State of the research on regeneration and reactivation techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-laden granular activated carbons (GACs)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), man-made 'forever chemicals', have been extensively released into the environment. Currently, adsorption is the chief option for removing PFAS from contaminated water. However, the regeneration and reactivation of PFAS-laden adsorbents are still a challenging task, and several investigations are ongoing to find the most suitable technology. The current state of research and development on available techniques for PFASladen adsorbents, mainly granular activated carbons (GACs), is provided in this article with a particular focus on thermal-based processes. Despite the growing research on PFAS degradation pathways, future investigations are needed to systematically assess the interplay between PFAS and co-adsorbed organic and inorganic species and to pursue on-site regeneration avoiding further transportation and/or disposal of exhausted materials.