Presented lightning talk on April 28, 2022, by Rachel Gehr - Purdue University - at the 2022 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC22)

The prevalence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in runoff and drinking water sources has become a source of concern due to their toxicity and recalcitrance toward common water treatment methods. Recently, nanoparticles composed of zero-valent nickel, zero-valent iron, and activated carbon have been shown to transform PFAS by cleaving the Carbon-Fluorine bond. However, the mechanisms behind this transformation have yet to be determined. Through spectroscopy and bench scale experiments, this study attempts to detail of the mechanisms of defluorination occurring with these nanocomposites as well as ways to optimize particle synthesis for production at a scale needed to implement at the field-scale. Results will be presented clarifying the valence states of nickel and iron and oxide forms during various steps of synthesis as well as changes in both valence states and oxide forms when reacting with PFAS, and if a completely anaerobic environment is required during synthesis.

Download slides: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114142