Citation:

Barth, E., J. McKernan, D. Bless, AND K. Dasu. Investigation of an immobilization process for PFAS contaminated soils. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 296:113069, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113069

Impact/Purpose:

A two-phased bench-scale study was conducted to evaluate various sorbents for possible use as stabilizing agents for use in an in-situ solidification/stabilization (immobilization) treatment process for PFAS contaminated soils. The first phase involved sorption experiments for five selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using five selected sorbents: granular activated carbon (GAC), organoclay, activated carbon-clay blend, biochar, iron (Fe)-amended biochar, and using Ottawa sand as a control. The second phase involved chemical stabilization (via sorption) treatment of two different PFAS-contaminated soils using the most effective sorbent identified in the first phase. Physical solidification was achieved by adding cement as a binding agent to the soil-sorbent matrix to solidify two different PFAS-contaminated soils collected from contaminated sites.

Description:

A two-phased bench-scale study was conducted to evaluate various sorbents for possible use as chemical stabilizing agents, along with cement solidification, for possible use in an in-situ solidification/stabilization (immobilization) treatment process for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) contaminated soils. The first phase involved sorption experiments for six selected PFAS compounds diluted in a water solution, using five selected sorbents: granular activated carbon (GAC), activated carbon-clay blend, modified clay, biochar, iron (Fe)-amended biochar, and Ottawa sand as a control media. The second phase involved chemical stabilization treatment (via sorption), using the most effective sorbent identified in the first phase, followed by solidification of two soils from PFAS-contaminated sites. Physical solidification was achieved by adding cement as a binding agent. Results from the first phase (sorption experiments) indicated that GAC was slightly more successful than the other sorbents in sorption performance for a 3000 μg/L solution containing a mixture of the six selected PFAS analytes (500 μg/L concentration each of shorter- and longer-chain alkyl acids), and was the only sorbent used in the second phase of this study.

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