Prevalence and persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in natural waters necessitates the removal of these compounds to safeguard human health and the environment. Currently, treatment of these contaminants occurs primarily via adsorption to granular activated carbon (GAC). However, recent studies have demonstrated the potential of regenerable anion exchange resins (AERs) to treat PFAS due to their larger capacities, higher selectivities for these chemicals, and potential for regeneration. The emergence of single-use “PFAS-selective” resins presents a promising alternate media, but their single-use nature invites questions surrounding their viability for long-term treatment operations both in terms of system sustainability and cost. In this study, lifetime impacts and costs are explored for plume remediation, but drinking water operations are also considered to fully reflect the wide range of operations conducted to remediate PFAS, with both scenarios informed by data from field pilots located at source zones and drinking water wells.Primary findings include the imrpoved sustainability of AER systems compared to GAC due to their significantly enhanced operational lifetimes. The large contact times of GAC render it less competitive than either resin, as much larger quantities of GAC needed to achieve the contact time lead to higher impacts than either resin for most impact categories. Costing analysis found that single-use resin is the more cost-effective treatment strategy for source zone remediation while regenerable resins and GAC may prove more cost-effective for drinking water treatment. However, an optimal sustainable and cost-efficient solution will ultimately depend on the criteria used to define ‘PFAS breakthrough,’ as this criteria will ultimately determine the media usage rate, and subsequently total lifetime impact and cost. Further aspects of treatment including waste stream minimization, regenerant solution constituents, and incineration types are considered to determine the driving parameters that most directly influence environmental impact.

Comparative life cycle impacts and costs of <i>ex-situ</i> sorbent treatment options for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)

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Comparative life cycle impacts and costs of ex-situ sorbent treatment options for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)