1167587 - Installation, Startup, and Operation of World’s First Regenerable Resin System for PFAS Removal

The US Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) is conducting on-going response activities to remove and remediate groundwater impacted by PFAS substances at the former Pease Air Force Base. AFCEC responded by contracting with Wood Group PLC to conduct a side-by-side pilot test in 2016, comparing the performance of Emerging Compound Treatment Technology’s (ECT2) regenerable ion exchange (IX) resin and bituminous granular activated carbon (GAC). The regenerable resin system was selected for full-scale application, based on system performance and a lower overall lifecycle cost than GAC. The PFAS remediation system has treated more than 31 million gallons of groundwater having a total average influent PFAS concentration of 55 µg/l. The effluent quality from the IX resin system has been consistently non-detect for PFOS and PFOA, readily achieving compliance with the 70 ng/l HAL target. Five successful resin regenerations have been performed to date. The original superloading media is still operational, having removed and concentrated greater than 99.99 percent of the recovered PFAS mass, and therefore no PFAS waste has needed to be hauled off site to date.