FY 2022 STATEMENT OF NEED 

Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area 

The objective of this Statement on Need (SON) was to develop cost effective remedial technologies for matrices impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) resulting from the use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) formulations. Specifically, the goal was to address the following research needs:

• Develop cost effective treatment approaches for PFAS-impacted matrices, including but not limited to groundwater, soils, aquatic sediments, spent media, and AFFF concentrates.
• Develop cost effective approaches for complete destruction of PFAS bound onto spent media, regeneration of spent media, and treatment of associated ancillary waste streams.
• Evaluate treatment technologies using field-impacted media containing PFAS mixtures and common environmental treatment complications.
• Develop treatment train approaches that cost-effectively treat PFAS and facilitate treatment of co-occurring chemicals.
• Conduct field monitoring events by partnering with pre-existing, commercial incineration facilities to document thermal destruction of PFAS within PFAS-laden soil, PFAS-impacted investigation-derived waste (IDW), spent GAC, and/or spent single-use ion exchange resins.

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.

• A New Concept of “Release-Capture-Destruction” to Enable Remediation of PFAS in Source Zone Soils
  • Lead Investigator: Kung-Hui (Bella) Chu, Texas A&M University
• Engineering an “All-In-One” Biochar-Surfactant System for Enhanced PFAS Sorption and Reductive Degradation Using a Coupled Ultraviolet and Ultrasonication Approach
  • Lead Investigator: Dengjun Wang, Auburn University
• In Situ Sequestration of PFAS from Impacted Groundwater using Injectable High Affinity Cationic Hydrophobic Polymers
  • Lead Investigator: Jon Chorover, University of Arizona
• Deep Destruction of PFAS in Complicated Water Matrices by Integrated Electrochemical Oxidation and UV-sulfite Reduction
  • Lead Investigator: Yang Yang, Clarkson University
• Destruction of PFAS using Plasmonic Photocatalysts
  • Lead Investigator: Tingting Wu, University of Alabama, Huntsville
• Gas Sparging Directly in Aquifers to Remove or Sequester PFAS
  • Lead Investigator: Chuck Newell, GSI Environmental, Inc.
• Chemical-free Light-driven Destruction of PFAS using Non-toxic Boron Nitride (BN)
  • Lead Investigator: Michael Wong, Rice University
• Retention of PFAS Groundwater Plumes at Freshwater / Saltwater Interfaces
  • Lead Investigator: Chuck Newell, GSI Environmental, Inc.
• Treatment of PFAS-impacted Matrices by Dissolving Metal Reduction with Mechanochemical Mixing
  • Lead Investigator: Paul Tratnyek, Oregon Health & Science University
• Utilizing PFAS Aggregation at the Gas-Water Interface for Energy-Efficient PFAS Destruction
  • Lead Investigator: Yida Fang, CDM Smith
• Cometabolic Transformation and Treatment of PFAA Precursors in PFAS-Impacted Soils and Aquifer Sediments
  • Lead Investigator: Paul Hatzinger, APTIM Federal Services, LLC
• Complete Destruction of Undiluted AFFF by a Plasma Spinning Disc Reactor
  • Lead Investigator: Selma Mededovic, Clarkson University
• Bench-Scale Demonstration of PFAS Destruction in Solids Using Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO)
  • Lead Investigator: Kavitha Dasu, Battelle Memorial Institute
• Pulsed Electrosorptive Cavitation: A Cohesive Approach for Complete Mineralization of PFAS in Aqueous Systems
  • Lead Investigator: Deepak Kirpalani, National Research Council of Canada
• Novel Swellable Ionomers for Enhanced PFAS Sorption and Destruction
  • Lead Investigator: Seetha Coleman-Kammula, Science, Technology & Research Institute of Delaware
• Extraction and Removal of PFAS from Impacted Water and Soil using Air Bubbles
  • Lead Investigator: Arjunkrishna Venkatesan, Stony Brook University
• Electrocatalytic Reduction of PFAS in Groundwater and Aqueous Concentrates 
  • Lead Investigator: Brian Chaplin, University of Illinois at Chicago    
• Gasification of PFAS-Impacted Matrices and Syngas Beneficial Use Evaluation 
  • Lead Investigator: Bill Malyk, Wood Environmental & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.    
• High-Capacity Sustainable Sorbents for Treatment of PFAS 
  • Lead Investigator: Mario Wriedt, Clarkson University
• Cost-Effective Treatment of PFAS in Landfill Leachate Using Foam Fractionation 
  • Lead Investigator: Paul Hatzinger, APTIM Federal Services LLC    
• Green Remediation of PFAS in Soil and Water 
  • Lead Investigator: Dibyendu Sarkar, Stevens Institute of Technology    
• A Novel Redox Material (FeSO₃) for Efficient and Rapid Treatment of Concentrated PFAS Matrices 
  • Lead Investigator: Dionysios Dionysiou, University of Cincinnati    
• Assessment and Remediation of PFAS Supramolecular Structures 
  • Lead Investigator: Rick Arnseth, TetraTech    
• Hydrothermal Destruction of PFAS during Designer Biochar Reactivation 
  • Lead Investigator: Wei Zheng, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign    
• Demonstrating Cost-Effective PFAS Destruction Through High Temperature Incineration 
  • Lead Investigator: Stephen Zemba, Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc.         
• Low-temperature Catalytic Thermal Treatment and Microwave Catalysis for Effective PFAS Decomposition in Solid Matrices and AFFF Concentrate
  • Lead Investigator: Feng Xiao, University of Missouri
• Non-thermal Treatment of Unused AFFF Concentrate by Liquid-phase Plasma Discharge Process
  • Lead Investigator: Sarah Wu, University of Idaho
• Polymer Addition for Improved Removal of Short-Chain PFAS by Dissolved Air Flotation 
  • Lead Investigator: Kurt Pennell, Brown University

Research should 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. In addition, the remediation approaches will improve the reliability of treatment processes and expedite the cleanup closure of DoD impacted sites.