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TypeWastewater
nameManaging PFAS in Wastewater & Biosolids
Speaker 1Scott Grieco
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speaker1_phone(315) 247-8710
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Dr. Grieco is the Global Technology Leader for Emerging Contaminants with Jacobs Drinking Water & Reuse / Wastewater groups. He has over 30 years of experience in the evaluation, design, and optimization of water treatment systems across the public utility, remediation, and industrial sectors. For the last 10 years he has focused on evaluation and treatment of PFAS.

Scott holds a BS in Chemical Engineering, MS in Environmental Engineering, and PhD in Bioprocess Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in New York.

Abstract Text
PFAS have continued to gain focus within wastewater discharge and reclamation facilities.   In June 2022, the US EPA released new drinking water Health Advisories for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): PFOA (0.004 ng/L), PFOS (0.020 ng/L), PFBS (2000 ng/L), and GenX (10 ng/L).  In addition to drinking water regulations, in spring 2022 the US EPA issued draft ambient water quality criteria (AWQC) for PFOA and PFOS, provided updates for inclusion of PFAS under National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, and issued draft regulations to identify PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA.

Each of these regulatory updates will have direct impacts to wastewater treatment and reclaim facilities.  Planning for future regulations is important to consider now.  This can include dedicated sampling at the WWTP, updating master plans, and developing pollutant minimization plans.  Each of these aspects will be discussed with examples.

This presentation provides examples of PFAS concentrations and fate across wastewater treatment, along with published data showing how background water quality can limit PFAS treatment.  

This presentation discusses potential treatment options.  The complexity of treating PFAS in wastewater and biosolids is not only related to the identified PFAS concentrations, but also must consider total flowrate/volume and background matrix complexity.  This includes treatment of PFAS in the wastewater as well as a discussion of PFAS management in the treatment residuals, including data on Pyrolysis.