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• Ramboll’s life cycle comparison found PlumeStop to be > 95% more sustainable than a pump and treat solution
• Use of colloidal activated carbon (CAC) requires no operational energy or maintenance, and avoids production of PFAS-saturated waste
• A PlumeStop solution is 61-65% lower in cost as compared to an ex situ treatment approach

This webinar provides a comparison of the environmental impact of long-term in situ sequestration using CAC to pump & treat for PFAS treatment. To quantify the sustainability of this in situ approach, leading global engineering and consulting firm, Ramboll completed a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) on the CAC material, with boundaries encompassing ‘cradle to grave’: considering upstream material sourcing, core manufacturing processes and the downstream processes of transport and injection. The LCA was undertaken according to ISO14044/ISO14025 by using GaBi Professional software in order to meet EN15804 standards to create an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Next, the environmental impact of an actual CAC application downgradient of the PFAS source at a commercial airport was analysed. A comparative analysis was conducted by designing an alternative “pump and treat” system using two filtration techniques and assessing its environmental impact using GaBi Professional software. Additionally, a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) was completed using net present value. Finally, a Tier 2 sustainability assessment using Ramboll’s SURE model, considering 15 sustainability indicators, was completed for each remedial approach.

• High resolution mass spectrometry reveals additional PFASs that may be associated with AFFF-impacted sites
• The role of the anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic polyfluorinated substances at AFFF-impacted sites that can serve as precursors to the more persistent and mobile PFAAs
• Need for more thorough assessments of soils as potential long-term sources of PFAAs to groundwater and surface waters

The challenges posed by the widespread contamination of soils and groundwater by poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are immense. Despite growing concerns about human exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), other PFAS, particularly those derived from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) have garnered little attention. Recent work using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has revealed that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of additional PFASs that may be associated with AFFF-impacted sites. Importantly, many of these newly discovered PFAS have diverse chemical structures, including anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic structures. Some of these PFAS clearly remain bound strongly to soil, while other AFFF-derived PFAS, including transformation products, likely migrate into AFFF-impacted drinking water. In this presentation, the complex challenges posed by PFAS for human and environmental risk will be presented and discussed. Particular attention will be given to the role of the anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic polyfluorinated substances at AFFF-impacted sites that can serve as precursors to the more persistent and mobile perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA). Collectively, these data suggest a need for more thorough assessments of soils as potential long-term sources of PFAA to groundwaters and surface waters.

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