# US 10,752,521 B2 · System and method for treatment of soil and groundwater contaminated with PFAS > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,752,521 B2 - Document ID: US10752521B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/307,519 - Filed: 2017-06-09 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2020-08-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-13 - Assignees: Eminus, LLC - Applicants: Eminus, LLC - Inventors: Christopher Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10752521B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/24: by flotation (C02F1/465 takes precedence) - B03D 1/082: {of the froth product, e.g. washing} - B03D 1/1462: {Discharge mechanisms for the froth} - B03D 1/24: Pneumatic {(mixing gases or vapours with liquids B01F23/20)} - B09C 1/002: {involving in-situ ground water treatment} - C02F 1/78: with ozone {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/02: by heating (methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D) - C02F 2101/301: {Detergents, surfactants} - C02F 2101/36: containing halogen - C02F 2103/06: Contaminated groundwater or leachate - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D) - B09C: RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL (gatherers for removing stone or the like from the soil A01B43/00; sterilising soil by steam A01G11/00; removing undesirable matter, e.g. rubbish, from the land E01H15/00) ## Abstract A method for the decontamination of water containing one or more PFAS contaminants includes injecting a gas through a diffuser and into the water so as to form a plurality of bubbles in the water, the one or more PFAS contaminants accumulating on the plurality of bubbles. The plurality of bubbles is allowed to rise, forming a foam at the surface of the water. The resulting foam is then collected and transported away from the surface of the water, where it condenses into a liquid and can be treated and/or disposed of. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for decontamination of water containing one or more per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminants, comprising: injecting a gas through a diffuser and into water so as to form a plurality of bubbles in the water, the one or more PFAS contaminants accumulating on the plurality of bubbles; allowing the plurality of bubbles to rise, forming a foam at the surface of the water; and collecting the foam from the surface of the water, wherein the diffuser is comprised of a plurality of pores having a nominal pore size of 25 microns or less, and wherein the gas is 95% or more nitrogen by volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is positioned within a groundwater well and below the surface of the groundwater when the gas is injected through the diffuser and into the water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the groundwater well is provided with at least one influent screen portion and at least one effluent screen portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to injecting the gas through the diffuser, creating a groundwater well and positioning the diffuser within the groundwater well and below the surface of the groundwater. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is injected through a diffuser and into the water so as to form a plurality of bubbles in the water that are less than 2 mm in diameter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting the foam to a knock-out vessel where condensed liquid containing the one or more PFAS contaminants is collected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising removing the condensed liquid containing the one or more PFAS contaminants from the knock-out vessel and treating the one or more PFAS contaminants. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the knock-out vessel is in communication with a vacuum source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is comprised of air. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is 99% or more nitrogen by volume. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the foam is collected from the surface of the water by a foam capturing device that is in communication with a vacuum source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising transporting the foam to a knock-out vessel by a positive displacement pump positioned in the groundwater well. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an oxidizing gas is added to the gas before it is injected into the diffuser, the oxidizing gas being utilized to oxidize PFAS precursors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the oxidizing gas is ozone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the foam is collected from the surface of the water with a foam capturing device that provides additional surface area for foam capture with a larger diameter than a pipe connected to the foam capturing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the foam capturing device is comprised of a floating material so as to accommodate fluctuating groundwater tables. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more PFAS contaminants are one or more long-chain PFAS constituents. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more PFAS contaminants are one or more short-chain PFAS constituents. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more PFAS contaminants are comprised of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) or both.