Developing a geochemical model to predict PFAS mobility in surface and subsurface water in the presence of nanoplastics, minerals and organo-mineral complexes

Objective

Safe drinking water is a fundamental human need, yet water quality worldwide is threatened increasingly by persistent “forever contaminants” particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health. PFAS are now widely detected in critical drinking water sources including surface and groundwater systems, underscoring the urgency to understand what controls PFAS mobility in these environmental reservoirs and to develop predictive geochemical models for environmental impact assessments. Particulates such as naturally occurring pure mineral phase (Fe/Al/Mn oxyhydroxides) and their corresponding organo-mineral complexes (OMCs; minerals bound with humic or fulvic substances) form a dominant fraction in surface and subsurface reservoirs and play a critical control on PFAS fate. Anthropogenic particles, particularly nanoplastics (NPs), are also increasingly present in the natural environment and likely act as further vectors for PFAS transport, significantly influencing their mobility. Although minerals, OMCs, PFAS, and NPs often coexist in natural systems, mechanistic insights into their coupled interactions remain lacking, hindering accurate prediction of PFAS mobility and environmental fate. The project tackles a critical knowledge gap by investigating how minerals, OMCs, and ENPs govern PFAS mobility in environmental reservoirs. Advanced spectroscopic techniques will elucidate molecular binding mechanisms, while batch and column transport experiments will generate key parameters to build the first predictive geochemical models of PFAS transport. These models will be validated using natural water and sediment data in collaboration with Anglian Water Services. By integrating experimental findings with geochemical modelling, the project will deliver the first mechanistic framework for PFAS mobility within the mineral/OMC–PFAS–ENP ternary system, directly advancing predictive tools for water quality protection.