The increasing prevalence of PFAS in groundwater has become a pressing concern for communities and environmental professionals worldwide. PFAS Treatment with Plume Stop offers a groundbreaking solution to combat these persistent and toxic contaminants, ensuring the protection of our vital groundwater resources.
Discover how Plume Stop technology is revolutionizing the field of groundwater remediation by providing an effective, efficient, and cost-saving solution for PFAS treatment. Learn about the innovative approach and its key advantages that make Plume Stop stand out as a game-changer in addressing persistent and toxic PFAS contamination, safeguarding our precious groundwater resources for generations to come.
In this article, we will explore the innovative Plume Stop technology, its unique characteristics, and its potential to revolutionize the way PFAS contamination is addressed, ultimately leading to a safer and cleaner environment for all.
PFAS: A Growing Concern
Recent news sources have exposed an emerging threat to our communities relating to groundwater resources around the United States. Communities are concerned, gathering to demand that their representatives swiftly address what some consider an imminent danger to clean drinking water.
PFAS, an acronym for a family of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made compounds with widespread commercial use in carpets, upholstery, nonstick surface treatments, and historically found in foaming agents used in firefighting activities.
PFAS chemicals, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have come under increased scrutiny by environmental regulatory agencies due to their toxicity, persistence in the environment, and increasing prevalence as contaminants in groundwater.
Many PFAS compounds are extremely stable molecules resistant to most in-situ treatment methods.
Challenges in Treating PFAS Contamination
To date, conventional in-situ remediation technologies, such as chemical oxidation, have not effectively demonstrated the ability to destroy these contaminants. Additionally, no known microbial strains have been discovered that are capable of biodegrading these substances.
The currently accepted method of treatment for PFAS is through an ex-situ pump-and-treat system equipped with activated carbon filters. While generally effective, this process can be complicated and expensive due to the large and dilute nature of many PFAS plumes, which are often difficult to treat completely.
As a result, there is an urgent need for an innovative solution that eliminates the risk posed by PFAS contaminants without incurring high costs or complications.
In response to this challenge, a breakthrough technology is now available that provides a more efficient and cost-effective method for treating PFAS contamination in situ. This article will explore the innovative PlumeStop technology, its applications in the field, and the advantages it offers over conventional treatment methods.
Conventional Remediation Techniques
Conventional remediation techniques, such as in-situ remediation technologies, have proven effective against a wide range of contaminants. However, due to the unique and stable molecular structure of PFAS compounds, they are resistant to these methods, necessitating the development of innovative approaches for effective treatment.
Chemical Oxidation
Chemical oxidation is a traditional in-situ remediation technique that involves injecting chemical oxidants into the contaminated groundwater to break down the target contaminants. However, PFAS compounds are highly stable and resistant to most chemical oxidation processes. As a result, this method has not been able to effectively demonstrate the ability to destroy PFAS contaminants.
Microbial Biodegradation
Biodegradation is a process where naturally occurring microorganisms break down contaminants into less harmful substances. In the case of PFAS, no known microbial strains have been discovered that are capable of biodegrading these compounds. This is due to the unique and stable molecular structure of PFAS, which makes it resistant to biodegradation, posing a significant challenge for in-situ remediation efforts.
Ex-Situ Pump-and-Treat Systems
The currently accepted method of treatment for PFAS is through an ex-situ pump-and-treat system. This process involves pumping contaminated groundwater out of the subsurface and filtering it through activated carbon tanks to remove the PFAS contaminants. While generally effective, this method can be complicated and expensive due to the large and dilute nature of many PFAS plumes, which are often difficult to treat completely. Additionally, pump-and-treat systems require a significant amount of capital for setup and long-term operation and maintenance, which can further strain the resources of communities affected by PFAS contamination.
Conventional remediation techniques like chemical oxidation, microbial biodegradation, and ex-situ pump-and-treat systems have been unable to provide a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for treating PFAS contamination in groundwater. Consequently, there is a need for a more innovative approach to address this pressing environmental challenge.
Innovative In-Situ Remediation: PlumeStop Technology
In response to the limitations of conventional remediation techniques, REGENESIS has developed an innovative in-situ sorbent technology called PlumeStop, which is designed to physically remove PFOA and PFOS from the aqueous phase in order to prevent further migration of the plume and remove the inherent risk associated with dissolved phase contaminants.
PlumeStop offers a new tool to address these challenging contaminant plumes and provides several key advantages over traditional methods.
Technology description
PlumeStop Liquid Activated Carbon is comprised of very fine particles of activated carbon (1-2 µm) suspended in water through organic polymer dispersion chemistry. This patented formulation allows PlumeStop to travel through the aquifer under low pressure application without clogging.
Once applied, PlumeStop coats the surface of the soil where contaminants can adsorb and immediately reduce dissolved phase concentrations.
Key elements and capabilities
The key elements of PlumeStop technology include the ability to:
- Distribute a sorbent composed of colloidal activated carbon widely in the aquifer under low pressure injections.
