Remediation of PFAS Contaminated Soils and Sediments

Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds produced and distributed since the 1950s on the global market. The unique physicochemical properties of PFAS render them toxic, bio-accumulative, and persistent in the environment. PFAS have been detected in soils and sediments from exposure to impacted media, e.g., landfill leachate or biosolids, direct contaminated discharge, and contaminant transport from atmospheric deposition. Soils and sediments can act as secondary sources of PFAS for groundwater and surface water, leading to bioaccumulation in micro-invertebrates, other organisms in the aquatic food web, and ultimately humans. There are currently no proven technologies that can degrade the PFAS in the soil and sediments in a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, and energy-efficient manner. The overall objective of this project is to explore the technical feasibility of using ultrasound to degrade perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), specifically perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane carboxylate (PFOA), in soils and sediments.