TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Investigating the Thermal Decomposition of PFAS in a Full-Scale Commercial Hazardous Waste Incinerator (SERDP ER24-4073) N2 - Effective and safe treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-laden waste in full-scale hazardous waste facilities is currently the only commercial method for large-scale PFAS destruction, but concerns remain about incomplete combustion and harmful byproducts. Therefore, the fate of fluorine during incineration was investigated in a full-scale hazardous waste incinerator to assess the viability and potential risks of this method. The project involves developing advanced analytical tools, including real-time infrared spectroscopy, and conducting trial burns under varied conditions. Conditions that influence incineration performance are identified, analyzing for products of incomplete destruction (PIDs), exploring the role of fly ash and surfaces in PFAS breakdown, and evaluating the potential formation of polyfluorinated dioxins and furans. Collectively, these tasks aim to deliver practical tools and guidance for scientists and engineers, while informing policymakers and the public on the benefits and potential risks of PFAS incineration. T2 - DoW Applied Innovation Workshop CY - Washington, DC, USA DA - 02.03.2026 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Incineration PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65639 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Quantification of Perfluorocarboxylic Acids in Water Samples via Static Headspace Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry N2 - Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) are one of the most prominent and studied subgroups of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which have attracted great interest in environmental and toxicology research due to their intensive use in combination with their persistence, mobility and potential threat to ecosystems and human health. The standard method to quantify PFCAs in water samples is liquid chromatography or, for additional quantification of ultrashort-chain PFCAs (carbon chain length of two or three carbon atoms) too, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, in each case coupled with mass spectrometry. However, there are a lot of laboratories using MS coupled to headspace gas chromatography systems (HS-GC-MS), usually to quantify a wide range of volatile organic compounds. While PFCAs themselves are difficult to measure with HS-GC-MS in water samples, this challenge can be solved by derivatizing the acids to more volatile compounds, like esters. This approach could enable laboratories using HS-GC-MS to analyse and monitor PFCAs in environmental water samples. By following this idea, we successfully developed a HS-GC-MS method to quantify PFCAs in ultrapure water. Trifluoric acid (TFA), perfluoropropionic acid (PFPrA), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOS) served as exemplary analytes of PFCAs, which were derivatized with methanol and concentrated sulfuric acid to form methyl esters. The method was optimized by varying different preparation and measurement parameters, leading to limits of detection and quantification in the two-digit ppt-range for all four analytes. The method was than tested on various real water samples, including tap and bottled water, groundwater, landfill leachate, treated wastewater and impinger water from a sewage sludge incineration experiment. Furthermore, snow samples from a ski slope were analysed too. TFA was the most frequently detected PFAA, with concentrations in the ppt and low ppb range. The detection and quantification of the remaining three PFCAs vary with the sample types and sampling location.Our results show that HS-GC-MS is suitable, and enables laboratories with this technique, to quantify PFCAs water samples. T2 - SETAC Europe CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 11.05.2025 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Groundwater KW - GC-MS PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63094 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Current status of monitoring of PFAS release from industrial facilities N2 - Increasing studies report per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the ambient air and emissions from diverse industrial sources. Therefore, a comprehensive framework for characterizing PFAS emissions by identifying source-specific chemical fingerprints, evaluating emission pathways and assessing the impact of remediation technologies is needed. Depending on the type of PFAS, dedicated sampling and analytical procedures are required. Here, also the detection of possible PFAS transformation products, so-called products of incomplete combustion (PICs) are more mobile or toxic, is also of great interest to evaluate these technologies in terms of mineralisation potential and fluorine mass balance. T2 - PFAS study and technical exchange tour of MEE-FECO in Germany CY - Online meeting DA - 12.09.2025 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Incineration PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64081 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Investigating the Thermal Decomposition of PFAS in a Full-Scale Commercial Hazardous Waste Incinerator N2 - Incineration is currently the only commercial full-scale technology available to destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in large solid and liquid waste streams. Given previous experience of dioxin formation during halogenated waste incineration, concerns about the emission of products of incomplete destruction (PIDs) from PFAS incineration exist. The overarching objective of this project is to track the fate of fluorine during full-scale hazardous waste incineration in order to demonstrate the readiness, viability, and level of safety for thermal PFAS destruction in various waste streams. The specific objectives of this project are (1) to enhance our understanding of key variables and conditions on PFAS incineration performance, (2) to identify major PIDs under insufficient treatment conditions, (3) to explore the catalytic role of fly ash and other process-relevant surfaces in thermal PFAS decomposition, and (4) to determine the potential formation of polyfluorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans. T2 - CEN/TC 264/WG48 Symposium - Emissions and ambient air - Determination of PFAS CY - Düsseldorf, Germany DA - 16.07.2025 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Incineration PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63714 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Current status of monitoring of PFAS release from industrial facilities N2 - Increasing studies report per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the ambient air and emissions from diverse industrial sources. Therefore, a comprehensive framework for characterizing PFAS emissions by identifying source-specific chemical fingerprints, evaluating emission pathways and assessing the impact of remediation technologies is needed. Depending on the type of PFAS, dedicated sampling and analytical procedures are required. Here, also the detection of possible PFAS transformation products, so-called products of incomplete combustion (PICs) are more mobile or toxic, is also of great interest