Clarkson Research Team Develops Treatment for PFAS Found in Firefighting Foam
Researchers at Clarkson University have developed a new treatment method for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) for firefighting purposes. The team, led by Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Yang Yang developed an innovative non-thermal method for the treatment of PFAS.
The group’s findings, which were recently published in Environmental Science & Technology, offer a potential solution for treating large-scale PFAS contamination in both liquid and solid waste forms.
PFAS, widely recognized for their environmental persistence and adverse health impacts, present a significant challenge for remediation. Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) stockpiles are one of the major culprits responsible for water and soil contamination by PFAS.
PFAS in AFFF are highly stable, which makes them resistant to degradation by conventional methods, such as incineration. Finding successful degradation methods under ambient conditions remains a major challenge due to their intentional design for chemical stability and resistance to breakdown.
Professor Yang’s team has developed an innovative and straightforward approach: grinding AFFF with piezoelectric boron nitride in a ball mill. This method effectively converts PFAS in AFFF into inorganic fluoride at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
“This technique acts as a critical first barrier in preventing PFAS from further polluting the environment,” Yang said.
The article authored by Professor Yang’s team, titled “PFAS Destruction and Near-Complete Defluorination of Undiluted Aqueous Film-Forming Foams at Ambient Conditions by Piezoelectric Ball Milling,” can be found here.
This study is funded by the National Science Foundation. The research received support from Dr. Sujan Fernando, Professor Thomas Holsen, and Certer for Air and Aquatic Resources Engineering (CAARES). Professor Wen Zhang’s team from the New Jersey Institute of Technology contributed to the characterization of piezoelectric materials.
