Plasma-Enhancement of Absorbers for Improved Removal of PFOS and PFOA from Water

New regulations and advisory levels for perfluoroalkyl substances have resulted in increased drinking water treatment costs or abandonment of drinking water sources. Treatment technologies are needed that can achieve low parts-per-trillion levels. Presently, there are insufficient treatment technologies that can destructively remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and/or perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)._x000D_ _x000D_ AAPlasma proposes a novel process using a non-thermal plasma treatment to regenerate activated carbon. The proposed system offers water filtration technology that can be used indefinitely and requires only electricity to operate_x000D_ _x000D_ Advantages of our proposed system exist in reduction of capital/operational expenses and reduced environmental impact. AAPlasma, with the support of Drexel University’s Nyheim Plasma Institute, will use this SBIR funding opportunity to develop technology to remedy the shortcomings in existing water filtration technology in the removal of PFOA/PFOS from drinking water_x000D_ _x000D_ Previous research performed by members of the project team are promising. In Phase I of this SBIR project, AAPlasma will verify this technology’s feasibility though several research objectives: (1) demonstrate surface amination via plasma, (2) demonstrate plasma removal of PFOA/PFOS, (3) demonstrate advantages of plasma-enhanced activated carbon, (4) perform regulatory pathway and lifecycle analysis, and (5) prepare a detailed plan to scale-up this technology in Phase II