Numerical Modeling of PFAS fate
in Subsurface Workshop

Due to their distinctive chemical properties and environmental stability, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are often referred to as “forever chemicals.” These substances have now been detected in relatively high levels in surface / ground water and living beings. The widespread groundwater contamination with aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) in firefighting training sites is a typical example. Field studies have demonstrated that the vadose zone can serve as a source zone of PFAS. Beyond of the PFAS sorption on the soil grains, the air / water interfaces in vadose zone may also adsorb PFAS molecules, with the potential to release them in groundwater at long-term. The numerical simulation of the multiphase flow and transport processes in the subsurface may contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of PFAS spreading in vadose zone, the quantification of the transient changes of PFAS concentration in solid and aqueous phase, and the calculation of PFAS fluxes toward the underlying aquifers. Case studies of lab-scale and field-scale tests will be presented along with numerical models of PFAS migration in unsaturated and saturated zones. This workshop is intended as a summer school specifically designed to improve the scientific skills and modeling competencies of early-stage researchers (PhD students, recent PostDoc Fellows)