- Adsorb contaminants and quickly reduce their groundwater concentrations.
- Inhibit further transport of contaminants in the aquifer.
These capabilities allow for improved plume containment over pump-and-treat systems, with the potential to decrease the operating costs of ex-situ treatment options.
PlumeStop in action
The results of studies conducted with PlumeStop indicate that it is capable of physically removing PFOA and PFOS from the aqueous phase, providing an in-situ approach for addressing PFAS plumes. The ability to inject and distribute a sorbent within the aquifer allows for improved plume containment over conventional pump-and-treat systems. Additionally, future advances in destruction technologies could be applied at a later date in the area of the existing PlumeStop barrier to destroy the contaminants.
Check out this video about PlumeStop.
Case Study: Plume Stop in Action
Hydrogeologist Rick McGregor’s Application and Monitoring
Hydrogeologist Rick McGregor, president of In-Situ Remediation Services Limited, Canada’s leading in-situ remediation firm, was contracted to perform an in-situ remediation of groundwater contaminated with hydrocarbons and PFOS and PFOA. According to McGregor, the challenges associated with PFAS remediation include limited understanding of the contaminants’ fate and transport, the need for very low detection limits, and difficulties in delivering reagents to the contaminants in situ. PlumeStop offers a solution to these challenges by injecting activated carbon to create a barrier that contains and prevents plumes from magnifying. In the case of PlumeStop, McGregor found that it was relatively easy to inject and achieve good distribution within the subsurface.
Dr. Grant Kerry’s Modeling and Analysis
To better understand the longevity of PFAS treatment at the site where McGregor applied PlumeStop, Dr. Grant Kerry, president of Porewater Solutions and an expert in mathematical modeling and environmental forensics, became involved to model the site using the field data from McGregor’s application and monitoring. Kerry explored a number of conservative modeled scenarios calibrated to the site, which presumed ongoing secondary inputs of PFAS from infiltration, desorption, and back diffusion from the aquifer matrix.
Kerry found that after injecting PlumeStop, there was a substantial reduction in groundwater concentrations because most of the mass moved into the activated carbon sorb phase. This key step is crucial for evaluating PlumeStop performance. To date, the most effective method for treating PFAS-impacted groundwater has been the ex-situ pump-and-treat process. However, the main benefit of PlumeStop over this method is that it avoids the high capital costs associated with setup and long-term operation and maintenance.
The collaboration between McGregor and Kerry demonstrates the effectiveness of PlumeStop in addressing PFAS contamination in groundwater. In the next section, we will summarize the key advantages of using PlumeStop technology for PFAS treatment, providing an overview of its benefits over conventional remediation techniques.
Key Advantages of PlumeStop Treatment for PFAS
The PlumeStop technology offers several significant advantages over conventional remediation techniques, making it a promising solution for addressing PFAS contamination in groundwater. Some of the key benefits of PlumeStop treatment for PFAS include:
Cost-effectiveness
PlumeStop allows for the avoidance or decrease of operation and maintenance (O&M) costs associated with ex-situ approaches like pump-and-treat systems. By injecting an in-situ barrier of colloidal activated carbon, PlumeStop eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure and ongoing maintenance associated with traditional pump-and-treat methods.
Efficient distribution and injection
The ability to inject and distribute a barrier of colloidal activated carbon widely and evenly under low pressures in permeable channels simplifies the remediation process. PlumeStop’s unique formulation enables it to travel through the aquifer without clogging, ensuring effective distribution of the treatment agent within the contaminated area.
Rapid adsorption of contaminants
PlumeStop rapidly adsorbs PFOS and PFOA from water, even at low concentrations. Its high adsorption capacity allows for quick containment and treatment of the PFAS plume, significantly reducing the time required for remediation.
Longevity of treatment
A single application of PlumeStop provides years of sorption capacity, and higher doses or reapplications can increase capture longevity. This long-lasting treatment helps to ensure ongoing protection of groundwater resources without the need for constant monitoring and maintenance.
Compatibility with future technologies
As new destruction technologies become available, they could be applied at a later date in the area of the existing PlumeStop barrier to destroy the captured contaminants. This adaptability makes PlumeStop a flexible and future-proof solution for addressing PFAS contamination in groundwater.
Conclusion
PFAS contamination in groundwater poses a significant threat to the environment and public health. Conventional remediation techniques have proven inadequate in addressing these persistent and toxic compounds.
PlumeStop technology, developed by REGENESIS, offers an innovative in-situ solution that effectively and efficiently treats PFAS-impacted groundwater. With its unique formulation, ease of distribution, rapid adsorption, and long-lasting treatment capacity, PlumeStop presents a promising alternative to traditional remediation methods.
As demonstrated in the case study, PlumeStop has the potential to revolutionize the way PFAS contamination is addressed, ultimately protecting our precious groundwater resources and ensuring a safer environment for current and future generations.