Fast Forward on PFAS Removal – Gathering, Observing, Neutralising

The FF-PFAS project aims to gain fundamental understanding about reclaiming and destroying PFAS compounds. This should allow to develop a ground-breaking solution for the complete mineralization of PFAS compounds. In short, FF-PFAS will generate new insights into an optimal strategy for PFAS breakdown and will identify the conditions under which complete mineralization can be achieved. This project builds on the fundamental chemical knowledge that will be developed at the molecular scale, across the meso-scale, to industrial applicability at the macro-scale. The FF-PFAS project brings together different actors from this value chain (the chemical industry itself, chemistry-based technologies, waste treatment companies, and academic expertise present in Flanders) which will lead to the development of a sustainable destruction chain (from sequestration to destruction) that eventually liberates our health, environment, and society from the significant burden of PFAS. By implementing scientific understanding and by actively applying the results obtained, companies can economically benefit from the results and insights.

The specific research objectives are:
• Development of analytical methods for full capturing and identification of PFAS compounds and their degradation products
• Reclaiming the PFAS compounds on a solid phase
• Low temperature chemical destruction of PFAS recovered from or immobilized on adsorbents
• Thermal destruction of PFAS recovered from or immobilized on adsorbents
• Kinetic model development for in-silico assessment of thermal destruction of PFAS compounds

The valorisation objective of the FF-PFAS project is to translate as much as possible the achieved
scientific breakthroughs into economic opportunities for companies located in Flanders. Focus
will be on the sectors that are represented by individual companies and organisations in the
Advisory Board of the project.