PFAS Remediation, Iron Creek & Jacobs Pilot Project - Case Study
Project Details
Iron Creek Group partnered with Jacobs and Battelle to demonstrate that Tech Zero could remediate high concentrations of PFAS chemicals from soil using conduction and convection.
Project Operations
The feed soils were subsequently spiked with a 50:50 mixture of 3 percent Ansulite fluorotelomer-based AFFF, a 1999-era M3 electrochemical-based AFFF to bring the estimated total concentration of the 10 PFAS analyzed to above 40,000-ug/kg.
The mixed soil then was separated into several batches for treatment as follows: 482°C for 15 minutes; 593°C for 15 minutes; and 954°C for 30 minutes. Minimal removal occurred at the lowest temperature and 50 percent removal occurred at the middle temperature, both over 15 minutes duration. At higher temperature and 30-minute duration, all PFAS were removed to levels below the Limits of Quantitation, corresponding to an estimated mass removal of >99.9percent.
Planned Customer Results
350C was identified as the lowest effective temperature. This testing showed 99.4 percent
removal for the total of the 29 PFAS analyzed within two days at 350°C. Only 40 percent total PFAS removal was observed at 300°C over a four-day duration. Longer heating durations did not improve removal at either temperature.
The sulfonates (PFOS, PFHxS) are much more difficult to remove at lower temperatures but are very effectively removed at higher temperatures. Consistent with the ‘grouping data’ maximum removal is achieved after 2 days, at 350 C.
