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Project # 48
Understanding an Energy-Free Chemical Decomposition Pathway of “Forever Chemicals PFAS” in Water
| Team Lead: | Alyssa Phillips |
| Other Team Members: | Ankita Ankita Shrestha | Erin Choi | Nimad Felegari | Prachi Saha | Hyeok Choi |
| Faculty Advisor(s): | Hyeok Choi |
| Department: | CE |
| Project Type: | REU |
| Title: | Understanding an Energy-Free Chemical Decomposition Pathway of “Forever Chemicals PFAS” in Water |
| Abstract: | Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are mainly composed of C-F and C-C bonds (no or less C-H bonds). These likely human-carcinogens have been widely used in various daily products (e.g., non-stick cookware, food packaging). They rarely decompose due to their strong C-F bonds and our drinking water has been highly contaminated with PFAS. Most destructive treatment technologies require energy-intensive extreme conditions (e.g., microwave, UV, plasma, e-beam, heat). Decomposing PFAS under ambient conditions without external energy input is highly demanded. Thus, the team has worked to gain hands-on research experience in developing a more affordable and environmentally-friendly treatment method to destroy PFAS. The method is based on activation of persulfate (chemical oxidant) with silver and copper (transition metals) to generate strong oxidizing species called sulfate radicals which can decompose PFAS. Particular effort has been given to understanding the decomposition mechanism of a model PFAS in water using state of the art analytical instruments including LC-MS/MS. In this presentation, the team will discuss results on the decomposition kinetics and pathways of PFAS using the persulfate/metal systems and summarize what was learned from this REU project. |
| Poster: | View Poster #48 (PDF) |
| Judges Scoring: | Submit Evaluation (judges only) |