COLUMBUS, OHIO – Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio-15) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a grant through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to AA Plasma, LLC in Grove City, Ohio for research aiming to destroy dangerous perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the water supply.
“Ohio is a hub for innovation, education, and research, and this grant will help our innovators anticipate and eliminate problems that can harm our quality of life. PFAS are dangerous compounds, and pursuing methods to eliminate any trace of them from our water supply will leave our communities better off,” Rep. Carey said. “I was proud to play a role in securing this grant and fostering innovation in Grove City and I look forward to hearing about the results the researchers find.”
Full grant details can be found below:
- $99,970.10 NIST SBIR grant to AA Plasma, LLC (Grove City, Ohio) to develop a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system for the on-site regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) contaminated with PFAS. The plasma system not only regenerates GAC but also destroys adsorbed PFAS, eliminating the need for energy-intensive thermal reactivation methods or waste disposal in landfills. The proposed approach involves optimizing key plasma parameters, such as voltage, frequency, and residence time, to achieve efficient PFAS decomposition. Additionally, the system design enables continuous processing on a conveyor belt, ensuring scalability for industrial applications.
- The expected outcomes of this Phase I project aims to establish new industry standards, support U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance, and reduce operational costs for water treatment facilities, enhancing the United States’ capacity to tackle PFAS contamination sustainably.
- Intended beneficiaries include municipal water treatment plants, companies producing industrial filtration systems, and GAC suppliers.
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