Adsorption, via Granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX) resins have proven effective to remove PFAS in full-scale systems, and emerging adsorbents like β-cyclodextrins and organoclays show promise at pilot scale. However, no two water systems and water sources are the same; thus, appropriately choosing the right adsorbent that works cost effectively to remove the set of PFAS at a site remains a challenge. Vendor data is often general and at best tested on a synthetic mix of a set of PFAS which may not represent the real water at a clients site. Small water systems have limited technical staff trained in PFAS and in adsorbent chemistry. Lastly, the non-PFAS treatment systems (e.g. Manganese, Ozone, Chlorination) already on a site pose challenges for the effective functioning of PFAS adsorbents.

We can screen as many as ten PFAS adsorbents using Jar tests and our client’s water taking into consideration site-specific challenges. The jar tests provide data for the following:

1. Validating adsorbent performance given by vendors.

2. Comparing performance of different adsorbents (e.g., GAC, biochar, ion exchange resins) under same conditions to remove different types of PFAS, e.g., how well an adsorbent removes short and long chain PFAS, from the client’s water.

3. Comparing data on speed of removal (kinetics) of various PFAS and quantities of PFAS removed (adsorption capacity - how much PFAS the adsorbent material can hold before saturation).

4. Determining tolerance for co-contaminants- how well the adsorbents perform in the presence of other contaminants such as dissolved organic carbon, metal ions etc., for site-specific suitability.

5. Making preliminary cost/ performance comparison.


Here is how it works:
1. You send us your water samples in small quantities (250- 1000 ml per adsorbent).
2. We analyze PFAS and co-contaminants in your water.
3. We select the appropriate adsorbents from our database for conducting jar tests
4. We conduct jar tests with diverse adsorbents and generate side-by-side performance data.
5. We will compare their performance to select the promising candidates for column tests  
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Choosing The Right Adsorbent Starts Here. Contact us for a quote.