A Green Antibiofilm and Antifouling Solution for Water Treatment in the DAF

The DAF and DOD are facing challenges related to the long-established use of firefighting foams containing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), chemicals now considered health and environmental concerns. Hundreds of DAF/DOD sites and bases are being tested to determine whether PFAS levels are within the acceptable limits. DAF efforts to rapidly reduce or eliminate the PFAS with filtration have been complicated by the incessant formation of microbial biofilm that clogs the filters. Traditional methods to address this biocontamination are not consistently effective or require harsh biocidal chemicals that are restricted from being pumped back into the aquifer. Aequor's eco-friendly, sustainable chemical formulation is being developed for DAF water treatment systems to replace the current methods and chemicals or to potentiate them to work effectively at permissible doses. Aequor has developed a work plan based on the needs expressed by DAF Remediation Program Managers at Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) and Wright-Paterson Air Force Bases, as well as the Air Force Civil Engineering Center, to resolve the problems of biofilm formation at existing and newly-planned PFAS water filtration systems. The pilot project will test Aequor’s treatment against the microbial load specific to the JBCC system and other groundwater treatment systems.