Granular Activated Carbon-based Treatment and Mobility of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Potable Reuse for Aquifer Recharge
Authors: Thompson, K., Quiñones, O., Dickenson, E., and Bott, C.
AWWA Water Science, Volume 3, Issue 5
| Hampton Roads Sanitation District recently initiated an indirect potable reuse project to recharge the Potomac Aquifer with the help of Carollo Engineers in southeastern Virginia, USA. Source control and granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment were employed to minimize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) content in this water. Final purified water maintained low long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs; <8 ppt sum of PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS, PFOS) and moderately low short-chain PFAAs (<118 ppt of sum PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFBS). High mobility of low concentrations of five PFAS (PFBS, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA) in the Potomac Aquifer was observed during the project. Despite the low concentrations relative to current guidelines, PFAS breakthrough and mobility support strict source control as well as the use of surrogates like total organic carbon to guide GAC operation at the installation.
Read more about this project in AWWA Water Science.
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Citations
Thompson, K., Quiñones, O., Dickenson, E., and Bott, C. “Granular Activated Carbon-based Treatment and Mobility of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Potable Reuse for Aquifer Recharge.” AWWA Water Science, e1247. September 2021.
