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WATER TREATMENT `BATTELLE`

2022-05-10

WATER TREATMENT `BATTELLE`

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), otherwise known as [forever chemicals", are one of the biggest challenges facing the water sector.

These harmful chemicals that do not break down and only accumulate over time are fast becoming a major issue for governments, with treatment solutions often ahead of regulations.

In 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified that PFAS is present in more than 120,000 US locations.

As with other water-based pollutants and contaminants, PFAS can be filtered out of water, but that only transfers the PFAS from one media to another. As a result, many solutions are now gearing towards how PFAS can be destroyed.

Independent not-for-profit research technology organisation, Battelle, recently demonstrated its PFAS Annihilator™ Destruction Technology at a wastewater treatment plant in Michigan.

A closed-loop on-site destruction solution powered by supercritical water oxidation, the system demonstrated its capability to mobilise and destroy PFAS chemicals that were present in the contaminated water.

Speaking to Aquatech Online, Amy Dindal, PFAS program manager, said: "The core is based on supercritical water oxidation which is a technology that's been in practice since the 80s to deal with difficult to treat compounds.

"The technology involves increasing the temperature and the pressure so that it's in a unique state. That will enable the breaking of the carbon-fluorine bond, which is the backbone of the molecules and with that, we add oxidation agents."

Pfas Destruction

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