Grantee Research Project Results
2024 Progress Report: 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: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Phase: I
Project Period: January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2024 through December 31,2024
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
Objective:
The goal of this proposed research is to develop and assess an effective and practical method to (re)use carbon materials for mitigating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the products of anaerobic digestion (AD) fed with PFAS-contaminated wastes, as well as enhancing AD performance. Specifically, the project will evaluate (1) co-occurrence of PFAS inhibition and carbon material (i.e., AC) promotion on performance of AD fed with food waste (FW) and sewage sludge (SS) and quality of digested products; 2) PFAS distribution in AD treatment with/without AC; 3) AC effects on PFAS leaching from digested biosolids; and 4) reusability of PFAS-sorbed AC after AD treatment. Outreach activities will be also included to engage K12 students, public, and stakeholders by providing educational materials with proper content design for different audiences.
Progress Summary:
During the first period of this project (01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024), three graduate students and three undergraduate students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, worked together under the supervision of Dr. Guangbin Li (PI). Additionally, six high school students from Oxon Hill High School, Maryland, participated in the project through a research internship program. The team investigated the impact of PFAS on anaerobic digestion (AD) performance using mixed organic wastes (food waste and sewage sludge at a 1:1 volatile solids ratio). Results confirmed that PFAS reduced biogas yield by up to 38.4% at 100 mg/L PFOA. To mitigate this effect, activated carbon (AC) was tested, resulting in a 56.7% increase in biogas production when 1 g/L AC was added in AD fed with PFAS-containing organic wastes. AC also effectively sequestered PFAS, reducing liquid-phase concentrations by over 80%, thereby improving digestate quality for beneficial applications. Additionally, free nitrous acid (FNA) pretreatment enhanced organic waste solubilization, controlled H₂S odor, and increased methane production by 25%, although its effectiveness was influenced by system pH and NO₂⁻ fluctuations. These findings, published in peer-reviewed journals, provide valuable insights for optimizing AD performance and improving waste management strategies in the presence of emerging contaminants.
Future Activities:
- Research Tasks: Conduct batch and column experiments to assess PFAS leaching from biosolids and AC. Evaluate the feasibility of recycling PFAS-sorbed AC in AD by determining its recoverability and reusability over multiple cycles.
- Education & STEM Outreach: Graduate and undergraduate students will work under Dr. Li's supervision with weekly meetings to track progress and plan activities. Research findings will be shared with broader audiences through established platforms such as Maryland Day. Research internships will be offered to Oxon Hill High School students, focusing on waste-to-energy and emerging contaminants from the P3 project.
Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 2 publications | 2 publications in selected types | All 2 journal articles |
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Chen X, Jiang L, Aghilinasrollahabadi K, Proano CA, Meisler S, Anderson MO, Xue J, Li G. Impacts of crude glycerol on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process in wastewater treatment. Bioresource Technology 2024;394:130271. |
SU840874 (2024) |
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Proano CA, Liu R, Xu X, Meisler S, Hassanein A, Lansing S, Tian K, Li G. Impacts of free nitrous acid on stabilizing food waste and sewage sludge for anaerobic digestion. Bioresource Technology 2024;402:130819. |
SU840874 (2024) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Anaerobic co-digestion, sustainable technology, waste to energy, emerging organic contaminantsRelevant Websites:
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.