Grantee Research Project Results

2022 Progress Report: Electron Beam Technology for Destruction of Short-Chain and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Groundwater, Wastewater, Sewage Sludges, and Soils

EPA Grant Number: R839650
Title: Electron Beam Technology for Destruction of Short-Chain and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Groundwater, Wastewater, Sewage Sludges, and Soils
Investigators: Pillai, Suresh D , Staack, David , Sharma, Virender , Houtz, Erica
Current Investigators: Pillai, Suresh D , Staack, David , Sharma, Virender , Houtz, Erica , Juriasingani, Purshotam
Institution: Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center , Arcadis U.S. Inc.
Current Institution: Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center , Arcadis U.S. Inc. , Tetra Tech Inc.
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2022 (Extended to February 29, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2021 through August 31,2022
Project Amount: $899,164
RFA: Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landfills, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment (2018) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Drinking Water , Water Quality , Human Health , Water , PFAS Treatment

Objective:

The specific objectives are:

To characterize and quantify the effectiveness of eBeam technology at degrading short-chain and perfluoroalkyl substances in PFAS-contaminated groundwater, wastewater, leachate, sewage sludges and soils
To develop a mechanistic understanding of eBeam-mediated breakdown of short chain PFAS eg., perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA) in a groundwater and drinking water matrix
To perform an economic and technology feasibility analyses for a transportable eBeam treatment technology platform for ex-situ PFAS remediation

Progress Summary:

Incremental and single high eBeam dosing (500 kGy, 1000 kGy and 2000 kGy) experiments have confirmed that 2000 kGy eBeam dose can degrade all reportable PFAS including PFOS and PFOA in different kinds of aqueous environmental samples.
At high eBeam doses such as 2000 kGy there are temperature-mediated radiolytic reactions that are involved in the eBeam-mediated degradation of per and poly fluorinated chemical compounds. Thereis evidence that PFOA is an intermediate by-product of eBeam-mediated PFOS degradation
Fluorine mass balance calculations confirm the eBeam-mediated degradation of the PFAS compounds in the environmental matrix

Future Activities:

Complete remaining 2000 kGy high dose experiments (single exposure) for PFAS-contaminated groundwater, wastewater, leachate, sewage sludges and soils
Perform detailed F mass balance calculations in experimental systems

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 10 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

high-energy electron beam, eBeam, PFAS, dose, sludge, composted sludge

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

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.