SERDP FY 2024 New Start Projects

 Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to seek innovative research to further explore the fate and transport of PFAS in the subsurface. Specifically, the goal was to address the following research needs:

• Determine physical-chemical properties of PFAS by measurement and predictive modeling to support assessments of PFAS fate, transport, bioavailability, and remediation.
• Assess processes impacting migration and fluxes of PFAS derived from source zones.
• Understand the impact of AFFF composition on fate and transport of PFAS.
• Evaluate rate-limited processes with respect to PFAS release and migration in saturated and unsaturated soils.
• Evaluate the relevance of PFAS vapor transport and assess the applicability of current vadose zone models for quantitative prediction of PFAS migration.
• Interrogate PFAS transport and fate at the capillary fringe.

The projects listed below were selected to address the objectives of this SON. Additional information on individual projects can be found by clicking the project title.

• Developing Novel Stable Isotope Techniques for Assessing Sources, Transport, and Fate of PFAS in the Subsurface Environment
  • Lead Investigator: Mi-Ling Li, University of Delaware
• Biomimetic Chromatography for Rapid Assessment of Bioaccumulation in PFAS-Impacted Aquatic Food Webs
  • Lead Investigator: Jennifer Field, Oregon State University
• PFAS in Vapor-Phase Transport: Partitioning Mechanisms and Modeling
  • Lead Investigator: Ramona Iery, NAVFAC EXWC

Research will lead to improved management of PFAS sites by facilitating the establishment of more cost-effective and efficient remedial action plans that are protective of human health and the environment. Additionally, an improved understanding of fate and transport of PFAS in the environment will ultimately lead to more effective management and will expedite the cleanup and closure of DoD impacted sites.