NMR quantum sensors for environmental analysis (NQUA)

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) have been increasingly detected in surface waters and wastewater in recent years. These PFAS are associated with significant health and environmental risks—among other things because they are also known as forever chemicals due to their persistence in the environment. Current technologies do not include a system for coupling real-time detection with effective degradation of PFAS.

The NQUA project uses switchable ceramic adsorbers made of aluminum oxide to treat PFAS. These adsorbers are optimized with different modifiers to effectively remove PFAS of various structures and chain lengths from the wastewater matrix through adsorption. The adsorbers are then regenerated in a controlled manner, concentrating the PFAS in the process. An advanced oxidation process (AOP) based on acoustic cavitation is used for further treatment of the resulting concentrate. For this purpose, our working group is developing a novel ultrasonic reactor in collaboration with Bandelin GmbH. The ultrasound creates gas- or vapor-filled cavitation bubbles in the water, whose collapse causes physical and chemical effects that can effectively eliminate PFAS. In addition, the NQUA project at the IIS of the University of Stuttgart, together with NVision Imaging Technologies and Magritek GmbH, is building a technology demonstrator for an NMR quantum sensor.

This sensor is designed to detect PFAS in wastewater and will be coupled with PFAS removal from ceramic adsorbers and ultrasonic treatment.

NQUA is part of the Quanderland project network funded by the BMFTR: Quantum technology and photonic system solutions for challenges in environmental and climate protection, biodiversity, sustainable energy systems, and resource conservation from Fraunhofer IAO in Stuttgart. As part of the project network, an accompanying sustainability assessment of the individual projects is also being carried out.

• Daniel Bogenrieder
• Friederike Scheller