PFAS
What are PFAS ?
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are a large family of man-made chemicals used since the 1940s in thousands of industrial and consumer products.
Because of their exceptional resistance to heat, water, oil and chemicals, PFAS have been widely used in:
- Firefighting foams (AFFF)
- Industrial manufacturing
- Non-stick coatings
- Waterproof textiles
- Food packaging
- Metal plating operations
PFAS are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not naturally degrade in the environment. Once released, they can persist for decades in soil, groundwater and surface water.
Why are PFAS a concern?
PFAS can migrate from contaminated soils into groundwater and drinking water supplies. They may also accumulate in plants, animals and the food chain.
Long-term exposure has been associated with:
- Increased cancer risk
- Thyroid disorders
- Immune system effects
- Developmental impacts
- Liver toxicity
As regulations become stricter worldwide, PFAS-contaminated sites are becoming a major environmental challenge.
Remediation Strategies - State of the Art
PFAS contamination presents unique remediation challenges due to the exceptional chemical stability of the carbon-fluorine bond. As a result, many conventional soil remediation technologies used for hydrocarbons or chlorinated compounds are only partially effective for PFAS.
Today, four main approaches are used to manage PFAS-contaminated soils.
| Technology | PFAS Destruction | Speed | Long-Term Liability | Key Advantages | Main Limitations |
| Landfilling / Containment | 🔴 No | 🟢 Fast | 🔴 High | ✅ Simple implementation ✅ Immediate site clearance | ❌ PFAS remain present ❌ Future liability remains ❌ Increasing disposal costs |
| Stabilization / Immobilization | 🔴 No | 🟢 Fast | 🟠 Medium | ✅ Reduces PFAS mobility ✅ Can be implemented on site | ❌ PFAS remain in soil ❌ Long-term performance uncertainty |
| Soil Washing | 🔴 No | 🟢 Fast | 🟠 Medium | ✅ Reduces contaminated volume ✅ Can lower treatment costs | ❌ Transfers PFAS to wastewater and fines ❌ Requires additional treatment |
| Thermal Desorption | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Fast | 🟢 Low | ✅ Removes PFAS from soil ✅ >99.9% removal efficiency ✅ Proven technology for source zones | ❌ Requires specialized equipment |
| Soil Washing + Thermal Desorption | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Fast | 🟢 Low | ✅ Best cost-performance ratio ✅ Reduced treatment volume ✅ Highest remediation efficiency | ❌ More complex project design |
Among these, thermal desorption is the only technology proven to permanently destroy PFAS rather than contain or transfer it.
Haemers Technologies' Krysalis® Solution
Our proprietary thermal desorption solution achieves >99.9% PFAS removal efficiency and has been validated at full scale in real-world conditions.
Discover Krysalis®