The Air Force and scientists have tested a method of cleaning up PFAS-contaminated groundwater at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, using plasma technology to destroy the “forever chemicals,” the service announced in a press release.
“This is the only technology that actually destroys PFAS molecules that has been demonstrated at this scale; it doesn’t just remove them from water,” said Tom Holsen of Clarkson University, which partnered on the project with GSI International. “All of the other demonstrations that we’re aware of remove it from the water through filtration, so there is still a PFAS containing waste. Our method actually destroys PFAS.”
The next phase of the test is to further analyze water samples.
“Research like this could lead to the breakthroughs we need to address potential contamination,” said Mark Correll, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, energy and the environment.
Air Force photo courtesy of Clarkson University