Closing the Mass Balance on PFAS in MSW Management Systems

Principle Investigator: John A. Bowden, PhD, Assistant Professor, john.bowden@ufl.edu

College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida

Co-Principal Investigator: Helena Solo-Gabriele, P.E., PhD, Professor, hmsolo@miami.edu

Department of Civil Arch. and Environ. Engineering

Motivation and Objectives

Image: landfill gas leachate evaporator system

The motivation for the proposed research is to better understand the mass balance of PFAS in MSW management systems. The degree to which PFAS chemicals are emitted from landfills when gas is released (directly or after combustion) or when leachate is evaporated (under high temperatures or through conventional aeration) has not been sufficiently examined. Additionally, the fate of PFAS in non-conventional leachate treatments is a significant knowledge gap. Given that:

The presence, magnitude, and diversity of PFAS in MSW landfill leachate is relatively well understood.
PFAS is measured in WTE combustion ash, including both bottom and fly ash, though concentrations suggest that PFAS mass is reduced in the ash compared to the incoming waste.

One basic mass balance question that needs to be answered is how much volatile PFAS mass exists in MSW and thus should be expected in MSW management systems? The proposed research intends to investigate current non-conventional leachate treatment methods via three objectives:

- Review PFAS separation and destruction technologies.
- Investigation of PFAS volatility in laboratory-scale treatment processes.
- Sample collection at MSW management facilities.

Progress Reports

Reports will be uploaded in the spaces below as the project advances. Placeholder images have been added in the meantime.