Advancing electrochemical oxidation technique for complete PFAS degradation

Research question

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become widespread in the environment, owing to their past and current use in industry and consumer products. The pressing need for research on PFAS management arises from the absence of effective remediation technologies. This project focuses on advancing electrochemical oxidation (EO) towards complete degradation (i.e. mineralisation) of PFAS. Although a high efficiency of PFAS degradation can be achieved using EO, it does not always result in a complete PFA  mineralisation to final products (F-, CO2). The success of EO treatment cannot be guaranteed until a thorough understanding of all degradation products and complete fluorine mass balance is achieved. In this project, we aim to evaluate the performance of boron doped diamond and titanium suboxide electrodes for PFAS degradation in laboratory on synthetic samples and PFAS-contaminated wastewater/groundwater.

We will use an experimental approach to advance electrochemical oxidation method and apply state-of-the-art analytical methods to quantify the fluorine mass balance and eventual degradation products. We will address the following key questions: i) What is the fate of all fluorine atoms in the electrochemical oxidation of PFAS using EO with the chosen electrode materials? ii) How do PFAS degradation processes vary dependent on the selected experimental conditions and electrode materials? iii) Which electrodes (BDD or TSO) can deliver the most favourable results in terms of PFAS degradation efficiency, environmental impact, electrode production and usage costs?

Sustainability aspects

The proposed project is primarily targeting the following Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 6: Clean and water sanitation, and SDG 14: Life under water. It is also contributing to the achievement of SDG 3: Good health and well-being by employing degradation technology to eliminate PFAS from the environment.