FY 2021 STATEMENT OF NEED 

Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area 

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to develop an improved understanding of the process influencing the effectiveness and fate of particulate amendments for in situ treatment of impacted in groundwater, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs). Specifically, the goal was to address the following research needs:

• Improve the understanding of the distribution of particulate amendments in heterogeneous aquifers and the efficacy of methods to improve distribution.
• Assess the long-term adsorptive capacity of the amendments and the factors that may influence this capacity.
• Determine the extent to which chemicals adsorb to the amendments are biodegraded and the influence of chemical, geochemical and microbiological factors on biodegradation kinetics and extent.
• Elucidate the long-term adsorption capacity and potential for re-release of chemicals over time.
• Determine the potential detrimental effects of these amendments.
• Evaluate the extent to which these amendments influence back-diffusion of CVOCs.

The projects listed below were selected to address the objectives of this SON. Additional information on individual projects will be available soon.

• Biological Factors Influencing Sorption and Biodegradation of Chemicals of Concern on Particulate/Colloidal Activated Carbon
  • Lead Investigator: Albert Juhasz, University of South Australia
• Investigation of Mineral-Based Amendments for Stabilization of PFAS in Simulated Groundwater Environments
  • Lead Investigator: Amanda Barker, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center-Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
• Hydraulic, Chemical, and Microbiological Effects on the Performance of In Situ Activated Carbon Sorptive Barrier for PFAS Remediation in Coastal Sites
  • Lead Investigator: Xitong Liu, The George Washington University
• An Investigation of Factors Affecting In Situ PFAS Immobilization by Activated Carbon
  • Lead Investigator: Matt Vanderkooy, Geosyntec & Neil Thomson, University of Waterloo 
• Impacts of Particulate Carbon Amendments on Fate of Chemicals of Concern in Groundwater
  • Lead Investigator: Chadi El Mohtar, University of Texas at Austin
• Experimental Evaluation and Mathematical Modeling of Particulate Amendment Delivery, Retention and Adsorption Performance in the Subsurface
  • Lead Investigator: Kurt Pennell, Brown University
• Assessment of Long-Term Effectiveness of Particulate Amendments for In Situ Remediation of PFAS in Mixed Plumes
  • Lead Investigator: Charles Schaefer, CDM Smith
• Influence of Particulate Amendments on TCE Reductive Dechlorination in the Presence of PFAS: Laboratory and Field Studies
  • Lead Investigator: Peter Grathwohl, University of Tϋbingen

Research should lead to improved site management, specifically for groundwater sites impacted by CVOCs or PFAS, by improving tools and guidance for applying commercially available amendments at Department of Defense (DoD) sites. The resulting tools and understanding should improve the ability to implement effective remedial strategies at DoD sites.