Grantee Research Project Results
Electrochemical Mineralization of PFAS in lndustrial Wastewater
EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0015Title: Electrochemical Mineralization of PFAS in lndustrial Wastewater
Investigators: Legzdins, Colleen
Small Business: OXBYEL Technologies, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Water Quality
Description:
The EPA has established health advisory levels at 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for combined PFAS concentration. Water resources are susceptible to contamination by PFAS release from industry and landfill sites. Consequently, there is a need for on-site pretreatment technologies for PFASS in industrial wastewater. Electrochem;cal treatment has been shown to be effective for the mineralization of PFASs at lab-scale. OXBYEL is commercializing a proprietary electrochemicaltreatment system that cost-effectively mineralizes recalcitrant COD across a wide range of concentrations with low energy and no chemicals- in a single step. The objective of this project is to provide proof-of-conce pt of a cost-effective electrochemical process that can destroy the combined PFASS to below 70 ppt reliably and simply, and that is easily integrated into existing treatment processes. OXBYEL will modify its prototype reactor and operating conditions to validate the performance of its proprietary process achieving 70 ppt combined PFAS concentration and validate the capital and operating cost for a full- scale treatment system. The industrial water services market is approximately S50B annually. The only commercial destruction process available- incineration- is very expensive and impractical. End-users of the technology include chemical, manufacturing, landfill and other industries.
Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.