pfas in biosolids · • in 2016, the epa established a lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts...
TRANSCRIPT
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PFAS in Biosolids
Mohammad M. Abu-Orf, Ph.D.
Vice President
Residuals and Biosolids Practice Leader
February 4th, 2020
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Biosolids beneficial use has had its challenges!
Odors
Persistent public opposition
Land application errors
…and now PFAS
Biosolids beneficial use
recycles valuable nutrients
to the environment &
improve soil health
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Agenda
• What are PFAS chemicals
• PFAS in the engineered water cycle
• Regulatory outlook for PFAS
• Solutions to address PFAS
challenges in biosolids
• Source control
• Volume reduction
• Advanced thermal processes
• What to do?
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What are PFAS chemicals and
how did we get here?
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Per-Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
• Family of manmade
fluorinated chains (>4,000
chemicals)
• Perfluoroalkyl substances
• All H atoms attached to carbon
atoms are replaced by F atoms
• Short chain and long chain PFAS
• Polyfluoroalkyl substances
• H replaced by F on at least one C
atoms
• Some can degrade to PFAA
Terminal degradation
products (biotic and abiotic)
of precursor chemicalsSource: ITRC Factsheet, Naming Conventions and Physical and Chemical Properties of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
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PFAS discovery and manufacturing history
https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/pfas_fact_sheet_history_and_use__11_13_17.pdfSource: ITRC Factsheet, History and Use of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
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PFAS is a national issue
https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_pfas_contamination/map/
https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_pfas_contamination/map/
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Reasons for concern
• PFAS are ubiquitous and persistent
in the environment
• Humans are often exposed to PFAS
through food, dust, consumer products,
clothing, and water
• Half life in humans is several years
(slow elimination)
• Exposure is cumulative
• Longer-chain molecules bioaccumulate
more than shorter chain molecules
• Phase-out of PFOS and PFOA
• Manufacturers simply switch to shorter
chain PFAS
• Short-chain PFAS are MORE
CHALLENGING to treat
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Health Effects
Animal laboratory studies:
• Reproductive and developmental, liver
and kidney, and immunological effects
• Tumors
Humans: in our blood for half a century!
• Consistent findings: increased cholesterol
levels among exposed populations
• limited findings related to:
• Infant birth weights
• Effects on the immune system
• Cancer (for PFOA)
• Thyroid hormone disruption (for PFOS)
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PFAS in the engineered
water cycle
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Fate and transport of PFAS within
the engineered water cycle
• Detected in drinking water
sources across the nation
• Detected in biosolids
• Detected in WRRFs effluents
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Sources of PFAS to WWRFs
Domestic: mainly from consumer products
• 2006 survey in the USA documented that municipal wastewater,
with minimal industry input, can range from 60 to 220 ng/L PFAS
• Septic systems are expected to have slightly higher concentrations
Industrial: typical below
Emissions of perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) from point sources-identification of relevant branches;
M. Clara, C. Scheffknecht, S. Scharf, S. Weiss, and O. Gans; Water Science & Technology; 2008, 51.8
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Reasons for concern: water resources
recovery facilities (WRRFs)
• WRRFs don’t produce PFAS
• Precursors discharged to
WRRFs and degradation cause
• PFAS increase across biological
processes and
• PFAS increase effluent
concentrations
• PFAS found in effluents and
residuals in plants not receiving
industrial discharges
• Removal of PFAS is mainly due
to sorption to solids/residuals
• >6 carbon chains adsorb to solids
and removed in residuals Coggan et. al., Heliyon, 2019
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Reasons for concern: land application (50% of residuals produced in the USA are land applied)
• PFAS are concentrated in residuals
• Common stabilization technologies, digestion, thermal
hydrolysis pretreatment, composting, drying do NOT remove
PFAS
• Highest concentrations found in residuals with direct industrial
input
• Land application “spreads” PFAS across the environment
• Detected in groundwater near land application of biosolids
• Found in residuals and soils (not impacted by industrial input)
after land application
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Regularity outlook for PFAS
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National Perspective
• In 2016, the EPA established a lifetime health advisory level of
70 parts per trillion (ppt) for individual or combined
concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water
• In February of 2019, the EPA released a PFAS Action Plan:
• Statement committing the agency toward developing a maximum
contaminant limit (MCL) for PFAS compounds for drinking water
• As of Feb 2020, EPA currently has not established national primary
drinking water regulations for PFOA and PFOS
• Biosolids is far behind:
• 503 Regulations don’t address emerging contaminants
• No approved EPA standard methods for measurement
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No consistent regulatory approach
22 States have or are considering specific guidance or regulations related to PFAS in Drinking Water and/or Groundwater (Beyond EPA HAs)
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State of Maine imposed a moratorium on
biosolids land application – March 22, 2019
• Testing of PFAS (PFOA, PFOS and PFBS) required for all
biosolids to be land applied
• Initial sampling and testing completed by May 7, 2019
Screening Concentrations for PFAS in Biosolids (Maine)
PFOA 0.0025 mg/kg
PFOS 0.0052 mg/kg
PFBS 1.9 mg/kg
Other New England and northeast states may consider restriction on biosolids land application
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Solutions to address PFAS
challenges in biosolids
• Source control
• Volume/mass reduction
(does not destroy PFAS)
• Anaerobic digestion
• Thermal drying
• Incineration
• Advanced thermal
treatment (destroys PFAS)
• Drying/pyrolysis
• Drying/gasification
• Super critical water oxidation
• Hydrothermal liquefaction
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Treating PFAS Chemical – Difficult to Treat!
