ERASE-PFAS: Collaborative Research: Development of Quantitative Tools to Assess the Mechanisms and Full Potential of UV-ARPs for the Treatment of PFASs in Water

ERASE-PFAS：合作研究：开发定量工具来评估 UV-ARP 处理水中 PFAS 的机制和全部潜力

基本信息

批准号：
2050934
负责人：
Garrett McKay
金额：
$ 34.9万
依托单位：
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2021-08-01 至 2024-07-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2050934&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
ERASE PFAS Collaborative Research Development

项目摘要

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used for many decades. PFAS contain numerous carbon-fluorine bonds that makes them extremely stable. This stability has led to them being called “forever chemicals.” The broad use of PFAS has resulted in widespread contamination of soil and water. This finding is of great concern, as PFAS exposure have been linked to serious health effects, such as cancer and birth defects. The urgency of this problem is made greater because PFAS are resistant to most conventional chemical and biological water treatment processes. One new technology that has shown promise for PFAS destruction in water is Advanced Reduction Processes (ARPs). ARPs produce electrons in water, which can react with PFAS to degrade halogenated compounds like PFAS. The goal of this project is to determine the potential of ARPs for remediating PFAS contaminated water. This goal will be achieved through research to: i) identify the important reactions occurring in the electron-based PFAS destruction process, and ii) develop quantitative tools for predicting PFAS degradation in ARP systems. Successful completion of this research holds promise to develop new technology to effectively treat PFAS contaminated water. Additional benefits to society result from increasing the Nation’s STEM workforce through the engagement and training of graduate and undergraduate students in research, as well as training of high school STEM teachers during summer training programs.Hydrated electrons are one of the strongest known reductants. Recent studies show that the hydrated electron is capable of reducing fluorine atoms in PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, to non-toxic fluoride. However, a significant barrier preventing application of hydrated electrons for PFAS destruction is the lack of quantitative knowledge of hydrated electron-based processes in real-world waters. The goal of this project is to develop the quantitative data and tools necessary to assess the full potential of Ultraviolet-based Advanced Reduction Processes (UV-ARP) by addressing the underlying mechanistic limitations of hydrated electron-based PFAS degradation. This overall goal will be realized by focusing on three complementary objectives to: i) characterize the hydrated electron-based destruction efficiencies of parent PFAS and absolute fluoride yields, ii) develop the quantitative methods needed to predict PFAS degradation rates by UV-ARPs in real-world waters, and iii) use these quantitative tools to develop a “best case” UV-ARP treatment and compare this optimized system to other PFAS degradation technologies. These objectives will be accomplished using state-of-the-science time-resolved and steady-state radiolysis, combined with bench-scale UV-ARP experiments and kinetic modeling. The research will be integrated with education and outreach through high school STEM teacher training programs and engagement of undergraduate researchers at a primarily undergraduate institution. Additional benefits to society result from the sharing of research findings and recommendations for water treatment practitioners through partnership with the Orange County Water District, one of the largest full-scale advanced water treatment facilities in the Nation. Successful completion of this research will advance the fundamental science and engineering potential of ARPs for PFAS treatment in real-world waters.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PFA（每氟烷基物质）是一组人造的化学物质，数十年来已被广泛使用。 PFA包含许多碳氟键，使其非常稳定。这种稳定使它们被称为“永远的化学物质”。 PFA的广泛使用导致土壤和水的广泛污染。这一发现引起了人们的关注，因为PFAS暴露与严重的健康影响有关，例如癌症和先天缺陷。由于PFA对大多数常规的化学和生物学水处理过程具有抵抗力，因此该问题的紧迫性变得更大。一种新技术显示出对水中PFAS破坏的希望是先进的还原过程（ARP）。 ARP在水中产生电子，可以与PFA反应以降解卤化化合物（如PFA）。该项目的目的是确定ARP对补救PFA污染的水的潜力。该目标将通过研究来实现：i）确定基于电子的PFAS破坏过程中发生的重要反应，ii）开发定量工具来预测ARP系统中的PFAS降解。这项研究的成功完成有望开发新技术，以有效治疗PFA污染的水。通过研究研究生和本科生研究的参与和培训以及在夏季培训计划中对高中STEM教师的培训来增加国家的STEM劳动力，从而增加了社会的其他好处。氢气是最强的还原剂之一。最近的研究表明，水合电子能够将PFA中的氟原子（包括PFOA和PFO）降低为无毒的氟化物。然而，阻止水合电子用于PFAS破坏的重大障碍是缺乏对现实世界中水合电子过程的定量知识。该项目的目的是通过解决基于水合电子的PFAS降解的基本机理限制，开发评估基于紫外线的高级还原过程（UV-ARP）的全部潜力所需的定量数据和工具。将通过关注三个完整对象来实现这一总体目标：退化技术。这些目标将使用水科学的时间分辨和稳态的辐射溶解来实现，并结合台式尺寸的UV-ARP实验和动力学建模。这项研究将通过高中STEM教师培训计划和本科研究人员在小学本科机构的参与度与教育和宣传融合。通过与奥兰治县水区的合作伙伴关系，该研究结果和建议是对水处理从业人员的建议和建议，这是社会的其他好处，这是美国最大的全尺寸高级水处理设施之一。这项研究的成功完成将推动ARP在现实水域中对PFAS治疗的基本科学和工程潜力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子和更广泛的影响评估审查标准来评估，被认为是宝贵的支持。