to evaluate these technologies in terms of mineralisation potential and fluorine mass balance. T2 - Consortium for analysis and remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (CAR-PFAS Japan) visit Uni Örebro CY - Online meeting DA - 09.10.2025 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Incineration KW - Remediation PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64318 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Analysis of fluorine/PFAS in battery black mass at HESEB N2 - Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are a safe, cost-effective alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, but industrial-scale recycling is not yet available. The recycling process faces challenges, especially in purifying materials like lithium, phosphate, and iron, and managing fluorine contamination from fluoropolymers and salts (including PFAS). Fluorine K-edge XANES spectroscopy was used to analyze the chemical states of fluorine in the recycled materials for a safe reuse of elements and defluorination. T2 - SESAME – Germany Support and Networking Meeting CY - Hamburg, Germany DA - 30.06.2025 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Battery PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63560 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): from analytical methods to thermal and mechanochemical treatment N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of more than 12,000 organofluorine surfactants. As a result of continuous and prolific use, mainly in aviation firefighting foams, thousands of industrial and military installations have been found to contain contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water. . Current decontamination strategies of PFAS-burdened soils mainly consist of adsorption methods using adsorbents for fixation of PFAS in the ground. A second option is the utilization of a “pump and treat” process, cycling polluted soils through a washing plant leading to the concentration of the pollutants in the fine fraction. Both approaches are cost-intensive and not intended for the direct decomposition of all PFAS contaminants. Furthermore, the contaminated adsorbants have to be safely thermal treated for recovery. Hence, there is a great demand for innovative developments, dealing with new strategies of tackling the PFAS problem. Previously, mechanochemical treatment of polychlorinated organic compounds in soils showed an efficient dechlorination. Thus, we investigated mechanochemical treatment of PFAS contaminated soils with various additives in a ball mill. T2 - Al-Balqa Applied University seminar CY - Al-Salt, Jordan DA - 23.02.2025 KW - Combustion Ion Chromatography KW - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - XANES spectroscopy KW - Thermal treatment KW - Remediation PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62617 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - PFAS analysis by fluorine K-edge XANES spectroscopy and thermal and mechanochemical treatment N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of more than 12,000 organofluorine surfactants. As a result of continuous and prolific use, mainly in aviation firefighting foams, thousands of industrial and military installations have been found to contain contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water. . Current decontamination strategies of PFAS-burdened soils mainly consist of adsorption methods using adsorbents for fixation of PFAS in the ground. A second option is the utilization of a “pump and treat” process, cycling polluted soils through a washing plant leading to the concentration of the pollutants in the fine fraction. Both approaches are cost-intensive and not intended for the direct decomposition of all PFAS contaminants. Furthermore, the contaminated adsorbants have to be safely thermal treated for recovery. Hence, there is a great demand for innovative developments, dealing with new strategies of tackling the PFAS problem. Previously, mechanochemical treatment of polychlorinated organic compounds in soils showed an efficient dechlorination. Thus, we investigated mechanochemical treatment of PFAS contaminated soils with various additives in a ball mill. T2 - SEMICON CY - Tokyo, Japan DA - 12.12.2024 KW - Mechanochemical treatment KW - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - XANES spectroscopy KW - Thermal treatment PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-62183 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Per- und polyfluorierte Alkylsubstanzen (PFAS) während der Klärschlammverbrennung – Analytische Methoden zur Überwachung N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 12,000 anionic cationic, zwitterionic and neutral anthropologic substances which have been used extensively in a variety of products and industries due to their lipo- and hydrophobic properties, and inert physical and chemical stability. As a result of continuous use of fluorinated consumer products, effluents and sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been shown to be an important source of PFAS contamination in the environment. While environmental exposure of organic pollutants like PFAS, pesticides and pharmaceuticals have to be avoided, phosphorus from sewage sludge must be used in Germany among other things to produce high-quality P-fertilizers for a circular economy. However, the fate of legacy and emerging PFAS compounds during sewage sludge incineration or pyrolysis is for the most parts still unknown. In particular, PFAS analysis in exhaust air from industrial facilities has not yet been standardized in Germany, which means that no comparable results are available for possible regulation. T2 - Berliner Klärschlamm Konferenz CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 11.11.2024 KW - Klärschlamm KW - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61628 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Mechanochemical remediation of PFAS in soils – Does it work? N2 - Current decontamination strategies of PFAS-burdened soils mainly consist of adsorption methods using adsorbents for fixation of PFAS in the ground. A second option is the utilization of a “pump and treat” process, cycling polluted soils through a washing plant leading to the concentration of the pollutants in the fine fraction. Only a subsequent, high-energy consuming pyrolysis process guarantees the total destruction of all fluorinated organic contaminants. These approaches are cost-intensive and not intended for the direct decomposition of all PFAS contaminants. Hence, there is a great demand for innovative developments and chemical treatment technologies, dealing with new strategies of tackling the PFAS problem. Thus, we investigated mechanochemical treatment of PFAS contaminated soils with various additives in a ball mill and analyzed the PFAS defluorination with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively, as well as the fluoride mineralization by ion chromatography (IC) and fluorine K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. T2 - Baltic Sea PFAS Network Coffee Session CY - Online meeting DA - 25.08.2023 KW - Mechanochemical treatment KW - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Remediation KW - X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58114 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -