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249-6 Impact of Climate Change on Leaching PFAS Contaminants in the Vadose Zone
Session: Emerging Contaminants: Geochemical Insights and Impacts on Human and Environmental Health
Presenting Author:
Robert Schneiker
Author:
Schneiker, Robert Adam1
(1) ESCI, LLC, Madison, WI, USA,
Abstract:
The US EPA SEasonal SOIL (SESOIL) model which was modified to simulate adsorption at the air-water interfaces (AWI), was used to evaluate the impact of climate change on the leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the vadose zone. Most PFAS exhibit hydrophilic properties at one end and hydrophobic properties at the other, causing them to accumulate at the AWI in soil. The degree of sorption and subsequent contaminant mobility of PFAS in the vadose zone is sensitive to changes in the moisture content. Higher temperatures may enhance evapotranspiration, lowering the soil moisture content, thus reducing PFAS mobility. In contrast, increased precipitation may increase the soil moisture content, thereby increasing PFAS mobility. Historical monthly temperature and precipitation data for Newark, New Jersey, were used to produce 112 model scenarios. Simulations covered 14 different soil types that spanned 8 climate periods from 1931 to 2050. Monthly temperature and precipitation data for the year 2050 were based on historical trends. Model results provide insight as to how climate change has impacted the leaching of PFAS contaminants in the vadose zone.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025