Grantee Research Project Results
Enhancement of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)-Contaminated Organic Wastes Treatment in Anaerobic Digestion by Carbon Materials
EPA Grant Number: SU840874Title: Enhancement of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)-Contaminated Organic Wastes Treatment in Anaerobic Digestion by Carbon Materials
Investigators: Li, Guangbin
Institution: University of Maryland - College Park
EPA Project Officer: Cunniff, Sydney
Phase: I
Project Period: January 1, 2024 through May 13, 2025
Project Amount: $75,000
RFA: 20th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Request for Applications (RFA) (2023) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
It is estimated that every year, Americans discard nearly 40 million tons of food waste (FW) and generate about 4.5 million tons (dry weight) of treated sewage sludge (SS) or biosolids. Since the United States is the global leader in organic waste management and the fact of the ubiquity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment, disposal of these wastes in landfills, which are already overflowing, result in significant environmental problems and unsanitary conditions for the surrounding communities and ecosystems. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely accepted sustainable waste-to-energy technology for waste management in both urban and rural/tribal communities. However, practical challenges to AD application for PFAS-contaminated wastes treatment remain, such as the elevated PFAS content in and potential PFAS leaching from digested biosolids after AD.
Objective:
The goal of this proposed research is to develop and assess a sustainable and practical method to reuse carbon materials for mitigating PFAS in the products of AD fed with PFAS-contaminated wastes, as well as enhancing AD performance.
Approach:
Four PFASs, including perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), will be selected as they are mostly reported PFAS detected in organic wastes and represent PFAS with different carbon length and functional groups. In the digestion process, PFAS will be added into the reactors with or without AC, allowing us to investigate the impacts of PFAS and carbon material (AC) on AD process and digested products, as well as access the differences in sorption and leaching behaviors of various PFASs from digested products. Meanwhile, PFAS distribution in liquid, biosolids, and AC will be tested to examine the effectiveness of AC additive in removing PFAS from digested products. In addition, two methods to recycle AC from AD effluent will be tested for evaluating the reusability of PFAS-sorbed AC for PFAS removal. Outreach activities will be also included to engage K12 students, public, and stakeholders (e.g., wastewater treatment plants) by providing educational materials and organizing workshop/webinar with proper content design for different audiences.
Expected Results:
Given the arising concern about PFAS contamination and risks, and high interests of applying co-digestion for solids waste management, energy optimization, and resource recovery, the outcome of this research, including an enhanced AD process for treating PFAS-contaminated organic wastes, is expected to have immediate values to public health, waste management, and bioenergy practitioner community. We will report the research progress and key findings to EPA P3 program through submitting the progress and technical report, develop research summaries, prepare content for educational webinars/seminars, present results at relevant technical conferences, and submit scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 2 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 2 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Anaerobic Co-Digestion, Sustainable technology, Waste to energy, Emerging organic contaminantsProgress 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.