Engineered PFAS Water Treatment

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are the most common water contaminants in the family of PFAS chemicals. These manufactured compounds don’t break down in the environment and can cause severe health effects. PFAS have historically been used in consumer goods and in firefighting foams, but use is phasing out. The potential hazards from forever chemicals will outlive their usage because of their chemical stability. Even small concentrations can cause health effects; current EPA drinking water recommendations for PFAS compounds are in the parts-per-trillion (ppt) range.

People can be exposed to PFAS chemicals in several ways, most commonly through drinking water contaminated with PFOS & PFOA. Perfluorinated chemicals are very difficult to breakdown, but they can be filtered and removed from water. H2K Technologies provides proven PFAS water treatment solutions including activated carbon and ion exchange resin. Specific water treatment technologies will vary with concentration and site characteristics; our engineering team will help you select the most effective and efficient technology.

Activated carbon filtration is a common water treatment solution for volatile organic compounds, it is also an effective solution for PFAS contamination. Carbon treatment works by catching contaminants on a highly porous media surface to remove them from water. The atomic structure of PFOA and PFOS has a hydrophobic (water-repellent) tail and a hydrophilic (water-attractive) head, which affects equipment design. PFAS carbon treatment requires longer contact time than many VOCs to provide complete PFAS removal due to this structure. The large variety of perfluorinated compounds also affects carbon design, smaller particles typically require longer contact time than larger particles. Carbon type and pore surface area can be optimized; specialty virgin-grade carbon provides the best medium for removal of PFAS. An engineered carbon is especially useful for capturing smaller sized PFAS compounds like PFBA, PFBS, and PMPA.

Carbon requires replacement and disposal over time since its capacity is consumed during PFAS treatment. Spent carbon can be transported to an incinerator or reactivation facility for thermal destruction of PFAS. High temperature incineration is an avenue for permanent destruction of hazardous chemicals. This process breaks chemical bonds and decomposes PFOA, PFOS & others into base elements. H2K Technologies offers carbon changeout services and transport to disposal facilities to support our water treatment systems.

Ion exchange filters are a strong option for PFOS-specific treatment. Carbon filters capture a wide range of contaminants, and water impacted with PFAS plus other compounds can quickly consume carbon capacity. Ion exchange resin is a selective option for PFAS removal from water. Ion exchange resin treatment operates similarly to carbon treatment, but with different mechanics. IX resin treatment uses filter media with ionic charges to remove contaminants from water. The negatively charged resin surface attracts PFAS compounds and captures them in the media bed. This ionic process provides a more selective water treatment for specific compounds, such as PFOS & PFOA. This focused treatment is the best choice when water contains other organic or solids loading which would compete for carbon pore surface.

Our experienced team of engineers can review sampling data, model treatment performance, recommend treatment approach and estimate the media lifespan for your project. Our expertise will help you provide a custom turnkey solution to provide effective results for the lifespan of a project. Click below for additional information about filter vessels for activated carbon and ion exchange resin.