A review of the occurrence, monitoring, and removal technologies for the remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from landfill leachate

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that pose significant environmental and human health risks. The presence of PFAS in landfill leachate is becoming an increasingly concerning issue. This article presents a comprehensive review of current knowledge and research gaps in monitoring and removing PFAS from landfill leachate. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness and sustainability of existing removal technologies, and identifying areas where further research is needed. To achieve this goal, the paper examines the existing technologies for monitoring and treating PFAS in landfill leachate. The review emphasizes the importance of sample preparation techniques and quality assurance/quality control measures in ensuring accurate and reliable results. Then, this paper reviewed the existing technologies for removal and remediation of PFAS in landfill leachates, such as adsorption, membrane filtration, photocatalytic oxidation, electrocatalysis, biodegradation, and constructed wetlands. Additionally, the paper summarizes the factors that exhibit the performance of various treatment technologies: reaction time, experimental conditions, and removal rates. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the potential application of different remediation technologies (i.e., adsorption, membrane filtration, photocatalytic oxidation, electrocatalysis, biodegradation, and constructed wetlands, etc.) in treating landfill leachate containing PFAS and its precursors, such as fluorotelomeres like FTOH and FTSs. The review highlights the importance of considering economic, technical, and environmental factors when selecting control measures. Overall, this article aims to provide guidance for promoting environmental protection and sustainable development in the context of PFAS contamination in landfill leachate.