenarios. With practical applications in mind, planting hemp in contaminated areas presents a sustainable approach to gradually reducing PFAS levels, especially in circumstances where conventional methods may not be as feasible. Hemp's unique properties position it as a valuable asset in the ongoing quest for effective environmental remediation strategies. HEMP YES 💚

#PFAS is more than just an emerging class of contaminants; it's become a major talking point in municipal water treatment and produced water midstream. This latest paper published by Elsevier caught my eye as it addresses the effect that salinity has on PFAS removal. Tommaso Dragani Jerri Pohl Zachary Stoll New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium Shane Walker Mahdi Malmali Texas Produced Water Consortium Christos Charisiadis Brine Consulting Kevin Schug Medusa Analytical, LLC Ramón Antonio Sánchez Rosario Produced Water Society Maher Tleimat Fredrik Klaveness Apoorva Sharma P.Eng., MBA Steven Walden Steve Coffee Ben Samuels Ivan Morales, MBA Rajendra Ghimire Michael Grossman Jay Keener Laura Capper Lisa Henthorne Areej Zahra Jonna D Smoot Morris Hoagland Dusty Horwitt #water #treatment #energy #environment "We explored an underexplored area in water treatment by examining the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from reverse osmosis/nanofiltration (RO/NF) brine. We first compared multiple RO/NF membranes, revealing that DK and NF270 showed sub-optimal removal (<90 %) of C4−C8 PFAS, SW30 had low flux (<15 L/m2/h at 8 bar), and NFX exhibited significant adsorption of perfluorosulfonic acids (e.g., 8 µmol/m2). To address the PFAS-enriched brine generated from membrane treatment, we further evaluated activated carbon (GAC) and anion-exchange (AIX) resin, both of which efficiently removed moderate- and long-chain PFAS from brine. Although AIX outperformed GAC, the ion exchange contribution was small for short-chain PFAS like perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4) but increased with chain length, driven by the hydrophobic effect facilitating the migration to near-surface regions of resins. Equilibrium batch experiments and thermodynamic modeling revealed a disproportionate salinity impact on PFAS adsorption by GAC, with short-chain PFAS (e.g., PFBA) experiencing more pronounced adsorption reduction than longer-chained homologs as NaCl concentrations increased. This reduction was driven by a significant change in a free energy component unrelated to the hydrophobic or electrostatic interactions, likely due to the competitive adsorption of Cl− ions and short-chain PFAS anions or the formation of hydration shells around Na+ and Cl− ions, obstructing the pathways for weakly hydrophobic PFAS (e.g., PFBA) within the GAC pore network. The salting-out effect was found to be unimportant. This study provides new insights into salinity-dependent sorptive removal of PFAS from high-ionic-strength water such as RO/NF brine." https://lnkd.in/gwc45JD5

𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗙𝗔𝗦 𝗔𝗱𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 My first #PFAS remediation project was on selective adsorption. Fast-forward today, what still makes me personally excited is the rational adsorbent design at the molecular level. We, as a research community, are moving beyond simply tweaking existing materials. We're now actively engineering materials with tailored cavities, specific chemical affinities, and computationally predicted binding sites – essentially designing molecular recognition systems. This sophisticated 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁, 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 – ultra-sensitive 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 and high-capacity 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – and it's fascinating to see how the design criteria diverge: 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: Precision is paramount. This is crucial for diagnostics. While highly valuable, challenges often arise when translating these sensitive systems from controlled lab settings to complex environmental samples where fouling or matrix effects can interfere. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The challenge shifts. While selectivity against background competitors remains critical, treatment adsorbents face the complex task of capturing a broad spectrum of PFAS structures. In work developing remediation strategies, we often see that perfect selectivity for one compound isn't the whole answer if other PFAS persist. Here, the design focus balances broad-family PFAS affinity with high capacity, robust kinetics, and durability. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. The fundamental work required to create ultra-selective sensors – identifying key binding interactions and understanding the subtle interplay of forces – generates insights that certainly inspire remediation strategies. Even with molecular design guiding us, 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻: ▪️Scaling up novel materials cost-effectively and proving long-term stability under real-world conditions are universal challenges we collectively face. ▪️The regeneration/disposal issue remains a critical issue. Finding sustainable ways to handle spent adsorbents without creating secondary hazards is vital for the field. ▪️Transitioning sophisticated lab sensors into robust, field-deployable devices that maintain accuracy is the next major step. Leveraging advanced material design for both precise detection and efficient removal, informed by a constant dialogue between sensing and remediation research, is crucial for developing the comprehensive solutions our communities greatly need. Copies of all papers can be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/eKbAEsf #PFAS #WaterTreatment #PFASSensing #Adsorption #SelectiveAdsorbents #MolecularDesign #MaterialsScience #EnvironmentalRemediation #WaterQuality #Innovation #Sustainability #SensorTechnology

