A university that conducts engineering and science research has been selected to receive a federal grant of $1,499,979 to develop and demonstrate nanosensor technology to detect, monitor, and degrade per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) in groundwater and surface water.

Clarkson University of Potsdam, N.Y. is to develop, validate, and translate into practice a multimodal nanosensor for field detection and degradation of PFAS contamination in groundwater and wastewater, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which awarded the grant.

On April 10, 2024, the EPA issued a final rule that sets drinking water standards for five individual PFAS substances, including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). In addition, on April 19, 2024, the EPA issued a second PFAS rule designating the PFAS substances perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as hazardous substances because those chemicals have been linked to cancers, immune and developmental damage to infants and children, and has some impact on the liver and heart.

According to Silvana Andreescu, the project's principal investigator and visiting research professor at Clarkson University, the goal is to develop a portable device that uses nanosensing technology to rapidly estimate the level of PFAS exposure and the effectiveness of remediation efforts.

“Under this grant, we will for the next three years demonstrate capabilities for measurements in more complex media, in wastewater and groundwater, demonstrating robustness and validating these devices with conventional laboratory techniques,” Andreescu told The Driller. The technology uses novel redox reporters to transduce data into electrical currents that are detectable by electrochemical and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy—which is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique—that will be designed to interact with PFAS specifically, and when paired with nanocatalysts, degrade them, she said.

The research team has already developed and tested initial prototypes, and those devices have shown “promising results,” said Andreescu, who added the researchers are conducting performance evaluation using samples provided by industry to establish robustness, accuracy, and side-by-side comparisons with conventional techniques. In furtherance, the researchers engage with potential end users to get feedback on the usability and practicality of the sensors.

According to the EPA, the outcome seeks to be a new portable nanosensing technology developed as a stand-alone unit that can rapidly estimate the level of PFAS exposure and the effectiveness of remediation efforts. The sensors within the prototypes “are easy to use, inexpensive, and can facilitate large-scale screening and intervention with potential for broad adoption in a variety of environments and communities. "

“As we complete these studies, we hope to have a device that can be used as a tool to rapidly screen for PFAS and be used for diverse applications by industry, water treatment plans and general monitoring of PFAS contamination,” Andreescu said. The goal is for the device to be “user-friendly and portable,” and that will require minimal training to operate, she said.

The development of this technology will represent “a significant opportunity for efficient and cost-effective monitoring of PFAS to reduce the effect of PFAS exposure, enabling sustainable environmental practices and rapid intervention,” the EPA says. 

Read the announcement.