Background
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a wide group of organic compounds that have been extensively used in several applications due to their unique properties, including thermal stability, chemical stability, surfactant applications, and hydrophobicity. However, PFAS have been found to have detrimental effects on environment and human health, so recent efforts have been focused on the removal and disposal of PFAS. Currently, PFAS elimination is accomplished through biological degradation, photochemical, sonolysis, plasma, radiochemical, thermolysis, and electrochemical treatments. However, the recalcitrant nature of PFAS, due to the strong and stable carbon-fluorine bond, requires high energy consumption for treatment methods.
Nanobubbles are gas-liquid interfaces that present negligible buoyancy effects, improving their stability in solution. Depending on the gas nature, nanobubbles can increase or decrease their stability due to interactions with ions and water molecules.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed an integrated nanobubble and electrolysis system for the elimination of PFAS that demonstrates high PFOA elimination at low and high concentration ranges. This technology reduces time and energy consumption as compared to traditional electrolysis by boosting the mass transfer with nanobubbles.
Potential Applications:
- Water treatment (e.g., PFAS elimination)
Benefits and Advantages:
- Lower energy requirements – increased kinetic constants of electrochemical degradation
- Less time required – mass transfer improvement results in efficient elimination of PFAS (around 90%)
- Sustainable – no additional catalyst or chemical compound needed
- Readily integrated – nanobubbles can be produced with any available gas and coupled to any operating system