The present inventions are directed to systems and methods to increase the removal of PFAS and other recalcitrant organic compound contaminants from water, and particularly ground and drinking water, using sub-micron powdered activated carbon.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a carbonaceous material which has a benzene adsorption of 25 to 40% and a vitamin B12 adsorption of 13.0 to 50.0 mg/g, while having a pore volume of mesopores of 0.070 to 0.150 cm.sup.3/g as calculated from a nitrogen adsorption isotherm by means of a BJH method.

A rapid and continuous separator or equilibrator to separate a gas from a liquid includes a venturi and injector, a mixer and a free overfall stream to separate a gas from a liquid. The injector introduces a carrier medium into the liquid which provides a reservoir for the gas to diffuse into as the liquid and carrier make a single transit through the apparatus. The separator was developed to enable real-time estimation of methane concentrations in ground water during purging. Real-time monitoring allows evaluation of trends during water well purging, spatial trends between water wells, and temporal comparisons between sampling events. These trends may be a result of removal of stored casing water, pre-purge ambient borehole flow, formation physical and chemical heterogeneity, or vertical flow outside of well casing due to poor bentonite or cement seals. Real-time information in the field can help focus an investigation, aid in determining when to collect a sample, save money by limiting costs (e.g. analytical, sample transport and storage), and provide an immediate assessment of local methane concentrations, Four domestic water wells, one municipal water well, and one agricultural water well were sampled for traditional laboratory analysis and compared to the field separator or equilibrator results. Applying a paired t-test comparing the new separator or equilibrator method and traditional laboratory analysis yielded a p-value 0.383, suggesting no significant difference between the two methods for the current study. Additional field and laboratory-based experimentation and potential modification of this device are necessary to justify use beyond screening at this time. However, early separator or equilibrator use suggests promising results and applications.

A composite material for floating on a contaminated water source, including: A) a polymeric structure having a network of interconnected porous channels; and B) a carbonous material dispersed within the polymeric structure, the carbonous material has a functionalized surface. The composite material has a density of less than 1 g/cm.sup.3, and the contaminated water source contains a low-boiling-point contaminant. The polymeric structure draws contaminated water from the contaminated water source into the polymeric structure via capillary action, and the functionalized surface removes the low-boiling point contaminant from the contaminated water. A method of purifying water using the composite material as mentioned herein and a kit for harvesting purified water including the composite material as mentioned herein.

A system and method for processing sewage sludge using pyrolysis to eliminate and/or significantly reduce organic chemical compounds, including plastics, and to produce a biochar product that is safe for beneficial uses is provided. The system and method can utilize pyrolysis to treat sewage sludge which dramatically reduces or eliminates regulated and unregulated synthetic organic chemical compounds in the resultant biochar.

A method of treating a liquid by creating nanobubbles of a desired gas within a target liquid and allowing the desired gas to react with a target component of the target liquid. The desired gas can be selected to be reactive with the target component, and a desired liquid can be formed after the desired gas reacts with the target component.

Methods and systems for converting ammonium waste streams into certifiably Organic ammonium salts having a variety of uses in greenhouse gas-reducing activities are herein described. The resulting ammonium salt compositions can be used to enhance crop yield.

There is provided according to the present invention a sustained release reactant blend and methods for making and using the sustained release reactant blends. There is further provided methods for using such blends in the in situ or ex situ remediation of contaminated groundwater and in the treatment of water and wastewater. There is further provided, according to the present invention, methods for controllably coating reactant blends whereby such coated blends exhibit sustained release properties and have an open structure.

A system for reducing an amount of volatile organic compounds which includes: a water-storage tank having a tank containing water, a roof positioned over the tank, and a headspace region formed between the roof and a surface of the water contained in the tank; an air exchange system positioned at least partially in the headspace region that is configured to exchange air exterior to the tank with air inside the tank; and a water conveyance device located at least partially in the water of the water-storage tank and which is configured to convey water in a manner that produces a surface flow velocity. A method reducing an amount of volatile organic compounds is also included.

A method for the removal of at least one contaminant from an aqueous liquor or a gas, comprising: preparing a solution or slurry of a solid alkali reagent by supplying a solid alkali reagent into a pre-wetting chamber via a feed pipe; supplying a liquid via two or more liquid sidestreams, each through a liquid inlet positioned on a side wall of the chamber to allow the liquid sidestreams to wash an internal wall of a frusto-conical section of the chamber and flow, preferably tangentially onto the internal wall in a downward spiraling manner thereby forming a vortex, towards a fluid outlet of the chamber and to further wet the solid alkali reagent with the supplied liquid thereby forming a pre-wetted reagent; and flowing a stream though a conduit, thereby creating a suction by the eductor to draw the pre-wetted reagent out of the chamber fluid outlet and mixing it with the stream to form a slurry or solution; and directing the slurry or solution exiting the eductor to an aqueous liquor or gas treatment unit, removing at least a portion of the contaminant from the aqueous liquor or gas in the treatment unit.