Poster Presenters - Simin Akbariyeh
Simin Akbariyeh
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Brown University
Simin Akbariyeh is a post-doctoral research associate in the School of Engineering at Brown University. She has more than ten years of research and teaching experience in hydrology, hydraulics, and subsurface flow modeling. Her research is primarily focused on groundwater flow and contaminants fate and transport in variably saturated porous media. Currently, she works on numerical modeling of PFAS sorption on particulate amendments, including resin and powdered activated carbon. She holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a specialization in water resources from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
FLASH POSTER PRESENTATION
Mathematical Modeling of PFAS Sorption in Powder Activated Carbon-Amended Soils
EAlthough PFAS-impacted groundwaters are often managed by extraction and above-ground treatment, alternative in situ approaches are currently being explored. One promising technology involves the injection of particulate amendments, such as polymer-stabilized powdered activated carbon (S-PAC), to create an in situ reactive zone. Here, a one-dimensional mathematical model is developed and implemented to describe PFAS sorption in S-PAC-amended soil columns. The model was validated by comparison to effluent concentration data obtained from column experiments conducted with PFOA and PFOS in S-PAC treated Ottawa sand (40-50 mesh). Simulated breakthrough curves using independently-determined parameters reproduced the shape of effluent concentration profiles but did not capture observed breakthrough times. Model calibration to column observations indicated that only a fraction of the emplaced PAC surface area was available for sorption. These findings suggest that direct application of batch isotherm data may substantially over-predict remedial performance.