Polyfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) are highly toxic compounds that are known as forever chemicals due to their long environmental lifetime. PFAS-contaminated soils will remain polluted for Biomass grown on PFAS-contaminated soil can uptake the pollutant, leading to gradual reduction of soil toxicity if the biomass is harvested and removed from the site. Hydrothermal liquefaction is a technology that converts organic wet waste into a biofuel precursor. My group has found that hydrothermal liquefaction is an effective means of destroying PFAS compounds found in sewage sludge. In this project, we are extending this discovery to PFAS contained in biomass grown on contaminated soils. Success will reduce human exposure to PFAS, reduce toxicity of farm land soils, and produce a low-carbon fuel.

Faculty Advisor: Mike Timko | WPI (Chemical Engineering)

Teacher Component: The teacher will perform hydrothermal liquefaction experiments with different types of biomass laden with PFAS. An experiment consists of loading a reactor, heating and pressurizing it, and then cooling the reactor after a pre-set time. The products are then analyzed by a multi-step procedure that includes analytical steps such as extraction, filtering, evaporation, and weighing. More advanced analysis includes chromatographic analysis and spectroscopy analysis.