PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE — This summer, significant research and testing efforts are underway in Southern Colorado to tackle the ongoing issue of PFAS (man-made polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination.
This initiative follows a water crisis that affected thousands in the southern end of El Paso County, where PFAS chemicals were discovered in the water and the ground.
The contamination was traced to firefighting foam that had been washed down from what was formerly Peterson Air Force Base, now known as Peterson Space Force Base. Watch our previous coverage from years prior on the push for clean ups in El Paso County.
This summer, the base has become a key research site for developing effective methods to eliminate these harmful substances.
At the southern end of Peterson Space Force Base, researchers from the Air Force, private industry and academia are exploring innovative solutions to remove PFAS contamination from soil and water.
Sediment and water from a pond at the site are contaminated with PFAS.
One notable partner in this endeavor is the Colorado School of Mines, whose faculty has been involved in PFAS research for years.
School of Mines Professor Chris Higgins is well aware of the very real impact these chemicals have on local communities.
A decade ago, he consulted when towns like Security-Widefield and Fountain were implementing measures to counter PFAS contamination in the communities.
“I know firsthand that these are real people who have been impacted by these chemicals in their water supplies,” said HIggins
The Space Force Base is now a vital resource for ongoing research, where innovative ideas can be tested.
“We are treating real waste generated in the field, and we’re gathering valuable knowledge that can be translated into larger-scale treatment solutions,” said School of Mines PhD Student Ori Soker.
Various projects are being tested across the site, utilizing different methods for PFAS remediation.
One approach involves thermal destruction, where soil is heated to a temperature sufficient to break down PFAS compounds.
Another experimental unit uses UV-C light—"significantly more potent” than the UV-A and UV-B rays that cause sunburn—to neutralize these chemicals.
Additionally, some systems employ chemical reactions designed to scrub soil and water of PFAS residues.
"We try to degrade the compounds and transform them into something much less harmful than they are currently,” said Higgins.
The comparison of multiple protocols side-by-side in field settings enhances the research process.
“This is about using fundamentals from different fields to solve real-world problems, and that's exactly what we are doing here,” said Stoker.
“Hopefully have a, you know, sustainable and feasible, field-scale solution that we can implement, not just here at Peterson, but anywhere around the DOD,” said Peterson Civil Engineer Center, Chief Sean Houseworth
The progression from identifying contamination, to mitigation, and now to research is a path toward eventually removing PFAS contamination.
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