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Encotech’s Solution for Forever Chemicals: PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
What are PFAS
More commonly known as forever chemicals, PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in both industrial and consumer products. Most chemicals in the PFAS family do not break down, remain in the environment, and have been linked to harmful side effects to both humans and nature.
- Per-fluorinated chemicals, commonly known as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) or PFO (perfluorooctanoate sulfonate) are among the top subject matters for water resource managers and other industry professionals.
- They are part of a larger range of persistent industrial chemicals – non-polymer and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nicknamed “forever chemicals”.
- PFOA and PFOS are the two PFAS’s that have been produced in the largest amounts within the United States.
Where are PFAS Found
- PFAS are found virtually everywhere.
- Scientists have found PFOA and PFOS in the blood of nearly all the people they tested.
- Used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food and other materials (e.g., cookware) that are resistant to water, grease or stains.
- PFAS are also found in personal care products such as nail polish, shampoo, and some cosmetics, cleaning products, and more.
- Used for firefighting at airfields and in a number of industrial processes.
Commonly Used PFAS Remediation Solutions
Activated Carbon
Activated Carbon – One handful of carbon has the surface area of a football field in the internal pore structure.
- Activated carbon is commonly used to adsorb natural organic compounds, taste and odor compounds, and synthetic organic chemicals.
- Adsorption is both the physical and chemical process of accumulating a substance at the interface between liquid and solids phases.
- Not all Activated Carbons are the same when it comes to removal of PFAS.
Ion Exchange
Ion Exchange (IX) Resin – IX resins are used to remove dilute solutions and concentrate the ions into a relatively small volume.
- Ion Exchange is between a solid substance (called a resin) and an aqueous solution.
- Single pass resin is most common for PFAS applications ‒ Resin is not regenerated but incinerated at the end of service cycle.
Encotech / CSEC has years of experience on various federal, state, municipal, and privately owned sites currently dealing with PFAS contamination.
These include:
- Military Installations
- Federal Facilities
- Municipal Drinking Water Facilities
- Brownfield Sites
- Construction Sites
- Temporary Dewatering Installations for Construction Activities.
- Groundwater Clean-Up
- Residential & Small Scale Point of Entry Treatment (POET)
- Drinking Water Pre-Treatment
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Encotech / CSEC’s Quality Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), Ion Exchange Resin (IX), and Equipment are proven treatment solutions for PFAS removal.
Strategic locations across the eastern US and the proven ability to mobilize quickly to any US location.
Recent Projects outside of the Eastern US include:
- NV, TX, IA, MS, UT, ID, WA, SD, & Canada