Carbon-based Filter for PFAS Removal from Groundwater Latest News
A recent field-based study demonstrates that a specially engineered carbon material can be injected underground to trap and remove PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) from contaminated groundwater, offering a cost-effective, long-term remediation solution for polluted sites.
What are Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)?
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large family of over 4,700 synthetic chemicals, widely known as “Forever Chemicals” due to their extreme environmental persistence.
- PFAS have been mass-produced since the 1950s and are extensively used in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foams, metal coatings, and industrial lubricants.
- The carbon–fluorine (C–F) bond, one of the strongest covalent bonds in chemistry, makes PFAS highly resistant to degradation, leading to widespread groundwater contamination, especially near military, industrial, and municipal sites.
What is Carbon-Based PFAS Remediation?
- Carbon-based PFAS remediation is a novel in-situ groundwater treatment approach demonstrated in a 2025 field study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
- The study evaluated a specially engineered ultra-fine carbon material, known as Colloidal Carbon Product (CCP), designed to adsorb and immobilise PFAS in groundwater.
- The technology uses a “push–pull” testing method, where CCP is injected underground to form an in-situ permeable treatment zone, and groundwater is later extracted to measure PFAS reduction.
- Unlike surface treatment methods, this approach is non-invasive, subsurface-based, and suitable for long-term remediation.
- Field trials at a S. Navy training site showed PFAS levels dropped by up to four orders of magnitude, from over 50,000 ng/L to below detection limits within 10 months, including effective removal of both long-chain and short-chain PFAS.
Source: PHY
Carbon-based Filter for PFAS Removal from Groundwater FAQs
Q1: Why are PFAS called “Forever Chemicals”?
Ans: PFAS are called Forever Chemicals because their carbon–fluorine bonds resist natural chemical, biological, and photolytic degradation, allowing them to persist in the environment for decades.
Q2: How are humans commonly exposed to PFAS?
Ans: Humans are primarily exposed through consumption of PFAS-contaminated drinking water or food, use of PFAS-containing consumer products, and inhalation of contaminated air, especially near industrial sites.
Q3: What are the major health impacts of PFAS exposure?
Ans: PFAS exposure is associated with hormonal disruption, reduced fertility, developmental problems in children, elevated cholesterol levels, and an increased risk of certain cancers.