Research Symposium

BIO

I am a sophomore environmental engineering major from Orlando, Florida. I hope to do more research in the future and work towards creating a cleaner and safer environment.

Fluorotelomer Alcohol Permeation through Landfill Covers and Liners

Abstract

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances are extremely stable molecules, which makes them very useful for things like treating textiles and as protective coatings for packaging materials. Their use in a variety of consumer goods often leads them to end up in landfills. Landfills often produce leachate as water percolates through the waste while collecting contaminants from waste, which include PFAS, and then leaches out into the soil and groundwater. This is a serious environmental concern due to the bioaccumulative and potentially carcinogenic nature of these molecules. We aim to determine the permeability of volatile PFAS through high-density polyethylene(HDPE) membranes that are commonly used as landfill bottom liners. We will do this by testing the permeation of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) through a HDPE membrane over time at 4 different temperatures. We will use this experimental data to determine permeation, diffusion and partition coefficients, and breakthrough time using two mathematical models. This research will give us more insight into permeation risks of volatile PFAS and assess how protective HDPE lanfill liners are. This insight will be useful in efforts to keep both humans and wildlife protected from these chemicals.

Keywords: PFAS, Landfill liners, Permeation