Theme: 07. Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS)

Topic Area: 7p. PFAS: Groundwater Treatment Case Studies

Formatted Title:

Decontamination of AFFF and PFAS in Fire Suppression Systems Using a Cationic Surfactant

Background/Objectives:

In January 2023, the U.S. Navy released the new Fluorine Free Foam (F3) Military Specification (MIL-PRF-32725). In September 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense published the first F3 on the Qualified Products List (QPL). At least two more F3s are anticipated to be published on the QPL by the end of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.

Approach/Activities:

Based on F3 availability, the U.S. Military, commercial airports, and industrial manufacturing companies are transitioning from AFFF to the new F3s in fire suppression systems. The application of functional precipitation agents using cationic surfactants for AFFF decontamination (decon) enables the effective concentration and removal of PFAS from the inside of fire suppression systems. This cleaning method uses a cationic surfactant to decon AFFF from inside a fire suppression system by greater than 95% and removes greater than 95% of PFAS from wastewater allowing authorized on-site discharge to the sewer. The PFAS reductions achieved is orders of magnitude higher than decon with water alone.

Results/Lessons Learned:

Results from the AFFF decon in three firefighting trailers and two structural trucks were extrapolated to calculate total PFAS released to the environment in a firefighting event before and after decon with triple water rinse and the cationic surfactant. The firefighting truck contained an onboard 420-gallon AFFF tank containing 3% AFFF. Prior to decon, 95,200 grams of PFAS would be released to the environment compared to 0.853 and 0.005 grams of PFAS released to the environment following triple water rinse and the cationic surfactant, respectively. This cleaning method removes two and half orders of magnitude more PFAS from the environment than water alone. Results and lessons learned from AFFF decon in firefighting suppression systems and PFAS treatment in wastewater will be presented that were performed for multiple major, commercial U.S. airports and chemical manufacturing companies.

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David Fleming