Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Summer 7-24-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

August 2026

Department

Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering

College Granting Degree

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department Granting Degree

Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Yalan Liu

Abstract

This study investigated the microwave treatment as a potential regeneration approach for PFOS-laden granular activated carbon (GAC). PFOS was used as a model legacy PFAS, and calcium was selected to examine how inorganic constituents may influence PFAS loading and fluorine behavior during treatment. Microwave temperature profiling showed that GAC temperatures increased with treatment time and power level, reaching approximately 400-950°C. Selected microwave conditions reduced PFOS-derived extractable organic fluorine (EOF), with apparent EOF reduction increasing from 65.5% after 1 min to 96.8% after 4 min. Calcium increased PFOS-derived EOF loading before microwave treatment but did not show a consistent effect on EOF reduction after treatment. Inorganic fluoride results indicated partial conversion of organic fluorine to fluoride under selected conditions, although calcium-dependent trends were not consistent. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed limited changes in GAC surface morphology, elemental composition, surface functional groups, and thermal behavior after one microwave treatment cycle.

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