RESEARCH PROJECTS
PFAS@Mines Initiative
Research Projects by Researcher
Nanofiltration Followed by Electrical Discharge Plasma for Destruction of PFAS and Co-contaminants in Groundwater: A Treatment Train Approach
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: Demonstrate the use of nanofiltration for PFAS concentration and plasma for PFAS destruction.
Remediation of AFFF-Impacted Fire Suppression Systems using Conventional and Closed-Circuit Desalination Nanofiltration
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: Develop and assess cleaning reagents for removal of PFAS from firefighting delivery equipment and evaluate high-pressure membrane systems for AFFF residual treatment and volume reduction.
Demonstration-scale Evaluation of a Novel Surface-Modified Clay Adsorbent for Removal of PFASs and Co-contaminants in Groundwater
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: Evaluate a clay adsorbent relative to commonly used activated carbon and ion-exchange for the removal of PFAS from groundwater and surface water.
Field Demonstration and Comparison of Ex-Situ Treatment Technologies for PFASs in Groundwater
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense/Water Research Foundation
Objectives: This project seeks to generate the data necessary to compare, on a life-cycle assessment (LCA) and costing (LCC) basis, established and emerging PFAS treatment approaches.
Evaluation of Submicron Powdered Activated Carbon and Ceramic Microfiltration for Removal of PFAS from Groundwater and Surface Water
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to validate a novel treatment technology consisting of adsorption (submicron powdered activate carbon) and filtration (ceramic microfiltration) for removal of PFAS from groundwater and surface water.
Porous Polymer Networks and Membranes for PFAS and Selenium Removal from Water
Sponsor: Department of Energy/National Alliance for Water Innovation
Objectives: Develop novel high selectivity and capacity adsorbents for PFAS and selenium removal.
Development of a Treatment Train for Removal and Destruction of PFAS and Co-contaminants from Semiconductor Fabrication Wastewater
Sponsor: Semiconductor Research Corporation
Objectives: Develop and evaluate a treatment train consisting of nanofiltration, activated carbon and hydrothermal alkaline treatment for the removal of PFAS in semiconductor wastewater.
Comparison of Treatment Technologies for the Removal of Short-Chain PFAS
Sponsor: Water Research Foundation
Objectives: This project seeks to generate the data necessary to compare, on a life-cycle assessment (LCA) and costing (LCC) basis, established and emerging PFAS treatment approaches for removal of short-chain PFAS.
PFAS@Mines – A Multi-Scale and Interdisciplinary Project to Address the Environmental Fate, Transport, and Remediation of Per- and Polyfluoro-alkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This proposed multi-pronged research project will address critical barriers and challenges associated with PFASs released into soil and water systems that potentially impact public health by advancing quantitative understanding of critical molecular- to aquifer-scale issues that are central to our ability to predict the fate and risks of legacy PFAS contamination and implementing practical engineering solutions to mitigate these risks.
Researcher: Christopher Higgins
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Specialization: The fate, transport, and bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial systems.
Development and Demonstration of PFAS – LEACH – A Comprehensive Decision Support Platform for Predicting PFAS Leaching in Source Zones
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The goal of the project is to develop and validate a series of tiered vadose zone PFAS soil retention models (PFAS-LEACH) and demonstrate their application for predicting PFAS leaching in source zones and mass discharge to groundwater.
PFAS Leaching at AFFF-Impacted Sites: Insight into Soil-to-Groundwater Ratios
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to investigate the relationship between PFAS concentrations in porewater relative to those measure in collected soil samples.
Development of Passive Sampling Methodologies for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The objective of this project is to develop and validate time-integrative aquatic passive sampling tools for reliable and reproducible quantitation of a wide range of PFASs in the environment.
Comprehensive Forensic Approach for Source Allocation of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances
Title: Comprehensive Forensic Approach for Source Allocation of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to develop and validate a forensic approach for source allocation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) present in impacted waters so as to differentiate PFAS impacts associated with the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) vs. non-AFFF sources.
PFAS Exposure and Health Effects in El Paso County, Colorado
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Objectives: The objectives of this study are to develop a groundwater model to enable reconstruction of the exposures of study participants to PFASs via contaminated drinking water and evaluate any potential adverse health impacts associated with the PFAS exposures.
PFAS UNITEDD: Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substance - U.S. National Investigation of Transport & Exposure from Drinking Water & Diet
Sponsor: Environmental Protection Agency – EPA
Objectives: This project aims to develop actionable data on the fate, transport, bioaccumulation, and exposure of a diverse suite of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in nationally representative
PFAS-impacted communities to enable reductions in total PFAS exposure.
Field Demonstration and Comparison of Ex-Situ Treatment Technologies for PFASs in Groundwater
Sponsor: Water Research Foundation
Objectives: This project seeks to generate the data necessary to compare, on a life-cycle assessment (LCA) and costing (LCC) basis, established and emerging PFAS treatment approaches.
Insights into the Long-Term Mass Discharge & Transformation of AFFF in the Unsaturated Zone
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This project is examining the leaching of PFAS from vadose zone soils within an AFFF-impacted source area.
