Concentrating Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Leachate Using Foam
Nicole M Robey1, Bianca F da Silva2, Michael D Annable1
1Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|September 1, 2020
Summary
Foaming effectively concentrates per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from landfill leachate, offering a low-cost pretreatment. This method removes a significant portion of PFAS, simplifying subsequent destructive treatments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Water Treatment Technologies
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in landfill leachate presents a significant environmental challenge.
- Current PFAS treatment technologies face practical limitations in handling large volumes of contaminated wastewater.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of a foaming technique for concentrating PFAS from landfill leachate.
- To assess the feasibility of using PFAS surfactant properties for wastewater pretreatment.
Main Methods:
- Exploiting the surfactant properties of PFAS to create foam through bubble aeration of landfill leachate.
- Quantifying PFAS removal percentages through replicate foaming experiments.
Main Results:
- The foaming technique achieved a mean PFAS removal of 69% and a median removal of 92% across 10 experiments.
- Effectiveness varied by PFAS compound type, with good sequestration of sulfonates and carboxylates.
- Smaller and larger PFAS molecules were less effectively concentrated.
Conclusions:
- Foaming is a practical and potentially low-cost approach for preconcentrating PFAS from landfill leachate.
- This technique can be strategically coupled with high-energy PFAS-destructive technologies.
- The simplicity of the process allows for feasible application at most landfills where aeration is common.
