Assessment of Mobilization Potential of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances for Soil Remediation

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00401
• Publication Date: 2022-06-28T19:29:22Z
• Authors: Thi Minh Hong Nguyen; Jennifer Bräunig; Rai S. Kookana; Sarit L. Kaserzon; Emma R. Knight; Hoang Nhat Phong Vo; Shervin Kabiri; Divina A. Navarro; Charles Grimison; Nicole Riddell; Christopher P. Hi...; Michael J. McLaug...; Jochen F. Mueller
• Keywords: Fluorocarbons; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Water; 01 natural sciences; Water Pollutants, Chemical; 6. Clean water; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

This study investigated the mobilization of a wide range per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) present in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) water-saturated soils through one-dimensional (1-D) column experiments with view to assessing feasibility their remediation by soil desorption washing. Results indicated that sorption/desorption most shorter-carbon-chain PFASs (C ≤ 6) reached greater than 99% rapidly─after approximately two pore volumes (PVs) were well predicted an equilibrium transport model, indicating they will be readily removed washing technologies. In contrast, model failed predict longer-chain ≥ 7), presence nonequilibrium (confirmed flow interruption experiment). The actual time taken attain was up 5 times longer (e.g., ∼62 PVs versus ∼12 for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) loamy sand). increasing contribution hydrophobic interactions over electrostatic is suggested as main driving factor processes. inverse linear relationship (R2 = 0.6, p < 0.0001) between mass transfer rate coefficient Freundlich sorption could potentially useful means preliminary evaluation potential soils.