W. De Weirdt
Tectero BV,
Belgium
Keywords: PFAS, destruction, removal, water
Summary:
Tectero is a privately owned SME established in 2013 and based in Ghent (Belgium). Tectero BV is ISO 9001 certified since 2021. The main goal and activities of Tectero BV are the development of nonthemal plasma technology for the conversion of liquids and gases and carrying out contract research and development for third parties in the field of green chemistry, renewable energy and environment. PFAS substances are synthetic compounds with unique properties including high chemical and thermal stability which are very persistent in the environment. Since the 1940s PFAS have been used in numerous consumer products and industrial applications. PFAS are and have been used in firefighting foams, paints, coatings, textiles, paper, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, etc. PFAS is an omnipresent collection of over 12 000 compounds. The main problem for the environment is attributed to the fact that the carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS is thermodynamically very robust and provides persistence, inertness and stability to PFAS substances. By applying a nonthermal plasma Tectero BV is able to breakdown the carbon fluorine bond in PFAS. Tectero’s process focusses on a continuous flow process and a full destruction and mineralisation of PFAS present. The Tectero process is able to degrade many different types of water such as drinking and groundwater with a relative low PFAS load (hundreds of ng/L to a couple of micrograms per liter), process water with medium PFAS load (hundred micrograms of PFAS per liter and leachate water with a combined high PFAS load (a couple to tens of mg/l) and high salt content. Also emergency response water (from fire fighting incidents) can be treated in a similar way. No pre-treatment is required except sand filtration. The process can be integrated as a first bulk remover, a final polishing step or stand-alone. The process main driver is powered by electricity. When the electricity used is sourced from alternative energy production the complete process if fully sustainable. In this presentation Tectero BV will provide insight in the application results of nonthermal plasma destruction for different types of (waste)water.