FY 2018 STATEMENT OF NEED

Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to seek applied research to develop cost-effective in situ or ex situ remedial technologies for groundwater contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) resulting from the use of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) formulations by the Department of Defense (DoD). Proposers were asked to focus on the following objectives:

• Develop cost effective, in situ or ex situ remedial approaches for treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance contaminated groundwater, including consideration of the impact of common co-contaminants on the remedial process given these compounds were commonly utilized at sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and possibly chlorinated solvents (e.g., historical fire training sites).
• Develop treatment train approaches that cost-effectively treat PFASs and facilitate treatment of co-contaminants. Include the justification for a treatment train approach over a single technology.

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.

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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Damian Helbling, Cornell University
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Mark Fuller, CB&I Federal Services
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Reyes Sierra-Alvarez, University of Arizona
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Timothy Strathmann, Colorado School of Mines
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Dora Chiang, AECOM
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Jinyong Liu, University of California, Riverside
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Paul Edmiston, The College of Wooster
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Michelle Crimi, Clarkson University
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Qingguo Huang, University of Georgia
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Douglas Call, North Carolina State University
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  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Mandy Michalsen, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Research should lead to improved management of PFAS contaminated sites by facilitating the establishment of more cost-effective and efficient remedial action plans that are protective of human health and the environment. The remediation approaches that will be developed through this SON will improve the reliability of contaminant treatment processes and expedite the cleanup and closure of contaminated DoD sites.