Pilot Study Evaluates PFAS Treatment Technologies at WEST Center
Jack Welchert and Vicky Karinokola from the University of Arizona, and Colton Laird and Ivan Garcia from Ovivo Water, in the WEST Center High Bay.
Sarah Prasek, The University of Arizona
A research team at the WEST Center has launched a pilot study aimed at advancing new techniques for removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater. This is an especially urgent effort as existing physicochemical processes in wastewater treatment plants are not designed to sustainably remove and destroy PFAS to the new, and increasingly strict, regulatory standards.
Figure 1. Illustration of a wastewater treatment plant showing key wastewater streams including: 1) influent; 2) effluent; 3) biosolids; and 4) centrate.
The project, which began in September 2025, focuses on developing an innovative and cost-effective PFAS treatment technique that can separate and destroy PFAS from wastewater. The approach being tested utilizes a two‑stage process combining: 1) foam fractionation to separate PFAS from wastewater; and 2) electrooxidation (EO) to destroy the concentrated contaminants. Researchers are targeting the wastewater centrate side stream (Figure 1) in their study. Centrate was selected for treatment due to its higher concentration of PFAS, high concentration of polymer additives that are already present to help support foam formation, and lower stream flow.
The study is being conducted in partnership with Pima County, with principal investigators (PIs) Dr. Vicky Karanikola from the University of Arizona, and Jeff Prevatt of the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (RWRD). Ovivo Technologies, a global provider of water and wastewater treatment systems, is supplying the pilot‑scale foam fractionator and electrooxidation units.