Using PerfluorAd, the TRS Group recently completed a cleanout of a firefighting vehicle at a major West Coast airport, reducing PFAS concentrations by more than 99.9%.

"PerfluorAd continues to provide outstanding results," says David Fleming, a founder of TRS. "Not only did we reduce PFAS concentrations by more than 99%, but we also applied it to the rinse water, reducing the airport's waste."

TRS is the North American licensee of the patented PerfluorAd® technology, developed by Cornelsen Umwelttechnologie GmbH, to clean out fire-suppression systems impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF). Often called "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment, PFAS are notoriously difficult to remediate.

Goals

• Remove residual AFFF and reduce PFOA and PFOS to 2 ng/l or less
• Dispose of liquid waste in the onsite wastewater treatment plant non-detect (ND) discharge limit(detection limit 2 ng/l)
• Compare triple freshwater rinse to PerfluorAd® Process
• Analyze PFAS rebound

Project characteristics

• Pierce Firefighting truck with a HUSKY 12 gpm Foam System
• 75 gallon onboard AFFF tank
• No PFOS detected from start

Operations

• Truck cleanout completed in four days
• Rebound testing after three days

Results

• ND for 30 of 31 PFAS analytes
• 6:2 FTS concentration was 11.2 ng/l
• No rebound for PFOS, PFOA
• Incomplete PFAS removal from triple water rinse
• Waste generated:
  • <8 gallons of PFAS sludge
  • 400 lbs of spent LGAC
  • <5,000 gallons of rinsate
  • Clean wastewater disposed onsite in treatment plant