Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Groundwater contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) poses a persistent environmental and public health concern. This study evaluates a two-chambered bioelectrochemical system (BES) inoculated with the West Branch Consortium (WBC-2) for PFAS remediation. Under an applied cathodic potential of −450 mV (versus Ag/AgCl), the BES with active WBC-2 achieved >99.0% perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) removal within 21 days in deionized water with culture medium and > 98.9% removal of PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) in contaminated groundwater after 102 days. Intermediate formation (e.g., PFOA, 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), perfluoropropionic acid (PFPrA), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)) and background-corrected fluoride release were consistent with PFOS transformation under anaerobic reducing conditions potentially involving defluorination. Following repeated PFOS spikes (100 μg/L on Days 0, 50, and 399), PFOA, PFPrA, and PFBA accumulated over 664 days. Despite being the dominant accumulated compound, PFOA accounted for <1.8% of the total spiked PFOS mass. Minimal PFOS transformation occurred in controls without active WBC-2, highlighting the importance of microbial metabolism. Biofilm analysis revealed dense colonization of rod-shaped bacteria on carbon fiber brushes. Enrichment of Bacillus, Agrobacterium, and other low-abundance taxa suggests selective adaptation to BES and PFAS conditions. These findings highlight BES driven by electrochemically stimulated microbial activity as a promising strategy for PFAS remediation.
Suggested Citation
Yang, H., Lorah, M.M., Bender, K.S., Xia, C., Sun, J., and Liu, J., 2026, PFAS remediation in a bioelectrochemical system inoculated with the west branch consortium (WBC-2): Journal of Water Process Engineering, v. 89, 110325 , 14 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2026.110325.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | PFAS remediation in a bioelectrochemical system inoculated with the west branch consortium (WBC-2) |
| Series title | Journal of Water Process Engineering |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jwpe.2026.110325 |
| Volume | 89 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Water Science Center |
| Description | 110325 , 14 p. |