PFAS and emerging pollutants in the urban water cycle: detection and removal, health and risk management

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging pollutants have become a significant issue in urban water management due to their persistence, toxicity, and potential health risks. These synthetic chemicals, widely used in industrial applications and consumer products, have been detected in drinking water, wastewater, and natural water bodies, raising concerns about their long-term impact on human health and ecosystems.

This workshop explores the detection, removal strategies, and risk management of PFAS and emerging pollutants in the urban water cycle. It analyzes their sources, pathways, and accumulation in water systems, as well as the effectiveness of advanced treatment technologies such as adsorption, oxidation, and membrane filtration. Additionally, the workshop examines regulatory frameworks and health and environmental risk assessments to guide mitigation strategies and ensure water safety. Addressing these contaminants is crucial for safeguarding public health and promoting sustainable practices in water resource and service management.

Session Chairs

Luca Lucentini, Ecomondo STC
Alessandro Bratti, Secretary General, Ecomondo STC and Po River District Basin Authority
Monica Manto, UTILITALIA

Program

Introduction by the Session Chairs

Keynote:
Horizon2020 PROMISCES - Preventing Recalcitrant Organic Mobile Industrial chemicals for Circular Economy in the Soil-sediment-water system: final results
Alessandro Frugis, Marco Lazzazzara - ACEA
Maria Grazia Asci, SIMAM Spa
Massimiliano Sgroi, Ali Hydar, Marche Polytechnic University

Speeches selected from Call for Papers

MP sampling according to the criteria introduced by the Delegated Decision (EU) 2024/1441 (March 11.2024). Development, implementation and validation of a programmable sampling system
Valentina Gioia, Alessandro Frugis, Simone Leoni, Mario Castellani - Acea Infrastructure; Stefano Battistini (OPUS Automazione)

PFAS pesticides monitoring in waters
E. Pace, G. Maschio, D. Esposito - Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)

Analytical issues in PFAS determination in water: experimental results obtained from UNICHIM PTPs organized in the period 2022 - 2025
Maurizio Bettinelli, Sandro Spezia, Claudio Bettinelli – UNICHIM

Determination of PFAS concentration in activated carbon
DESOTEC & VITO

PFAS in sewage sludge - thermal degradation: state of the art and experimental campaigns
Marco Alberio, Lucas Preatoni - TBF + Partner AG

Monitoring and fate of emerging contaminants in sewage sludge: evidence from three plants with different sludge lines
Cecchini Giancarlo, Frugis Alessandro, Valentina Gioia, Simone Leoni - Acea Infrastructure SpA; Spizzirri Massimo, Acea Ato2

Innovation and Safety: Gruppo CAP's plan for PFAS control
Gloria Salinetti, Water Director of Gruppo CAP

PFAS management in VIVERACQUA (TBC)
Massimo Cornaviera, Technical Director VIVERACQUA

Tackling PFAS at the source: results of Iride Acque's EMER process
Francesco Capoti, COO, Iride Acque

Eliminating PFAS and other organic micropollutants from sewage sludge in a climate and energy positive pyrolysis process
Christian Wieth, AquaGreen ApS, Denmark

Pilot Demonstration of SAFF for PFAS Removal at Marazzato Group under LR Piemonte 25/2021
Eleonora Longo, Alice Zenone - Azzurra s.r.l.; Jacopo Giustina, Marazzato Soluzioni Ambientali; Francesco Dondero, Davide Rotondo - Department of Science and Technological Innovation (DISIT), Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro" Alessandria; Chadi Saliba, Envytech Solution

Insights on the fate and removal of microplastics and microparticles in wastewater treatment plants
Benedetta Pagliaccia, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence; Miriam Ascolese, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence; Claudio Lubello, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence; Stefano Dugheri, Link Campus University; Simone Caffaz, Publiacqua SpA; Donatella Fibbi, GIDA SpA; Riccardo Gori, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence

HERO4PFAS project: eliminating per- and poly-fluoroalkylsubstances with photogenerated hydrated electrons in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems
Iván Sciscenko, Claudio Minero, Marco Minella, Department of chemistry, University of Turin

Emerging micropollutants: new horizons from the Lombardy context
Giovanni Bergna (1, 2), Luca Penserini (1,3), Gianni Tartari (1) - 1. Lombardy Energy Cleantech Cluster - LE2C; 2. LarianaDepur; 3. Politecnico di Milano, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DICA) – Environmental Section

Poster Session

P1 - PFAS: discharge limits into public sewers and surface water bodies established by art. 74 of Piedmont Region Law 25/2021. From the criticalities emerged in the application to the first strategies identified by CmTo in synergy with stakeholders
Raffaella Durante, Valentina Pia Ciuffreda, Elena Casalis Cavalchini - Department of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Metropolitan City of Turin

P2 - The importance of dynamic PTPs for evaluating the performance of laboratory evaluation tests using natural matrices – PFAS
Claudio Carrer1 , Claudio Carbone2, Loretta Gallocchio1, Maria Teresa Palermo1, Alessandro Battaglia1 and Ivano Battaglia1 - 1 Lab Service Analytica srl InterCinD B.U.; 2 Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA)

P3 - Towards responsible management of stormwater runoff with the OSMORIA® aquatextiles
Marzia Leonardi, Solmax France SAS

P4 - Use of Plasmapheresis and Plasma Exchange for PFAS elimination
Adriano Pistilli Waste Management Technical Manager - Freelance professional

P5 - Pharmacological treatments for PFAS elimination
Adriano Pistilli Waste Management Technical Manager - Freelance professional

P6 - Use of activated carbon for PFAS elimination
Adriano Pistilli Waste Management Technical Manager - Freelance professional

P7 - Thermal degradation of PFAS in concentrated leachate through flame treatment
N. Zanetti (a), M. Della Zassa (a), U. Rizzato (b), M. Zerlottin (b), D. Beltrame (b), C. Stimamiglio (b), P. Canu (a, c) a) K-INN Tech Srl, Padua b) Acque del Chiampo SpA, Arzignano (VI) c) Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padua

P8 - Themeral Reactivation: A Sustainable Solution for PFAS Removal from Water
Rachel Houssière

Discussion and conclusions by the Session Chairs