Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Field-deployable Measurement of Fluorocarbons in Water

EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0008
Title: Field-deployable Measurement of Fluorocarbons in Water
Investigators: Wagner, Andrew
Small Business: Mainstream Engineering Corporation
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019
Project Amount: $99,447
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2019) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Clean and Safe Water , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Phase 1 (2019)

Description:

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been identified as a serious health contaminant in water at levels between 12 and 516 parts per trillion (ppt) by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a lifetime health advisory of 70 ppt for two PFASs—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The current PFAS detection method, EPA Test Method 537, is a laborious and expensive process that requires samples be shipped out and measured in a lab. To address these issues, Mainstream Engineering is developing a Field-deployable Analyzer of Fluorocarbons (FAF) to detect PFOA and PFOS in water and wastewater at concentrations as low as 70 ppt.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

Mainstream developed a novel detection scheme for identifying PFOA and PFOS in water that is capable of rapid, on-site analysis of water and wastewater. Multiple pre-concentration schemes were tested and one was selected that could rapidly concentrate PFAS compounds for analysis while using no consumables and releasing no toxic contaminants to the environment. This pre-concentration step, combined with the detector, was able to achieve quantitative determination down into the parts per billion range. Additionally, a unique signal was identified in the parts per trillion range. This signal was not quantitative, but additional work could lead to quantitative PFAS detection at the ppt level.

Conclusions:

The objective of this project was to conduct a proof of concept for a rapid, field-deployable system for detecting fluorocarbons in water down to at least 70 ppt. Mainstream successfully demonstrated a framework for conducting field-deployable analysis of fluorocarbons in water. The desired LOD of 70 ppt was not achieved in Phase I, but specific improvements to reach that limit have been identified. The results of the Phase I can be summarized as follows:

• A deployable, ruggedized device can be made that occupies a volume less than 450 in3, weighs less than 10 pounds, and operates using battery power for over four hours.
• The total analysis time for the system is less than 10 minutes and requires a 250 mL sample of water.
• All data analysis can be performed with a low-cost microcontroller.
• No radiation or contaminants are generated or released to the environment.
• The LOD for PFOA and PFOS was in the parts per billion with the current test scheme, but positive signal was identified down into the ppt. Additional work is necessary to reliably distinguish this from background contaminants

This Phase I project demonstrated the feasibility of using the FAF to detect PFASs. The low-cost and highly portable nature of the system makes it an attractive technology for continued development. In order to be feasible, the FAF LOD needs to be improved to reach or exceed the 70 ppt target. Several methods have been identified and can be pursued in a subsequent Phase II.

Mainstream worked with Foresight Science and Technology to aid the development of the FAF. Foresight provided Mainstream with details of the PFAS detection market. The goal of this commercialization assessment was to aggregate data from available resources including market research, industry experts, product end-users, and prospective businesses to determine the market feasibility of the technology underlying the FAF and what critical needs must be addressed for it to be a viable product. The market as a whole is strong, as global water testing will exceed $5.25 billion by 2024. This value represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. No substitutable products were identified that are commercially available and fill the same need as the FAF. However, various metrics indicated there was commercial interest in PFAS detection technology. The primary targets for this product were federal government organizations, local municipalities, and personal homeowners. In order to meet these demands, the test needs to be able to detect at 70 ppt in a similar amount of time to what it takes to collect water samples and cost less than $100 per sample. The ability to quantify each individual PFAS compound uniquely was not identified as a hard requirement for a field-deployable version of a PFAS sensor. Potential customers were concerned about detecting PFOA and PFOS, and using the FAF as a pre-screening tool to determine whether additional LC/MS/MS testing was required.