Adsorption on activated carbon for PFAS removal: should we act at the source or before the discharge into the environment?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), used in several industrial applications, such as textile production, are gaining increasing concern due to their spread in the environment, their stability and eco-toxicity. To avoid PFAS spread in the environment, removal strategies need to be implemented at both industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). This study presents a case study in a textile district in northern Italy where PFAS removal in wastewater (WW) through adsorption on activated carbon was tested at lab and pilot-scale at different points of the system (textile companies and municipal WW treatment plant). This lab-testing was proved to be useful to identify where to apply such process in the system and to optimize process configuration and operating conditions.