# In situ destruction of halogenated Superfund contaminants with persulfate-generated radicals

> **NIH NIH P42** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2023 · $303,724

## Abstract

PROJECT 4: SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 After 40 years of research and field experience, the remediation of hazardous waste
sites remains a substantial challenge. Over the past three decades, considerable progress has
been made in the use of in situ treatment methods, such as bioremediation and permeable
reactive barriers. Nonetheless, excavation and off-site disposal remains the most common
remedial approach for soil and groundwater extraction (i.e., pump-and-treat) systems are still
being employed at numerous Superfund sites. Among the emerging alternatives to these
expensive approaches, in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) has shown substantial potential for
providing an effective means of remediating a variety of contaminants, including TCE and
petroleum hydrocarbons. Despite its popularity, ISCO has proven difficult to use in the
treatment of hydrophobic compounds and compounds that exhibit low reactivity towards
hydroxyl radical and sulfate radical—the two strongest oxidants produced during the
decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and peroxydisulfate (i.e., persulfate) in the subsurface.
Our proposed research aims at developing new in situ chemical remediation techniques capable
of treating Superfund contaminants that often require expensive ex-situ methods, (fully
halogenated organic solvents, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyl ethers
(PBDEs), and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS)) by employing Anaerobic
Radical Treatment (ART).
 In Aim 1, we propose to develop and optimize anaerobic thermally activated persulfate
methods to dehalogenate recalcitrant contaminants. We will develop a kinetic model that will
account for temperature, pH, oxidant dose, contaminant concentration, and oxygen
concentration. In Aim 2, we will develop a method that employs the use of co-solvent flushing
followed by ART. In anaerobic conditions, activated persulfate can react with alcohols to form
carbon centered radicals that are able to degrade contaminants. We also predict that persulfate
can activate at lower temperature in the presence of solvents, which will allow for more efficient
treatment of complex chemical mixtures. This includes aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used
at sites contaminated with halogenated solvents. Aim 3 is focused on the discovery and fate of
stable transformation products formed during ART. In collaboration with Project 3, we will
investigate biodegradability of transformation products in microcosm studies. Aim 4 focuses on
predicting possible modes of toxicity by utilizing computational toxicity models, screening with
biomolecule assays, as well as established bioassay such as the Ames test. The results of
Project 4 could provide novel approaches for the remediation of highly halogenated emerging
and legacy compounds in the environment, while providing new models and methods for
minimizing toxic transformation products.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10690443
- **Project number:** 5P42ES004705-35
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** David L. Sedlak
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $303,724
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-04-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10690443

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10690443, In situ destruction of halogenated Superfund contaminants with persulfate-generated radicals (5P42ES004705-35). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10690443. Licensed CC0.

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