Prevention of Sediment Recontamination by Improved BMPs to Remove Organic and Metal
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This proposal focuses on preventing sediment recontamination by design of improved best management practices (BMPs) for treating stormwater runoff.
Probing the Mechanisms and Structure-Activity Relationships for Hydrated Electron Reactions with Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation – NSF
Objectives: This project aims to reveal the molecular-scale mechanisms associated with the destruction of PFASs using advanced treatment techniques such as hydrated electron reductions.
Optimization and Comparison of Soil Extraction methods for Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense – Army Corp of Engineers
Objectives: The objective of this work is to refine and apply novel extraction and analysis methods for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) for measurement of PFASs in soil, water, and tissue samples and to support the USACE/ERDC research focusing on analysis of PFASs.
Characterizing PFAS in Groundwater: Assessment of Tools and Fluorine Balances
Sponsor: Department of Defense-CDM Smith
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to assess and validate the use of PFAS-related analytical tools with respect to their ability to provide information critical to overall PFAS mass discharge, PFAA formation potential, and overall organic fluorine mass balance.
Advancement of Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment Technology for On-Site Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Wastes (HALT-PFAS) (Lead PI Timothy Strathmann)
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to advance development of a promising alkaline hydrothermal treatment technology for destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in wet liquid and solid matrices (HALT-PFAS).
PFAS@Mines – A Multi-Scale and Interdisciplinary Project to Address the Environmental Fate, Transport, and Remediation of Per- and Polyfluoro-alkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This proposed multi-pronged research project will address critical barriers and challenges associated with PFASs released into soil and water systems that potentially impact public health by advancing quantitative understanding of critical molecular- to aquifer-scale issues that are central to our ability to predict the fate and risks of legacy PFAS contamination and implementing practical engineering solutions to mitigate these risks.
Researcher: Erin Sedlacko
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Specialization: LC-MS laboratory management.
Examining the Use of Recycled Water in Agricultural Production in Colorado
Sponsor: Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to compare potable and recycled water irrigation used in food crop production for their relative impacts on soil health and produce quality, as well as examine the safety and benefits of using recycled water as a sustainable water resource for growing edible crops in Colorado. Targeted organic contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), including poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) will be quantified in edible plant tissues as a part of this study.
PFAS@Mines – A Multi-Scale and Interdisciplinary Project to Address the Environmental Fate, Transport, and Remediation of Per- and Polyfluoro-alkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This multi-pronged research project will address critical barriers and challenges associated with PFASs released into soil and water systems that potentially impact public health by advancing quantitative understanding of critical molecular- to aquifer-scale issues that are central to our ability to predict the fate and risks of legacy PFAS contamination and implementing practical engineering solutions to mitigate these risks.
Optimization and Comparison of Soil Extraction Methods for Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense – Army Corp of Engineers
Objectives: The objective of this work is to refine and apply novel extraction and analysis methods for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) for measurement of PFASs in soil, water, and tissue samples and to support the USACE/ERDC research focusing on analysis of PFASs.
Analysis of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Plasma of Women 15-20 Years Post Pregnancy
Sponsor: Harvard College – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Objectives: The objective of Technical Service Agreement is to provide targeted and suspect LCMS analysis of PFASs in plasma of women 15-20 years post pregnancy with the overall objective to determine whether exposures to legacy and replacement PFAS alter cardiovascular disease in women across their reproductive lives.
Fate and effects of perfluoroalkyl substances and their precursors and alternatives in Norwegian marine environments and seafood species
Sponsor: Norwegian Institute of Marine Research
Objectives: The objective of this work is to provide a training module to IMR analysts for non-targeted screening of PFAS using high resolution mass spectrometry with the overall objective to improve our understanding of how marine organisms could be impacted by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and their precursors and alternatives, and explore the transfer and transformation of unidentified organofluorine substances in marine food webs and seafood.
Researcher: Timothy Stranthmann
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Specialization: Development of innovative technologies for treatment and destruction of PFAS mixtures, including AFFF-impacted water, soil, and concentrate streams. Destruction of PFAS through hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) invented at Mines and UV photochemical technologies. Integrating PFAS destruction technologies with physico-chemical separations technologies (ion exchange, adsorption, and membrane processes), and identifying abiotic mechanisms responsible for transformation of polyfluorinated species in subsurface environments.
ERASE-PFAS: Hydrothermal Treatment as a Strategy for Simultaneous PFAS Destruction and Recovery of Energy and Nutrients from Wastewater Residual Solids
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Objectives: Advance the application of hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) as an alternative for managing residual solids from wastewater resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) by meeting 2 critical objectives: (1) destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that adsorb to sludge and raise concerns about land application; and (2) developing and applying a systems modeling framework to optimize valorization through recovery of fuel and fertilizer products.
Advancement of Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment Technology for On-Site Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Wastes (HALT-PFAS)
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: Advance development of the hydrothermal alkaline treatment technology for destruction of PFASs (HALT-PFAS) in groundwater-based contamination sites, testing treatment of concentrates from ion exchange systems, PFAS-loaded adsorbents, and working with collaborators to develop continuous-flow treatment reactors for the process.
