PhD position in PFAS-remediation in water treatment by Foam Fractionation

Concerns about the occurrence of highly persistent organic substances, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances  (PFAS), in all major water bodies used for drinking water production have steadily been increasing in recent years. To ensure the quality of our drinking water, there is an urgent need to effectively remove these substances. Pressure-driven membrane filtration can effectively remove PFAS from most water sources. However, filtration processes create an additional stream with higher PFAS concentrations. To protect natural water bodies and reduce the PFAS-load in the environment, additional treatment of these streams is required. One promising removal technology to remove PFAS is foam fractionation. In foam fractionation, air bubbles bubbled through a solution sorb PFAS, subsequently creating a highly concentrated foam layer on top of the water surface. This PFAS-laden foam can be removed from the water body, making it highly relevant for a broad scope of water treatment processes.

Research challenges
Foam fractionation has proven effective in concentrating PFAS in different water sources, and it is known that the water matrix can affect the overall process. However, currently, the mode of interaction of PFAS, the water matrix, and the air-water interface are not fully understood. Overall, effective long-chain PFAS removal can be achieved by foam fractionation. However, the removal of more mobile, shorter-chain PFAS is currently still insufficient. By improving our foundational knowledge of the foam fractionation process, we aim to fully unlock the potential of foam fractionation and further develop the technology for the removal of PFAS from a broad range of water matrices.

Your assignment
Your work aims to increase the foundational knowledge of the foam fractionation process for the removal of PFAS. To achieve this, you will be investigating the foam fractionation process using both theoretical frameworks as well as experimental studies. You will study PFAS  remediation at environmentally relevant concentrations to get an understanding of the role of their concentration on process efficiency. You will investigate the delicate interplay between the water matrix and process conditions on the removal of PFAS by systematically studying the impact of the water matrix, gas composition, and process parameters. Using these insights, you will aim to enhance the PFAS concentrating factor and removal efficiency. Finally, you will translate these results into enhancements for the foam fractionation process that you will implement in larger-scale, environmental conditions to evaluate your findings in real applications.

Your Profile
You have a master’s degree in chemical engineering, process engineering, environmental engineering or similar. You are a highly motivated student with an affinity for physicochemical processes and process engineering. You are willing to delve into topics outside of your current knowledge base and enjoy working in a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and international environment.

Keywords: Micropollutants; separation processes; water treatment; safe water; PFAS

Professor/University group/Wetsus supervisor(s)

Professor:
Assistant Professor Dr. Ir. Slawomir Porada (Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw, Poland)

University supervisor:
Assistant Professor: Dr. Ir. Slawomir Porada (Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw, Poland)

Wetsus Supervisors:
Daily supervisor: Dr. Ir. Maarten Biesheuvel
Scientific advisor: Dr. Ir. Sam Rutten

Project partners: Advanced Water Treatment

Only applications that are complete, in English, and submitted via the application webpage before the deadline will be considered eligible.

Guidelines for applicants:  https://phdpositionswetsus.eu/guide-for-applicants/