Treatment of groundwater contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from the use of aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) remains a major challenge. Electrochemical oxidation is one of the few technologies capable of mineralizing PFASs. However, AFFFs contain numerous biotransformable organics that significantly lower the Coulombic efficiency of an already energy-intensive process. In this talk, we explore the synergistic effects of coupling electrochemical with biological oxidation for the treatment of AFFF-impacted water, using both <i>Trametes versicolor</i> cultures and pure laccase enzymes. Throughout the transformation process, we quantify major AFFF constituents via liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/QToF-MS). Electrochemical oxidation of linear perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), the most abundant and possibly most persistent species, is shown to occur in AFFF-impacted water, although substantially slower than in the absence of organic co-contaminants. In addition, we apply ultrahigh-resolution Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) for a more complete assessment of PFAS “dark matter” identity and transformation during treatment. Our results demonstrate that bioelectrochemical oxidation is a promising approach for the destruction of PFAS in complex AFFF groundwater plumes.

Bioelectrochemical oxidation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and non-fluorinated co-contaminants in aqueous film forming foam

2019 Spring National Meeting

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