PFAS in landfill leachate: Practical considerations for treatment and characterization

Fabrizio Sabba, Christian Kassar, Teng Zeng, Synthia P. Mallick, Leon Downing, Patrick McNamara

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in consumer products and are particularly high in landfill leachate. The practice of sending leachate to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is an issue for utilities that have biosolids land application limits based on PFAS concentrations. Moreover, landfills may face their own effluent limit guidelines for PFAS. The purpose of this review is to understand the most appropriate treatment technology combinations for mitigating PFAS in landfill leachate. The first objective is to understand the unique chemical characteristics of landfill leachate. The second objective is to establish the role and importance of known and emerging analytical techniques for PFAS characterization in leachate, including quantification of precursor compounds. Next, an overview of technologies that concentrate PFAS and technologies that destroy PFAS is provided, including fundamental background content and key operating parameters. Finally, practical considerations for PFAS treatment technologies are reviewed, and recommendations for PFAS treatment trains are described. Both pros and cons of treatment trains are noted. In summary, the complex matrix of leachate requires a separation treatment step first, such as foam fractionation, for example, to concentrate the PFAS into a lower-volume stream. Then, a degradation treatment step can be applied to the concentrated PFAS stream.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number136685
JournalJournal of Hazardous Materials
Volume481
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 5 2025

Keywords

  • Adsorption
  • Degradation
  • Landfill leachate
  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
  • PFAS characterization
  • Separation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'PFAS in landfill leachate: Practical considerations for treatment and characterization'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this