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.
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 1/16/25 → 1/15/28 |
Funding
- US Geological Survey: $309,908.00
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