PFAS Characteristics, Fate and Challenges in Waste Management

Lee, Linda

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/109940 Copy

Description

Title

PFAS Characteristics, Fate and Challenges in Waste Management

Author(s)

Lee, Linda

Issue Date

2021-04-28

Keyword(s)

• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
• PFAS

Abstract

Presented on April 28, 2021, by Linda S. Lee - Professor, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University - keynote speaker at the 2021 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference Abstract: Per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used in commercial and industrial products with the number of different compounds identified as PFAS approaching 5000. Those most frequently monitored and studied include several perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), which have been found coming from multiple sources are being found in groundwater, surface water, and potable waters. PFAS sources leading to water contamination range from fire-fighting activities, industrial spills and dumping, leaky landfills, wastewater effluent discharge, land-applied biosolids, and storm runoff. The increased awareness of potential adverse effects of PFAS and their frequent occurrence in water resources and biota have prompted state and federal agencies to re-examine PFAS risk assessments and establish aggressive health advisory levels. Concerns of PFAS contributions from land-applied biosolids are leading some states to limit the land application of biosolids and composts to only those meeting a set of PFAS screening levels and others to consider completely banning the practice, which is also problematic. Many PFAAs are terminal products of microbial degradation of precursor PFAS present in commercial products and wastewater influent; therefore, limiting mitigation or reduction of PFAS in the water and wastewater treatment process to abiotic technologies.PFAS occurrence in and leachability from biosolids-based and municipal compost-based soil amendments will be presented along with the challenges in estimating actual PFAS loads in waste-based materials and waste management and potential PFAS mitigation and treatment options. Biography: Linda S. Lee is a Purdue University Professor in the Department of Agronomy; Program Head for the Ecological Sciences & Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program; and Courtesy Faculty in Environmental Ecological Engineering. She joined the Purdue faculty in 1993 with degrees in chemistry (BS), environmental engineering (MS), and soil chemistry/contaminant hydrology (PhD) from the University of Florida. Her group researches environmental fate processes and contaminant remediation in various media for use in mitigating contamination and management decision tools in industrial and agricultural settings. She is well-published in top-tier environmental journals and has served on national and international advisory groups addressing water quality issues, fair land-applied biosolid policies, and predicting chemical risk. Her research over the past 15 years has focused primarily on poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances and organic endocrine-disrupting chemicals of emerging concern.

Series/Report Name or Number

2021 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC21)

Type of Resource

• text
• still image

Language

en

Permalink

• https://youtu.be/Lq8_jDCPh3Q
• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/109940

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