The Effects of PFAS Loading on Biogeochemical Cycling, Fate, and Transport in Wetlands

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Abstract Bioremediation of PFAS and the implications of biogeochemical processes occurring in treatment wetlands on the removal of PFAS in wastewater effluent have had limited exploration. Therefore, the proposed study will investigate the implications of nutrient cycling on PFAS removal through bioaccumulation in treatment wetlands as a potential wastewater effluent finishing treatment strategy. Specific research objectives include: 1. Identify the impacts of biogeochemical processes in treatment wetlands on PFAS water treatment using mesocosm experiments and bacterial/archaeal sequencing to develop a kinetic model; 2. Determine implications of plant uptake and denitrification on PFAS removal utilizing 15N enrichment methodologies; 3. Investigate the fate of PFAS in two treatment wetland designs by assessing PFAS bioaccumulation in plant, soil, and water wetland compartments; 4. Conduct outreach training for WWTP operators and communities, and 5. Train graduate and undergraduate students in sampling methodology for PFAS. PFAS transformations will be monitored throughout a 3-year study using wetland mesocosms to investigate implications of wetland design, soil type, PFAS concentrations, and nutrient concentrations for two distinct pulse flow treatment wetland systems. Results will provide insight for PFAS removal in treatment wetlands with varying biogeochemical conditions along with potentially effective remediation strategies for controlling PFAS using developed kinetic modeling approaches. The developed user-friendly kinetic model for PFAS and nutrient removal in treatment wetlands will be hosted publicly online. Findings will be disseminated through research presentations, high impact journal articles, local and national conferences, wastewater treatment operator webinars, pre-K and 4-H programs, and undergraduate/graduate courses. This project will be a multidisciplinary effort fostering collaborations with a USGS hydrologist, USGS physical scientist, and USDA-ARS-FAPRU Facility. Further, the project will train one PhD student and three undergraduate students in analytical chemistry and stable isotope method development to explore wetland bioremediation of PFAS and the effects of nutrient biotransformation on PFAS in wetlands.
StatusActive
Effective start/end date1/16/251/15/28

Funding

  • US Geological Survey: $309,908.00

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