FY 2011 STATEMENT OF NEED 

Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to seek fundamental or applied research to develop cost effective in situ treatment technologies for perfluoroalkyl-contaminated groundwater. A better understanding of fate and transport properties of perfluoroalkyl contaminants in groundwater was needed, as was a basic understanding of the mechanisms involved in contaminant destruction, either via chemical, physical, or microbial means, in order to develop cost-effective remedial technologies. Consideration was also given to common co-contaminants and how these co-contaminants impact degradation, and fate and transport. Proposers were asked to address the following specific objectives:

• Improve the fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved in fate and transport processes in groundwater under varying natural and engineered conditions.
• Determine the impact of co-contaminants on fate and transport processes.
• Improve the understanding of the behavior of perfluoroalkyl contaminants under typical remedial technologies for co-contaminants. For example, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) may be present at sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and possibly chlorinated solvents (e.g. historical fire training sites); therefore, understanding the fate of PFOS and PFOA during monitored natural attenuation or enhanced anaerobic dechlorination was critical.
• Develop remedial strategies for perfluoroalkyl contaminants, including consideration of the necessity for treatment train approaches to facilitate treatment of co-contaminants.

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.

• Behavior of Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals in Contaminated Groundwater
  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Christopher Higgins, Colorado School of Mines, ESE Division
• Remediation of Perfluoroalkyl Contaminated Aquifer using an In Situ Two-Layer Barrier: Laboratory Batch and Column Study
  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Qingguo Huang, University of Georgia 
• Characterization of the Fate and Biotransformation of Fluorochemicals in AFFF-Contaminated Groundwater at Fire/Crash Testing Military Sites
  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Field, Oregon State University 

Research in this area should lead to developing a greater understanding of the chemical, physical, and microbial processes involved in degrading or removing perfluoroalkyl sulfonates and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates from environmental media and will help facilitate the establishment of more cost-effective and efficient remedial action plans that are protective of human health and the environment. The remediation approaches that will be developed through this SON will improve the reliability of contaminant treatment processes and expedite the cleanup/closure of contaminated DoD sites.