BioLargo has developed a next-generation solution that brings cost savings, energy efficiency, and undetected PFAS removal to modern water systems.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” represent one of the most pressing environmental protection and regulatory compliance challenges. These synthetic compounds are widely used in industrial processes and consumer products, from firefighting foams and textiles to food packaging and electronics, and their stability, persistence, and bioaccumulative properties cause widespread contamination of groundwater, surface waters, and industrial wastewater. Studies have shown that even at low concentrations, PFAS are associated with adverse health effects, including cancer, liver damage, immune system suppression, and developmental effects.
As government agencies tighten limits on PFAS concentrations in drinking water (some now as low as 4 parts per trillion), the need for scalable and cost-effective treatment technologies is greater than ever. Traditional approaches such as granular activated carbon (GAC), ion exchange (IX), and reverse osmosis (RO) can remove PFAS, but face significant limitations, including poor performance with short- and ultra-short-chain PFAS, high lifecycle costs, and large amounts of secondary waste containing PFAS that must be disposed of.
Enter BioLargo’s Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC)
BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies has developed the Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC), a next-generation PFAS treatment system that breaks new ground in efficiency, affordability, and sustainability. AEC uses a patented electrostatic separation process to capture and concentrate PFAS molecules from aqueous waste streams such as groundwater, surface water, RO concentrates, wastewater, and leachate. By exploiting the polarity of PFAS, this system draws contaminants across a selective membrane and immobilizes them while allowing non-target ions and neutral molecules to pass through. A secondary destruction step (usually completed off-site through a maintenance contract) destroys the PFAS and turns them into inert salts.
As a result, continuous flow systems remove more than 99% of PFAS and have energy costs as low as 30 cents per 1,000 gallons. Recent breakthroughs further reduce energy use by more than 90% compared to previous generations, allowing utilities to treat water at a fraction of the cost of reverse osmosis or carbon filtration, and with only a fraction of the waste.
Key benefits of AEC
Energy Efficiency: The latest AEC modules reduce your system’s energy usage by up to 90%, significantly lowering your monthly costs. Reduced lifecycle costs: Compared to carbon exchange and ion exchange, AEC reduces total lifecycle costs by up to 80%. Minimize waste generation: Generates 1/40000 times less waste than traditional GAC systems. Non-detection removal: Achieve less than 1 part per trillion PFAS removal. Modular design: Compact and scalable to meet the needs of different facilities.
Full spectrum PFAS removal
BioLargo’s AEC technology has proven effective across the entire spectrum of PFAS compounds, including long chains, short chains, and even ultra-short chain molecules such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). While traditional systems often struggle with short- and ultra-short-chain PFAS due to their high solubility and mobility, AEC consistently achieves >99% removal across all classes, delivering non-detectable results that meet the most stringent regulatory standards. Importantly, the first commercial AEC unit has already been deployed in Stockholm, New Jersey to treat the city’s drinking water, marking a milestone in turning laboratory success into real-world impact.
Regulatory and market context
BioLargo’s AEC is uniquely positioned to respond to the ever-changing regulatory landscape around the world. The combination of minimal waste, wide range, and non-detection removal performance makes it an attractive alternative to existing technologies.
Applications across various fields include:
Municipal drinking water. Industrial wastewater. Groundwater purification. Reuse. Municipal and industrial landfill leachate.
transformative impact
AEC is more than just a technological innovation; it is a revolutionary solution for the water industry. By combining breakthrough energy efficiency with unparalleled lifecycle cost savings, BioLargo has built a platform that enables utilities and industry to achieve compliance without sacrificing financial sustainability.
Randall Moore, president of BioLargo Engineering, summarized, “We are solving PFAS treatment under the most demanding field conditions. This breakthrough proves that scalable and energy-efficient PFAS removal is not only possible, but ready for large-scale deployment.”
BioLargo Equipment Solutions & “Our business model provides utilities with confidence to budget and predict costs, backed by guaranteed performance,” said Tonya Chandler, president of Technologies. “With our AEC system, facilities can We treat water at a fraction of traditional costs without sacrificing results, and the modular design means each system can be sized to the exact needs of your site, making it efficient, affordable, and flexible for future growth.”
conclusion
PFAS contamination is one of the defining environmental issues of our time. Traditional treatment technologies struggle to balance performance and affordability, burdening utilities and industry with high costs and complex waste streams. BioLargo’s AEC changes the equation.
By undetectably removing PFAS, delivering breakthrough energy efficiency, and reducing lifecycle costs by up to 80%, AEC provides a sustainable, scalable, and affordable path forward. As regulations tighten and public awareness increases, BioLargo’s AEC is poised to become the gold standard for PFAS treatment, providing clean water, regulatory compliance, and financial sustainability for both communities and industry.
This article will be published in an upcoming PFAS Special Focus Publication in January.
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