“A review of PFAS remediation: Separation and degradation technologies for water and wastewater treatment”
Silmara Sanzana, Angelo Fenti, Pasquale Iovino, Antonio Pánico
Abstract
Per - and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) known for their persistence and accumulation in the environment, are particularly concerning. PFAS are synthetic compounds characterized by fully fluorinated carbon chains, making them resistant to conventional water treatment methods, and causing contamination in different environmental matrices. Various technologies, including adsorption, membrane filtration, electrochemical oxidation, and biological degradation, demonstrate significant potential but face unique key gaps and challenges. Adsorption struggles with short-chain PFAS and material regeneration, Granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange resins (IER) show promising results through adsorption, but further optimization is needed. Membrane technologies like nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) offer robust solutions, although energy consumption and fouling issues need resolution. Electrochemical oxidation (EO) is promising but is limited by high costs, scalability, and electrode degradation. Biological degradation is eco-friendly but time-consuming and requires specialized microbial strains. Future research should prioritize improving the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of PFAS removal technologies, with a focusing on overcoming current limitations. Conducting detailed cost analyses is crucial to evaluate the feasibility of full-scale applications. • PFAS resists conventional treatments, causing contamination in environmental matrices. • Research should focus on efficiency, scalability, costs, and hybrid technology development. • Eco-friendly materials for adsorption and EO are key for scalability. • Biodegradation needs better understanding of mechanisms to enhance efficiency. • Future research on membrane technology should focus on reducing energy.