GOALI: ERASE PFAS: Development of Efficient Short-wavelength UV-driven Water Photolysis (SHARP) Process for PFAS Destruction in Membrane Desalination Brine

About This Grant

The widespread use of fluorochemicals in modern society has led to worldwide accumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. Wastewater treatments that use membrane technology to separate pollutants generate concentrated waste streams that are rich in PFAS compounds and salts. This project will use short-wavelength UV light-driven water photolysis to destroy PFAS in the waste stream. Short-wavelength UV light is among the most efficient water ionization photon sources, because it uses water molecules as a catalyst. It can be readily generated and is safe to control and operate. This project will investigate pathways to produce an extremely reactive system to destroy PFAS at reduced energy cost. This GOALI project is a partnership between the University of California - Riverside and the Orange County Water District. The results will have the potential to advance the science and technology in water treatment for PFAS removal. This project will investigate the short-wavelength ultraviolet light-driven water photolysis (SHARP) process to destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the concentrated brine reject from membrane treatment of wastewater. Short-wavelength UV light takes advantage of water molecules as the catalyst. Elevated salinity in the brine can further catalyze the photolytic process and PFAS destruction. The research will test the hypothesis that short-wavelength UV water photolysis in the brine can produce an extremely high yield of hydrated electrons, and the brine solution chemical conditions (e.g., pH, chloride, sulfate and bromide) and light sources (wavelength and intensity) can be optimized to maximize PFAS degradation and minimize the energy footprint of UV-based treatment. The project will be carried out through a partnership between University of California, Riverside and the Orange County Water District (OCWD) that operates the world’s largest advanced water treatment system for potable reuse. The outcome of this project has the potential to help the water industry with smart infrastructure for sustainable PFAS water treatment technologies. By joint research and knowledge sharing, this GOALI project will: (1) strengthen academia-industry linkage with an interdisciplinary team of faculty, students and industrial engineers; (2) enhance US technological competitiveness in the water sector by accelerating new knowledge transfer between university and industry; and (3) contribute to STEM education and the STEM workforce development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.