SERDP FY 2025 New Start Projects

 Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to seek innovative research to develop cost effective remedial technologies for matrices impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) resulting from the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) formulations. Specifically, the goal was to address the following research needs:

  • Develop cost-effective treatment approaches for PFAS-impacted matrices, including but not limited to groundwater, surface water, stormwater, soils, aquatic sediments, spent media, and AFFF concentrate. 
  • Develop cost-effective approaches for complete destruction of PFAS bund onto spent media, regeneration of spent media, and treatment of associated ancillary waste streams.
  • Evaluate treatment technologies using field-impacted media containing PFAS mixtures and common environmental treatment complications.
  • Develop treatment train approaches that cost-effectively treat PFAS and facilitate treatment of co-occurring chemicals of concern.

The projects listed below were selected to address the objectives of this SON. Additional information on individual projects can be found by clicking the project title. 

  • HydroAeroFuel Conversion Initiative (HACI): A Novel Hydrothermal Liquefaction Process for Conversion of AFFF to Renewable Fuels 
    • Lead Investigator: Amelia Thomas, River Otter Renewables, Inc.
  • Sorbents Regeneration in Supercritical CO2 and End-of-Life PFAS Treatment
    • Lead Investigator: Igor Novosselov, University of Washington
  • Evaluation of In-Situ Electro-Regeneration of PFAS-Laden Adsorbents
    • Lead Investigator: Mahmut Ersan, University of North Dakota
  • Engineering Colloidal Activated Carbon for Efficient In Situ PFAS Destruction and Regeneration using Activated Persulfate
    • Lead Investigator: Greg Lowry, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Development of Modified Layered Double Hydroxide Materials for Efficient PFAS Adsorption and Organic Solvent-free Regeneration
    • Lead Investigator: Yin Wang, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
  • Application of Co-Solvent to Enhance Hydrothermal Treatment for PFAS and Co-occurring Organic Chemicals: A Proof-of-Concept Study
    • Lead Investigator: Timothy Strathmann, Colorado School of Mines
  • PFAS Treatment with In Situ Engineered Mineral Sorption (ISEMS)
    • Lead Investigator: Craig Divine, Arcadis
  • Direct Electrochemical PFAS Destruction for In Situ Regeneration of Spent Granular Activated Carbon
    • Lead Investigator: Shiqiang Zou, Auburn University
  • Biodegradation of Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances in AFFF-Impacted Sediments by Acidimicrobium sp. A6; Bridging the Gap Between Laboratory Experiments and Field Demonstration
    • Lead Investigator: Peter Jaffé, Princeton University
  • Destruction of PFAS on spent Granular Activated Carbon via Thermal Desorption and Off-gas treatment with a ‘Warm’ Thermal Microwave Plasma
    • Lead Investigator: Steven Ray, State University of New York at Buffalo
  • Krypton Chloride (222 nm)-Based Advanced Reduction Processes for Reductive Defluorination of PFAS
    • Lead Investigator: Garrett McKay, Texas A&M University
  • Novel Ionomer for In Situ PFAS Sequestration Coupled with In Situ Regeneration
    • Lead Investigator: Mark Fuller, Aptim Federal Services, LLC
  • Gemini Resins: Advanced Polymer for Removing Short- and Long-chain PFAS
    • Lead Investigator: Luke Skala, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, LLC
  • Thermo-Catalytic Destruction of PFAS in Contaminated Soils and Spent Sorbents with Unprecedentedly Mild Temperatures to Significantly Decrease Energy Requirements
    • Lead Investigator: Pedro Alvarez, Rice University
  • Application of Hydrophobic Ion Pairing to Capture Poorly Adsorbed PFAS by Granular Activated Carbon 
    • Lead Investigator: Arjun Venkatesan, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Research should lead to improved management of PFAS sites by facilitating the establishment of more cost-effective and efficient remedial action plans that are protective of human health and the environment. The remediation approaches that developed will improve the reliability of treatment processes and expedite the cleanup and closure of DoD impacted sites.