Transforming water treatment: Fermilab’s innovative electron-beam technology takes on PFAS pollution

Chris Edwards, an Engineering Project Manager at Fermilab, discusses the collaboration with Proficio, utilising Fermilab’s electron-beam technology to develop methods for treating water contaminated with PFAS.

The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water systems has become a pressing concern for public health and environmental safety across the United States and beyond, resisting degradation and accumulating in ecosystems. Fermilab is stepping up to the challenge by leveraging advanced electron-beam technology to develop an innovative water-treatment system in collaboration with Proficio Consultancy.

We spoke with Chris Edwards, Engineering Project Manager at Fermilab, to explore the development of this pioneering technology and shed light on its potential to transform water treatment practices and safeguard public health.

Can you provide an overview of your collaboration with Proficio on the water treatment system targeting PFAS? How did the project come about, and what progress has been made so far?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) hired Proficio Consultancy to provide process engineering expertise to help us design an industry-grade pretreatment and post-treatment system that enables water to flow through our electron beam accelerator at Fermilab.

This project came about because Fermilab’s Illinois Accelerator Research Center (IARC) group, which helps leverage technology developed for particle physics applications for broader use, is developing industrial superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerators. PFAS destruction is one of several applications in which this technology could benefit the nation and the world. As accelerator development progresses, we also wanted to start designing the other parts of a full water treatment system, such as the pre-treatment and post-treatment skid.

We have completed the design and analysis of the system with Proficio and are now moving to fabrication and installation, which are scheduled to occur this year.

Can you explain the electron-beam technology developed at Fermilab? How will it work to break down PFAS, and what makes the design so effective?

Fermilab has developed a compact, high-power electron-beam accelerator for industrial and environmental applications, including PFAS destruction. Unlike larger accelerators used in scientific research, this system is engineered to be robust, efficient, and deployable outside of a laboratory setting.

Using this technology, high-energy electrons are generated and directed into contaminated water streams. When the electron beam interacts with water, it causes a process known as radiolysis, in which the water molecules split into highly reactive species such as hydrated electrons and hydroxyl radicals. These reactive species are extremely effective at attacking the strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make PFAS so persistent in the environment.

Rather than simply separating PFAS from water or concentrating them for disposal as a secondary waste stream, as most conventional water treatment methods do, the electron beam chemically breaks the molecules apart, ultimately converting them into inorganic end products such as fluoride ions, carbon dioxide, and small organic fragments. This approach avoids the creation of secondary waste streams that require further treatment.

Several components make the SRF electron beam accelerator an effective solution for PFAS destruction: