The overarching objective of this project is to track the fate of fluorine during full-scale hazardous waste incineration of materials impacted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in order to demonstrate the readiness and viability for thermal destruction of PFAS destruction in various waste streams. The specific objectives of this project are (1) to enhance the understanding of key variables and conditions on PFAS incineration performance, (2) to identify major products of incomplete destruction (PIDs) under insufficient treatment conditions, (3) to explore the catalytic role of fly ash and other process-relevant surfaces in thermal PFAS decomposition, and (4) to determine the potential formation of polyfluorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans.

The project team will perform controlled trial burns at the Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik hazardous waste incinerator in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The project will first develop advanced analytical methods to track the fate of PFAS-borne fluorine in gas, liquid and solid phases, aimed at closing the fluorine mass balance (Task 1). Method development includes a novel on-line Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-based approach that will enable quantitative assessment of incineration performance in real-time (Task 2). After rigorous baseline testing, the project team will apply these novel analytical methods in addition to U.S. EPA’s OTM 50 and 55 at the hazardous waste incinerator, varying key process parameters such as waste composition, temperature and residence time to understand their impact on the completeness of thermal PFAS destruction (Task 3). Highest-level computational chemistry studies will accompany the full-scale tests to fortify the observed treatment performance with kinetic and mechanistic insights (Task 4). The research findings will be disseminated broadly beyond the specialized scientific literature (Tasks 5 & 6).

Tracking the fate of PFAS during full-scale hazardous waste incineration is an indispensable step in ensuring efficient and cost-effective PFAS destruction. In this project, the project team will bring together the global expertise in investigating hazardous waste incineration processes of PFAS, including decades-long experience with full-scale incineration, advanced chemical analysis, theoretical modeling, and professional communication and dissemination of knowledge. The tangible products of this project will be (1) new tools and approaches for scientists and engineers to assess PFAS incineration, (2) guidance to practitioners on how to optimize PFAS incineration and ensure maximum destruction, and (3) critical information regarding PFAS incineration. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2026)