"New research suggests that ultrasound may have potential in treating a group of harmful chemicals known as PFAS to eliminate them from contaminated groundwater. Invented nearly a century ago, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, also known as "forever chemicals," were once widely used to create products such as cookware, waterproof clothing and personal care items. Today, scientists understand that exposure to PFAS can cause a number of human health issues such as birth defects and cancer. But because the bonds inside these chemicals don't break down easily, they're notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Such difficulties have led researchers at The Ohio State University to study how ultrasonic degradation, a process that uses sound to degrade substances by cleaving apart the molecules that make them up, might work against different types and concentrations of these chemicals." #pfas #ultrasound #groundwater

The widespread use and disposal of consumer products containing PFAS, combined with their physical and chemical stability, has resulted in elevated concentrations of these compounds in municipal landfill leachate. Leachate is typically routed through wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) before environmental discharge, but conventional methods such as biological treatment are largely ineffective at removing PFAS. PFAS levels in landfill leachate tend to be higher than in groundwater, surface water, or municipal wastewater due to accumulation within the landfill and the leachate’s complex composition. This underscores the importance of treating leachate prior to its entry into WWTPs. Separation technologies—including activated carbon (AC), ion exchange (IX), foam fractionation (FF), reverse osmosis (RO), and nanofiltration (NF)—as well as destructive approaches such as electrochemical oxidation, plasma treatment, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), and hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), have shown promise in laboratory, pilot, and field-scale studies. Each method has its own strengths and limitations, making careful selection or integration of technologies essential for site-specific applications. The following research article provides a comprehensive overview of current PFAS treatment technologies for landfill leachate. https://lnkd.in/g_-hp67j #PFAS #landfill #leachate #supercriticalwateroxidation #hydrothermalalkalinetreatment #foamfractionation #municipallandfill

Can we unlock millions of acres of contaminated land for housing, infrastructure, and clean energy, without waiting decades? In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, I sit down with Randol Aikin, PhD, founder of Remedy Scientific Inc., to explore how AI, robotics, and sensing technology revolutionize environmental remediation. Randol explains how the U.S. is sitting on a $3 trillion land reuse opportunity, with brownfield sites, from old gas stations to military bases, lying idle due to toxic “forever chemicals” like PFAS. Remedy’s breakthrough? A containerized, mobile system that processes contaminated soil in hours rather than years, targeting the worst hotspots first and preventing further chemical spread. This conversation is about more than cleanup; it’s about how technology can erase the false choice between environmental safety and rapid development.  Randol’s work shows what’s possible when systems thinking meets climate innovation. 🎧 Links below and in the comments! 👇 Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3HjWaA0 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3FlHobx YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g48EWMQc #ClimateTech #PFAS #SustainableDevelopment

FOR A CLEANER FUTURE: Rice researchers have developed an innovative solution to a pressing environmental challenge: removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals.” A study led by James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, and graduate student Phelecia Scotland unveils a method that not only eliminates PFAS from water systems but also transforms waste into high-value graphene, offering a cost-effective and sustainable approach to environmental remediation. This research was published March 31 in Nature Water. Marcy de Luna reports: #PFAS #chemical #chemicals #foreverchemical #foreverchemicals #waste #water #environment #graphene #science