USU researchers work to reduce PFAS in biosolids

Researchers at Utah State University (USU) are investigating ways to reduce per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in biosolids. Specifically, the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) is investigating PFAS in biosolids used in agriculture.

UWRL Professor Ryan Dupont and graduate assistant Chase Fry are working to reduce PFAS in biosolids through mixing different chemical compounds into a high-temperature composting process.

According to a USU article, Dupont’s team is taking samples from wastewater treatment plants in northern Utah and central Idaho and analyzing two possible compounds.

One of the plants uses iron oxide in the treatment process. The residual left after removal could degrade PFAS compounds.

The other compound comes from a project headed by UWRL Professor Yiming Su, who is analyzing zero valent iron/zinc doped biochar.

Su’s work focuses on the use of biochar in water. Dupont and Fry are mixing different levels of plain or doped biochar into compost to see how the concentrations affect PFAS levels.

The composting project will examine 32 mixes of compost, all with varying levels of one or both of the iron/zinc-based compounds. The goal is to adsorb and sequester or degrade PFAS in biosolids to reduce their uptake into crops grown with land-applied biosolids.