Assessing the Thermal Destruction of Volatile Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in a Laboratory-Scale Landfill Gas Flare and Internal Combustion Engine

Grantees: Florentino B. De la Cruz and John Nuszkowski – University of North Florida
Amount: $176,595
Project Duration: 1 year

Landfill gas can contain volatile PFAS, but limited data are available on how effectively flares and internal combustion engines destroy these compounds. Understanding what happens during combustion is necessary to assess both PFAS destruction and the formation of products of incomplete destruction.

Researchers will build a laboratory-scale flare and modify a research engine to operate on synthetic landfill gas. They will introduce selected volatile PFAS into the fuel stream and test destruction efficiency under temperatures and residence times representative of landfill gas treatment. Chemical analyses will track fluorine and identify compounds remaining or formed after combustion.

The team will combine laboratory results with computer models to evaluate operating conditions in full-scale flares and engines. The project aims to inform future operational guidance for PFAS destruction in existing landfill gas treatment systems and clarify the limits of their performance.