State of the research on regeneration and reactivation techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-laden granular activated carbons (GACs)

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), man-made ‘forever chemicals’, have been extensively released into the environment. Currently, adsorption is the chief option for removing PFAS from contaminated water. However, the regeneration and reactivation of PFAS-laden adsorbents are still a challenging task, and several investigations are ongoing to find the most suitable technology. The current state of research and development on available techniques for PFAS-laden adsorbents, mainly granular activated carbons (GACs), is provided in this article with a particular focus on thermal-based processes. Despite the growing research on PFAS degradation pathways, future investigations are needed to systematically assess the interplay between PFAS and co-adsorbed organic and inorganic species and to pursue on-site regeneration avoiding further transportation and/or disposal of exhausted materials.