BioLargo's Solution For Effective, Low-Waste PFAS Removal And Destruction

BioLargo, Inc. announced the latest results of a study completed on its Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC), the company’s PFAS removal technology.  

The new study, which was designed to assess waste production rates, revealed that compared to other PFAS collection technologies, the AEC generates only a tiny fraction of the PFAS-laden solid waste, making it a more sustainable and economical long-term solution for PFAS-contaminated water. The study, running for more than 10,000 hrs and involving contaminated water provided by several municipalities, was completed in collaboration with the University of Tennessee using EPA-specified methods.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are synthetic chemicals used for decades in the manufacture of countless household goods, are now known to contaminate drinking water and groundwater across all 50 states and bioaccumulate in humans, animals, and the environment. PFAS are linked to a growing list of adverse health effects in humans including cancer, developmental problems, and more.

New regulations being proposed by the EPA would require drinking water treatment facilities to monitor for the presence of PFAS and install appropriate treatment technologies if the contaminants are detected. Additional regulatory actions would add PFAS to the list of “hazardous constituents” under CERCLA and RCRA, making disposal of PFAS-laden material such as spent filtration media more difficult and more expensive to manage.

To remove PFAS, many in the industry are turning to traditional technologies such as filtration with granular activated carbon (GAC) or ion exchange (IX).  These technologies have shown efficacy in removing long-chain PFAS in water, but there are documented challenges to long-term use including lower efficacy against short chain PFAS species, channeling issues and most notably the generation of large quantities of PFAS-laden solid waste, which requires disposal. 

Results from a new study done by BioLargo’s engineering subsidiary, BioLargo Engineering, Science & Technologies (BLEST) has revealed that the AEC generates approximately 1/42,000 the volume of PFAS-laden solid waste compared to an equivalently sized GAC system after a year of use prior to the disposal step.

“After a year of use, a 1 MGD (million gallon per day) AEC system  would create initially about two pounds of PFAS-laden solid waste,” said Randall Moore, President of BioLargo Engineering, Science & Technologies. “The carbon filtration system we compared it to would have generated approximately 80,000 lbs of solid waste. The practical implications of this difference are obviously dramatic.”

BioLargo developed their Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC) specifically to capture PFAS from water and wastewater streams while generating as little solid waste as possible. The technology uses an electrostatic field to capture PFAS on a proprietary membrane system while allowing other water constituents to pass through unaffected.

Once the PFAS is captured by the AEC and the membrane is saturated, BioLargo handles the resulting solid waste from cradle to grave through a service exchange program. The “waste” in the form of reusable modules are transported to a centralized BioLargo facility, where the modules are rebuilt and the PFAS is destroyed.  

As part of the study, BioLargo announced the company’s patent-pending PFAS destruction technology (a specialized electro-oxidation technology). Company management says that more information about this new destruction technology will follow in the coming months.

“The benefits of our system and the generation of less PFAS-laden solid waste are two-fold,” said Tonya Chandler, BioLargo’s Director of Technology Commercialization. “First, generating less waste is obviously a more environmentally friendly approach. Second, less waste equals lower overall costs for the end-user and less regulatory liability associated with PFAS laden waste”.

Among the proposed PFAS regulations proposed by the EPA are new rules that would designate certain PFAS as hazardous constituents Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), with an expectation to see additional proposed regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).  If these rules go into effect, handling, and disposal of PFAS-laden waste will need to be done accordance with specific guidelines and be subject to strict liability.

“The potential implications of PFAS becoming RCRA and CERCLA regulated hazardous substances are enormous,” said Ms. Chandler. “We can expect the cost of transportation and disposal of large quantities of PFAS-laden solid waste will increase significantly, so selecting a PFAS removal technology that generates less waste will become an even more attractive option.”

BioLargo continues to develop and adapt its Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC) to address additional waste streams including groundwater, water and wastewater, and leachate streams. 

To learn more about BioLargo’s PFAS treatment solutions, visit www.bestpfastreatment.com.

About BioLargo, Inc.

BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB:BLGO) is a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. Our core products address PFAS contamination, achieve advanced water and wastewater treatment, control odor and VOCs, improve air quality, enable energy-efficiency and safe on-site energy storage, and control infections and infectious disease. Our approach is to invent or acquire novel technologies, develop them into product offerings, and extend their commercial reach through licensing and channel partnerships to maximize their impact. See our website at www.BioLargo.com.