Regenerable Resin Sorbent Technologies with Regenerant Solution Recycling for Sustainable Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to develop a regenerable resin sorbent technology that is effective for treating the full diversity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) present in groundwater contaminated by aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Experiments are combined with LCA modeling efforts to identify the most effective and sustainable treatment train of adsorbent + destructive technology.
Probing the Mechanisms and Structure-Activity Relationships for Hydrated Electron Reactions with Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Objectives: Objectives are (i) to characterize dominant pathways for hydrated electron reactions with different structural classes of PFASs, (ii) to establish quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) for the kinetics of hydrated electron reactions with PFASs, and (iii) to develop and validate a chemical modeling framework UV-sulfite treatment of PFAS mixtures.
Development of a treatment train for removal and destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and co-contaminants from semiconductor fabrication wastewater
Sponsor: Semiconductor Research Corporation
Objectives: The overall objective of the project is to develop and validate a water treatment train that accomplishes both removal and destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and co-contaminants of concern detected in semiconductor fabrication wastewater. The proposed treatment train combines (1) GAC adsorption (for removal of residual polymerization agents), (2) nanofiltration membrane separation, and (3) hydrothermal treatment of membrane reject streams.
Demonstration of a Prototype Continuous Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) System for DoD-Relevant, PFAS-Impacted Matrices
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: Demonstration project for the HALT technology led by commercialization partner Aquagga.
Abiotic and Coupled Abiotic-Biotic Processes Impacting PFAA Precursor Transformation and Back-Diffusion in Clays
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: This proposed project will provide insight into the coupled abiotic and biotic mechanisms that control persistent precursor transformation and back-diffusion from clayey soils impacted with AFFF. Studies will include batch incubations of sterile soil and synthetic mineral-water mixtures to assess and track transformation of important precursors.
A New Concept of “Release-Capture-Destruction” to Enable Remediation of PFAS in Source Zone Soils
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: The overarching goal of this project led by Texas A&M is to test application of a magnetic activated carbon (MAC) adsorbent to remove PFASs from contaminated soils, and apply the hydrothermal treatment approach to destroy PFASs adsorbed to the MAC particles, potentially enabling reuse of the sorbents.
In Situ Thermal Treatment of PFAS in the Vadose Zone
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: This is a demonstration project led by NAVFAC-EXWC for the in situ thermal treatment (ISTT) of PFASs in unsaturated soil. Field demonstration of ISTT will confirm the temperature threshold for PFAS removal, quantify removal rates, expand the knowledge of PFAS thermal desorption characteristics and mechanisms and optionally determine the extent of PFAS destruction in the heating process. HALT will be applied to test destruction of any PFAS residuals present in vapor condensates.
Nanofiltration followed by Electrical Discharge Plasma for Destruction of PFAS and Co-Contaminants in Groundwater: A Treatment Train Approach
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: This is a demonstration project led by GSI that is evaluating the efficacy and cost of treating real PFAS-contaminated groundwater using a treatment train that combines nanofiltration (for treatment and concentration of PFAS) and then application of the plasma destructive technology for the resulting NF concentrate.
Demonstration-Scale Evaluation of a Novel Surface-Modified Clay Adsorbent: Comparison of Fluorosorb, GAC, and IX Resin for the Removal of PFASs and Co-Contaminants in Groundwater
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: The overall objective of this project is to bench-mark the performance of a recently commercialized surface-modified organo-clay adsorbent (Fluorosorb (FS)) for the removal of PFASs and co-contaminants at the pilot-scale as compared to that of representative GAC and IX products. This project is led by PI Christopher Bellona at Mines.
Researcher: Shubham Vyas
Department: Chemistry
Specialization: Computational and experimental techniques to understand mechanisms of chemical and biophysical processes.
Advancement of Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment Technology for On-Site Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Wastes (HALT-PFAS)
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: This project aims to advance development of alkaline hydrothermal treatment technologies for destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in liquid and solid matrices, and understand molecular mechanisms involved in the process.
Quantification and Identification of PFAS and Total Fluorine during Thermal Degradation of Fluoropolymers in the Presence of Explosives
Sponsor: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
Objectives: The overall goal is to understand the degradation of fluoropolymers in the presence of energetic compounds and probe the possible products at lab scale and small scale.
Towards a Better Understanding of the Atmospheric Fate of PFAS
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Objectives: This work focuses on probing chemical transformations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the atmosphere.
Elucidating Mechanisms of Perfluoroalkyl Substances Degradation in the Environment: A Coupled Computational Experimental Approach
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Objectives: The primary objective of this project is to understand oxidative degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous phase.
PFAS@Mines – A Multi-Scale and Interdisciplinary Project to Address the Environmental Fate, Transport, and Remediation of Per- and Polyfluoro-alkyl Substances (PFASs)
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense
Objectives: This multi-faceted large scale project has four overall objectives regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): 1) advancing site-assessment, 2) improve PFAS degradation technologies, 3) understand biological interactions and devise bioinspired technologies for PFAS capture, and 4) improve mechanistic understanding and devise novel catalytic materials for PFAS degradation.