SBIR Phase I: A Cost-Effective Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS_ Electrolyzer for Groundwater Remediation

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是提供安全，具有成本效益的消除地下水中的全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），以保护人类健康和环境，同时降低补救的成本和复杂性。PFAS是世界上最难处理的污染物之一，已经污染了美国和世界各地的地下水和饮用水源。 PFAS的毒性、流动性和生物累积性对人类健康造成一系列不利影响，因此需要进行补救。地下水中的PFAS不能通过传统的化学过程分解;因此，目前的PFAS处理方案是非破坏性的，昂贵的，并且简单地将PFAS转移到固体或浓缩废物流中，其中处置的有效性和安全性仍然不确定。 该项目的重点是开发一种低成本、可持续的处理方法，消除PFAS，不产生二次废物，也没有昂贵的消耗品。 该技术消除了与不完全消除和二次废物处置相关的责任以及环境和健康风险。SBIR第1阶段项目的目标是开发一种安全、无化学品和低成本的PFAS电解槽，用于地下水修复。电解槽由具有去极化阴极和高表面积和低成本阳极电催化剂材料的分开的径向场单元电池架构组成。该电催化剂旨在提供高电压下的直接氧化，处理过程将在几分钟内在一个步骤中矿化PFAS，没有分解副产物或二次废物。将设计和建造一个可扩展的单单元台式电解槽，用于PFAS污染地下水的可处理性测试。 阳极电催化剂材料组合物将被优化并涂覆到高表面积基底上。 将开发去极化阴极以消除阴极电解液回路和氢气产生，并降低能耗。PFAS矿化效果将作为运行参数和水质的函数进行测量。 研究了新型阳极材料的电催化性能和降解机理。利用实验结果，地下水修复系统的资本和运营成本将被估计。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in providing safe, cost-effective elimination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater in order to protect human health and the environment while reducing the cost and complexity of remediation. PFAS are some of the world’s most intractable pollutants and have contaminated groundwater and drinking water sources across the US and the world. The toxicity, mobility, and bioaccumulation of PFAS pose a need for remediation as they cause an array of adverse impacts on human health. PFAS in groundwater cannot be broken down through traditional chemical processes; Hence, current PFAS treatment options are non-destructive, expensive, and simply transfer the PFAS to a solid or concentrated waste stream where the efficacy and safety of disposal are still uncertain. This project focuses on the development of a low cost, sustainable treatment method that eliminates PFAS with no secondary waste generation and no costly consumables. This technology removes the liability and environmental and health risks associated with incomplete elimination and secondary waste disposal.The objective of this SBIR Phase 1 project is to develop a safe, chemical-free and low cost PFAS electrolyzer for groundwater remediation. The electrolyzer consists of a divided radial-field unit cell architecture with a de-polarized cathode and a high surface area and low-cost anode electrocatalyst material. The electrocatalyst is designed to provide direct oxidation at high voltage and the treatment process will mineralize PFAS in a single step, in minutes, with no breakdown byproducts or secondary waste. A scalable, single unit cell bench-top electrolyzer will be designed and built for treatability testing of PFAS-contaminated groundwater. The anode electrocatalyst material composition will be optimized and coated onto high surface area substrates. A de-polarized cathode will be developed to eliminate the catholyte loop and hydrogen generation, and lower energy consumption. The PFAS mineralization effectiveness will be measured as a function of operating parameters and water quality. The electrocatalytic performance and the degradation mechanism of the new anode material will be determined. Using the experimental results, the capital and operating cost of a groundwater remediation system will be estimated.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.