Grantee Research Project Results

Demonstration of a Chemical-free Short-wavelength UV Based PFAS Destruction Technology for Saline Wastewater Treatment

EPA Contract Number: 68HERC25C0002
Title: Demonstration of a Chemical-free Short-wavelength UV Based PFAS Destruction Technology for Saline Wastewater Treatment
Investigators: Yu, Xuejun
Small Business: Water Illumination, Inc.
EPA Contact: McIntyre, Brandon
Phase: II
Project Period: October 18, 2024 through October 17, 2026
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2025) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water , Endocrine Disruptors

Description:

The project team at Water Illumination Inc. (WI) aims to address urgent and important global contamination issues of PFAS – also known as “forever chemicals” – in wastewater through a novel chemical-free short-wavelength UV based PFAS destruction technology for saline wastewater treatment, including RO concentrate, and ion exchange regeneration brine, foam fractionation concentration and landfill leachate. The overarching goal of the 24-month Phase II project is the scaling-up demonstration and continued research and development of a highly efficient short-wavelength chemical-free UV-based treatment system for destruction of PFAS in different types of impacted wastewater. The ability to completely destroy PFAS using short-wavelength UV light without generating secondary waste streams or toxic byproducts for wastewater treatment will facilitate new, sustainable and commercially viable ways to mitigate PFAS and enable cost-effective water infrastructure for both centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment. Current and emerging PFAS removal technologies have significant drawbacks in byproduct generation and require harsh operating conditions. This new technology is advantageous to existing ones. The fundamental scientific basis of this technology was discovered by the academic partner of the project team at UC Riverside and has led to a pending worldwide patent (application no. 63/345,784). The project team has successfully established a strong proof-of-concept UV PFAS destruction technology for wastewater treatment via the Phase I project. Using clean light energy, our tunable technology produces a highly reactive system to fully break the carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS compounds, thus it can completely destroy both short-chain and long-chain PFAS without generating secondary waste streams or any impure byproducts or emissions, while with a very short hydraulic retention time (i.e., minutes). Furthermore, our technology operates at ambient temperatures and pressure levels and is applicable to wastewater and industrial wastewater PFAS treatment, whereas other emerging destructive technologies typically require harsh operating conditions with associated high energy costs. The proposed activities are well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on encouraging to-date findings employing sound methods to enable success. The project team is well-qualified to conduct the proposed activities, and has established a strong partnership with UC Riverside and water districts in California and industry partners as potential end users for commercialization. The market of PFAS treatment will be worth USD $80 billion by 2030. WI is a start-up company focused on revolutionary water treatment technologies. Through commercialization under a sustainable business model, the project team will advance broader economic benefit and create high-paid jobs in the fast-growing inland southern California region.

SBIR Phase I:

Development of a Chemical-free Short-wavelength UV Based PFAS Destruction Technology for Saline Wastewater Treatment  | Final Report