Remediation Deep Dive - PFAS Environmental Science in 7 Minutes or Less

This podcast explores how a large-scale airport remediation project in Sweden is demonstrating a smarter way to stop PFAS contamination at the source before it spreads to sensitive drinking water receptors. Through the use of an in situ colloidal activated carbon barrier, Max Flux and Sandi Loam highlight a shift from costly pump-and-treat approaches to passive, underground containment that captures both target PFAS compounds and precursors where the plume begins.
 

The U.S. Department of War (DoW) faces an estimated $31 billion in legacy PFAS cleanup liability, and the environmental industry's default answer is still pump and treat. This episode follows the money.
Max Flux and Sandi Lomb compare 30-year lifecycle costs at Wurtsmith Air Force Base ($19 million versus $7.2 million), a commercial airport site ($4.1 million versus $1.6 million), and a failing system in Barnstable County bleeding $450,000 a year — and explain why the savings represent potential millions.

Max and Sandi dive into the peer-reviewed article, “Longevity of Colloidal Activated Carbon for In Situ PFAS Remediation at AFFF-Contaminated Airport Sites” by Carey et al. (2022), highlighting >90–99% PFAS reduction across 17 sites and the key factors driving CAC’s long-term performance.

Max and Sandi dive into the peer-reviewed article, “Tool and Database for Estimating Potential Longevity of Colloidal Activated Carbon Barriers for PFAS in Groundwater” by Newell et al. (2025), highlighting a new planning tool that simplifies estimating CAC barrier lifespan to guide design, planning, and PFAS plume management.

Max and Sandi dive into the peer-reviewed article, “PFAS Monitored Retention: A Framework for Managing PFAS-Contaminated Groundwater Sites” by Adamson et al. (2025), exploring how PFAS Monitored Retention (PMR) and PFAS Enhanced Retention (PER) use physical and chemical processes to slow plume migration and reduce risk—offering a cost-effective option where immediate threats are absent.

Max and Sandi dive into the peer-reviewed article, “A Cost Comparison of Pump-and-Treat and In Situ Colloidal Activated Carbon for PFAS Plume Management” by Birnstingl and Wilson (2024), highlighting how CAC delivers decades-long PFAS containment at one-third the cost of pump-and-treat—without the waste, energy use, or long-term liabilities.

In this opening episode, AI Technical Correspondents Max Phlux and Sandi Lohm introduce the Remediation Deep Dive podcast—a 5-part series dedicated to summarizing and discussing key technical papers in PFAS environmental remediation. They preview the topics ahead, offering listeners a clear roadmap of the science, strategies, and innovations that will be explored in each episode.

In our first episode, AI Technical Correspondents Max Phlux and Sandi Lohm dive into the Wiley Remediation Journal article entitled Pandora’s PFAS Box: Life Cycle Exposure Considerations of Treatment Options for PFAS in Groundwater. Max and Sandi discuss the futility of trying to flush PFAS from an aquifer and the increased risk associated with generating and handling the PFAS waste. You’ll leave with clear, actionable insights to guide PFAS remediation decisions — without getting lost in the technical jargon.