PFAS far from the source: How invisible inputs become real environmental pollution

PFAS are often localised where their use is obvious: in the vicinity of industrial plants, fire brigades, airports or known fire incidents. However, this picture does not go far enough. Increasingly, studies are showing that PFAS can also be detected in areas where they would hardly be expected - for example in wooded areas, remote soils or regions with no recognisable point source.

One of the main reasons for this is the atmospheric transport of certain PFAS compounds. Some representatives of this group of substances are volatile or are present as precursor substances that can enter the atmosphere. There they are transported over long distances, chemically transformed and finally discharged again via precipitation. In this way, PFAS are also deposited in soils and waters far away from their original place of use. This is where the real challenge of this group of substances becomes apparent: Persistence. Even if the concentrations in such areas are often lower than in known hotspots, the pollution is long-term. PFAS hardly degrade, accumulate and can be spread via soil-water pathways, groundwater or the food chain.

These diffuse inputs remain undetected for a long time and are difficult to attribute to a clear source. They clearly show that PFAS are not a localised problem at individual sites, but a Systemic environmental phenomenonthat is spreading across media and regions.

Different loads - clear technical approach

Diffuse PFAS pollution places different demands on technical solutions than classic point sources. While high concentrations often occur in clearly defined material flows at known locations, in other areas there are lower but continuous inputs - for example in groundwater, surface water, industrial water or landfill leachate. The decisive factor here is not a multitude of arbitrarily combined technologies, but a Clearly structured approachthat can handle different matrices, load levels and regulatory target values.

At the Cornelsen Group, the In-house developed and patented PerfluorAd® and PerfluorAd+® processes in many applications a Highly efficient basis for PFAS treatment - regardless of whether groundwater, industrial wastewater, contaminated sites or landfill leachate are being treated. PerfluorAd® enables the targeted separation of PFAS as pre-treatment, while PerfluorAd+® is specially designed for short-chain, particularly mobile PFAS. It is precisely these substances that often determine the technical difficulty of a project. Depending on the matrix, load situation and regulatory target values Further procedures additionally included are made. These additions are not made schematically, but where they offer additional benefits in a specific application - technically, economically and in the interests of the customer.

A key advantage of this approach lies in the possibility, Treat PFAS-contaminated water directly on site. Instead of transporting large quantities of water away or storing it temporarily, treatment takes place where the pollution occurs. This not only reduces logistical effort, but also Minimises transport routes, disposal volumes and costs considerably. At the same time, material flows remain controllable and can be controlled in a targeted manner. The upstream separation also greatly concentrates the PFAS content. If high-temperature treatment is required in the subsequent process, this applies to only very small quantities. Energy requirements are significantly reduced - as are the associated CO₂ emissions.

International experience, broad fields of application

PFAS-related issues affect a wide range of application areas today: Groundwater, Industrial water treatment, Remediation of contaminated sites, Landfill leachate and other complex environmental matrices. These fields of application differ considerably in terms of their composition, load dynamics and regulatory framework.

With subsidiaries in Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and the USA, the Cornelsen Group has many years of International project experience. Different legal requirements, site conditions and water compositions are directly incorporated into the design of the treatment concepts. This results in solutions that not only work technically, but can also be integrated into existing infrastructures - regardless of whether they are spot remediation measures or dealing with diffuse, widely distributed PFAS contamination.