A Low-Cost High-Capacity Portable Stormwater Treatment System for Emerging Contaminants

Innovative self-contained portable stormwater treatment systems are needed to reduce the impact of highways on streams, and other waters; recreation facilities, and habitat by capturing contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The primary pollutant of concern is the 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), which is an automobile tire by-product that finds its way into storm water and is has been reported to be killing Coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Research suggests that that it is among the most toxic chemicals known for aquatic organisms with Coho mortality occurring at ∼0.1 ppb. In Phase I TDA Research, in partnership with Fabco Industries, demonstrated the feasibility of a portable stormwater treatment system based on TDA’s novel composite sorbent that removes 6PPD-q and PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from stormwater down to less than 0.1 ppb (100 ppt). In Phase II we will continue working with Fabco Industries to further develop, fabricate and test a prototype based on their StormSafe multi-filter cartridge-based filtration technology that incorporates TDA’s sorbents to remove 6PPD-q and other contaminants from stormwater. We will then complete independent, third-party evaluations of the full-scale device using simulated runoff events and then test it in actual stormwater management applications.