Sbir phase II: advanced electrochemical degradation of PFAS in water

This Cooperative Agreement award, provided by the National Science Foundation under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program, focuses on developing advanced electrochemical degradation technology for removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. The $999,603 award to Elateq, Inc., a small, minority-owned business, aims to create a sustainable, cost-effective, and easily operated on-site solution to destroy these "forever chemicals" that are harmful to human health and the environment. The 2-year project period, from September 2024 to August 2026, will focus on scaling up the integrated electrochemical processes, testing the system under relevant operating conditions, and optimizing the technology to enable rapid PFAS mineralization with low energy consumption. This project is expected to deliver a deployable pilot-scale system that can provide an affordable and environmentally friendly solution to the widespread PFAS contamination challenge.

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this small business innovation research phase II project is to create a sustainable technology for the degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and ultimately protect human health and ecosystems from their adverse effects. These environmental pollutants are difficult to destroy, but advanced electrochemical processes can transform them into harmless byproducts. Without extensive energy requirements and the need for chemical use and post-processing, this technology will offer an affordable, easily operated, and maintained on-site solution to destroy ?forever chemicals.? This small business innovation research phase II project focuses on developing integrated advanced electrochemical processes for rapid mineralization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water. Phase II aims to incorporate novel electrodes and electrochemical cell design at scale and deliver a deployable pilot scale system. Tasks include testing the system in relevant operating conditions, assessing the longevity of the electrode performance, and optimizing the operational parameters relative to rapid defluorination and low-energy consumption. Furthermore, the project will enable an in-depth system optimization to create a robust solution that operates under environmentally relevant conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.