Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID RI_2025_1

Assessing activated carbon fibers for use in remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-contaminated wastewater lagoons in Westerly, RI

Institute: Rhode Island
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $25,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $25,787

Principal Investigators: Rainer Lohmann

Project Summary: PFAS are chemicals that do not break down easily and can be harmful. They’ve ended up in the Pawcatuck River in Rhode Island because of industrial activities, especially from textile mills. These mills have used PFAS to coat their products, and these chemicals have leaked into the river from waste lagoons. This project will test a material called activated carbon fiber felts (ACFFs) to clean up these lagoons. If successful, these ACFFs could be used to reduce the amount of PFAS in the river.