A sustainability assessment of an in situ ultrasonic reactor for remediation of PFAS‐contaminated groundwater

Abstract

The environmental remediation industry has increasingly considered the sustainability impacts of remediation systems. The ideal remediation system has a greater environmental benefit than detriment. While sustainable systems are increasingly available for many contaminants, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances have presented new challenges for remediation practitioners seeking effective and sustainable systems. Here the sustainability and cost impacts of an ultrasonic reactor installed in a horizontal well (referred to as the In situ reactor technology [inSRT] system) at a hypothetical site are quantified and compared to hypothetical pump-and-treat (PT) system impacts. Direct costs of emissions from remediation were compared using levelized cost of energy data. The indirect impacts from pollution were quantified based on literature values. The results showed that the InSRT system had lower lifecycle impacts and costs compared to the PT system when each was considered under individually optimal conditions. InSRT was found to meet sustainability goals when used in a low hydraulic conductivity source zone and the PT system lifecycle impacts were reduced when the system was used in a highhydraulic conductivity area.

Comprehensive Review of Global Perspectives on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Compounds: Occurrence, Fate, and Remediation in Groundwater Systems

“…Hydrophobic sorption amendments like activated carbon or organoclays retain PFASs when emplaced in high-permeability zones [66]. Degradation approaches include direct photolysis using UV lamps, sonochemical ultrasonic reactors, and electrochemical techniques that mineralize PFASs, which some researchers have implemented [14,74]. Bioremediation stimulates native microbial communities to degrade precursor compounds in saturated zones through electron donor addition [64].…”

Theoretical evaluation of chemical and physical feasibility of an in situ ultrasonic reactor for remediation of groundwater contaminated with per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances

“…A Thermo Scientific High‐Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled to a Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (HPLC–MSMS) was used to quantify PFAS in each sample in electrospray ionisation (ESI) negative mode according to parameters detailed in the Supporting Information and in a doctoral dissertation (Laramay, 2020). A calibration curve for PFAAs and precursors was prepared from native mixtures and used to quantify PFAS concentrations.…”

“…Overall reaction rate constants previously determined from treatment of the contaminated groundwaters are provided in Table 3 (Laramay, 2020; Supporting Information).…”

Ultrasound and sonochemistry enhance education outcomes: From fundamentals and applied research to entrepreneurial potential

“…However, we are aware of a few other pathways which do not fit necessarily in the two approaches presented before. One is bringing ultrasound to the place where the effects are needed, such as ultrasonic reactors installed in a horizontal well for remediation of PFAS-contaminated groundwater [58] commercialized by RemWell [59] . Another approach has been controlling the nucleation process at the microscale, and a subsequent geometrical scale-up to provide a novel container or reactor vessel, see BuBble Bags in Fig.…”