• Terminal PFAAs are extremely
stable compounds
• Strong C-F bond, and carbon
shielding
• Thermal destruction require
temperatures > 1,000◦C
(~1,850◦F)
• Sewage sludge incinerators
(SSI) range between 1,450◦F
to 1,600◦F
• Chemical hydrolysis,
oxidation and reduction is
challenging due to the
fluorine effect!
Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
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Source reduction: Michigan DEQ success
Source reduction efforts have resulted in substantial drop in
PFOS concentrations being discharged at the WWTPs
https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/0,9038,7-365-88059_91299---,00.html
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Volume reduction (wet tons)
• Does not remove PFAS, but concentrate it
• Reduce amount to be disposed of if PFAS is an
issue (hauling and tipping fees)
• Anaerobic digestion: ~ 35%
• Thermal drying w/o digestion: ~78%
• Thermal drying w/digestion: ~86%
• Incineration: reduces mass to ~96%
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Advanced thermal treatment
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Pyrolysis/gasification systems reaching
commercial scale
Parameter Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis
Temperature (°F) 1,650-2,000 1,100-1,800 390-1,100
O2 Supplied> Stoichiometric
(Excess Air)
< Stoichiometric
(Limited Air)None
By-ProductsFlue Gas (CO2,
H2O) and Ash
Syngas (CO, H2)
and Ash
Pyrolysis Gas, Oils,
Tars and Char
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Biodry/pyrolysis (Bioforcetech Corp)
Silicon Valley Clean Water, CA: 20 wtpd (since 2017)Courtesy: Bioforcetech Corporation
Dry biosolids
PFOA = 89.1 ng/g
PFOS = 26.3 ng/g
Biochar
Non Detect
ND
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Thermal drying/gasification (Ecoremedy, LLC)
Morrisville, PA. 70 wtpd,
30 from Morrisville. In
commissioning, 4Q 2019
Courtesy: Ecoremedy,
LLC
No testing on
PFAS, but similar
results expected
as Bioforcetech
TBD
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Thermal drying/gasification
(Aries Clean Energy)
• Linden Roselle Sewerage
Authority, NJ
• 430 wtpd : largest gasification
facility globally
• Groundbreaking Oct 17, 2019
• Expected to start ~ end 2021-
2022
Courtesy: Aries Clean Energy
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Thermal drying/energy recovery system
(Kruger, Veolia)
No testing on
PFAS, but similar
results expected
as Bioforcetech
TBD
• Buffalo, MN: 20 wtpd, since 2009!
• Largest facility is 50 MGD Pomorzany WWTP in Poland, Europe
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High temperature and
pressure treatment
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Super Critical Waste Oxidation (374Water)
Duke University
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Testing on 3 different
sludges shows non-detect
for PFOS and >99.8% PFAS
removal!
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What to do?
• Stay updated and informed, things are changing fast
• Keep an eye on regulations, federal and local
• May want to test PFAS in residuals and effluent, but
be prepared to communicate
• If an issue:
• Start the planning process: diversify outlets
• May want to identify sources, best option if feasible
• Look to update management plans
• There are options out there that can mitigate
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Thank you for the privilege of your time!
Mohammad Abu-Orf, PhD
Cell: (856) 332-4030
Email if you like reference sources for any of
the facts mentioned in this presentation