Multiscale approaches to investigate PFAS transport and adsorption in the unsaturated zone

Presented on April 28, 2022, by William Gnesda - University of Wisconsin - Madison - at the 2022 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC22)

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent emerging contaminants of concern in the environment. Observations of PFAS transport suggest significant retention occurs along the interfaces between air and water [1,2]. Air-water interfaces often dominate in the boundary between the surface and water table, known as the unsaturated zone. PFAS within this zone has been shown to continuously leach into groundwater for decades, posing significant risk to groundwater and human health [3,4]. Therefore, the development of mechanistic physics-based models for PFAS is of critical importance to enable rapid risk assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. The objectives of this study are to quantify the adsorption behavior of several PFAS and link lab measurements to field-scale models. The surface tension of many PFAS were measured to approximate air-water adsorption. Solid-phase sorption to sediments underlying the Oneida-Rhinelander Airport, WI was quantified by batch-sorption experiments. Analyses were completed using LC/MS. Results are expected to verify theoretical frameworks and develop strong foundations for PFAS risk assessment.[1] Lyu et al. 2018. [2] Brusseau 2018. [3] Wang et al. 2017. [4] Hoisaeter et al. 2019.

Download slides: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114123