Effects of water quality, co-contaminants, and chemical oxidants on perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) fate and transport in the subsurface

McKenzie, Erica

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/106930 Copy

Description

Title

Effects of water quality, co-contaminants, and chemical oxidants on perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) fate and transport in the subsurface

Author(s)

McKenzie, Erica

Issue Date

2017-11-30

Keyword(s)

• PFAS
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
• aqueous film forming foams
• AFFF
• persistant organic pollutants
• contaminants of emerging concern

Abstract

Erica McKenzie - Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been recently highlighted in the news due to their presence in groundwater and drinking water resources, as well as concerns that they are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. Aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) have been used at firefighter training areas to extinguish liquid fuel fires and the repeated historic use of AFFF is associated with elevated perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAAs) concentrations in the subsurface. In this work, the fate and transport of PFAAs in the subsurface is investigated to determine the water quality, co-contaminants, and chemical oxidants affect the PFAAs fate and transport through the saturated porous media system. Unfortunately, chemical oxidants did not degrade the PFAAs, but water quality had substantial effects of the PFAA mobility. The presence of a tricholoroethylene (TCE), a nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL), slowed PFAA transport, as did depressed pH values and elevated cation concentrations. By contrast, chemical oxidant application had mixed effects: two chemical oxidants (permanganate and catalyzed hydrogen peroxide) resulted in accelerated PFAA transport which was attributed to both geochemical and water quality changes, while persulfate application resulted in increased PFAA retardation (i.e., decreased mobility), which is likely at least in part due to changes in water quality. Monte Carlo simulations were employed to extend these results to understand the implications of environmentally relevant water quality parameters on PFAA transport in the subsurface.

Series/Report Name or Number

Sustainable Seminar Series

Type of Resource

• text
• still image

Language

en

Permalink

• https://youtu.be/2oBcbahzScY
• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106930

Owning Collections