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Abstracts

“Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle Cleaning Assessment” by Dr. Johnsie Lang (ER21-7229)

The Department of War (DoW) has many fire suppression systems impacted by residual PFAS due to the use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). At elevated concentrations, PFAS are known to self-assemble and coat surfaces at liquid/solid interfaces forming waterproof coatings. Recent work demonstrated that water-only rinses may not adequately clean some system components. However, the cost of replacing all existing PFAS-impacted AFFF delivery infrastructure across DoW installations would be expensive and result in equipment downtime. This presentation showcases insights from disassembling and analyzing PFAS residual content on foam system components from the Oshkosh T-1500 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle. Results from this effort provide critical information on mission-relevant considerations for fully remediating equipment after base-line treatment, including costs for replacement of the on-board foam system, out-of-service time required for cleaning, and the extent of replacement required to successfully achieve PFAS removal from an on-board foam system. 

“PFAS Destruction Using Photoactivated Reductive Defluorination” by Dr. Denise Kay (ER21-7569)

The PFASigator, developed by Enspired Solutions, is a treatment unit that provides a practical, effective, and scalable solution for successfully remediating firefighting systems historically exposed to AFFF. Through employing a micelle‑enabled photoactivated reductive defluorination (PRD) reaction, this cutting-edge solution provides simultaneous PFAS desorption and destruction. This presentation will share results from a field demonstration performed at Tyndall Air Force Base where PFASigator was connected to a decommissioned firetruck’s AFFF tank and associated piping to form a closed recirculation loop. The integrated process of PFAS desorption and destruction removed and mineralized 16.8 grams of PFAS within 48 hours. 

Speaker Biographies

Dr. Johnsie Lang is a PFAS subject matter expert at Arcadis in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her primary research areas include solid waste, PFAS, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). She has authored over a dozen peer-reviewed publications and participated in research funded by ESTCP, the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management, and various industrial sponsors. Dr. Lang currently serves as a technical advisor for several PFAS site investigations at U.S. Army installations and assists various industrial and commercial clients to understand PFAS impacts at their facilities. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental health engineering and a doctoral degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University.

Dr. Denise Kay is the co-founder of Enspired Solutions, a company that has patented a commercial-scale PFAS destruction technology. Her work centers on the advancement of photoactivated reductive defluorination technologies capable of systematically breaking down both short‑ and long‑chain PFAS in water without generating harmful byproducts. Prior to co‑founding Enspired Solutions, Dr. Kay worked as a senior consultant leading projects in ecological risk assessment, environmental forensics, and the evaluation of persistent organic pollutants. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of Michigan and a doctoral degree in soil science and environmental toxicology from Michigan State University.