What can we learn from micropollutant removal when it comes to tackling PFAS?

DEFRA recently published a policy paper for tackling PFAS in the environment and protecting public health.

A key development is the acknowledgement that there is currently only one statutory environmental quality standard (EQS) for PFAS, despite monitoring data indicating that multiple PFAS compounds are present in the water environment at levels of concern.

The plan signals a move towards developing new environmental thresholds and standards for PFAS (including for emissions to water), and indicates that this will be informed by international regulatory approaches and standards.

The government's policy rightly emphasises the need for "developing improved testing methods" and "toxicological thresholds" for PFAS.

This essentially paves the way for a new era of testing and treating PFAS. Over the next decade, we are likely to get a better picture of which contaminants are present where, and in what quantities. And with this knowledge will come a better understanding of their potential impact and how we can remove them from the water cycle.

The hope is that we can develop a solution similar to the approach we’ve taken with micropollutants. Flexible containerised units can be deployed at treatment sites without big, expensive upgrades.

At present, there are a number of different ways of treating PFAS either by separation,  destruction or both. Combinations of advanced oxidation processes (AOP), utilising ozone, UV, hydrogen peroxide and microbubble technologies, can be used alongside proven adsorption methods like Granular Activated Carbon (GAC).

But the unknown is how to bring all of these components together as a part of “a treatment train”. The key is understanding how various configurations of these technologies work best together — and that requires continuous monitoring at every stage to support a robust feedback control regime.

A cost-effective treatment train must be built around real-time data that allows us to understand the performance of our processes and optimise them accordingly.

At Curio we are concentrating our efforts on incorporating that real time continuous monitoring for PFAS into an effective, self-controlling process through our research work with Cranfield University and our pilot plants. In time, we aim to develop a whole turnkey solution that can demonstrate efficacy, optimise performance, and provide the data needed to support future regulatory standards.

With the right combination of technology, monitoring, and research, we believe we can deliver solutions that protect both public health and the environment.