Remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminated soil via soil washing with various water-organic solvent

Abstract

The feasibility of soil washing for remediating PFAS-contaminated clay soil using various water-organic solvents was systematically investigated based on the combination of batch and column tests. Batch tests using 22 types of solvents highlighted that 0 % (water) and 5 % solvents could effectively extract PFCAs (≤ C9), while long-chain PFCAs (≥ C10) and PFSAs required 80 % solvents for optimal extraction, with efficiency in the order of EtOH ≤ MeOH < Acetonitrile (ACN), suggesting a strong correlation with carbon chain lengths and functional head groups. Column tests with six selected washing solutions indicated rapid desorption of PFOA and PFOS initially, peaking at liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios of 3-4 for 0 % and 5 % solutions, and at an L/S ratio of 1 for 80 % solutions. To remediate 1 kg-dry soil to meet the legislatively permissible levels for groundwater in Japan (PFOA + PFOS < 50 ng/L), 11 L of 0 % solution (water) or 5 L of 80 % ACN are required for washing out PFOA, while 62 L of 0 % solution (water) or 53 L of 80 % ACN for PFOS. Future research should address the treatment of PFAS-rich wastewater generated from washing PFAS-contaminated soils and the impacts of washing solutions on soil.