Claros Technologies is taking its PFAS destruction technology into more practical remediation territory, with new study results from a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency site in Lake Elmo.
The Minneapolis-based company reported that its ClarosTechUV system destroyed at least 99.99% of targeted PFAS compounds, including PFOS and PFOA, in filtered concentrate during a four-hour commercial-scale test. Unlike controlled lab trials, the water matrix came from contaminated groundwater and surface water treatment, giving the results more relevance for utilities, regulators, industrial operators, and site managers evaluating real-world PFAS options.
The MPCA provided foam fractionation concentrate created during treatment of about one million gallons of contaminated groundwater and surface water. That concentrate contained elevated PFOS, PFOA, and other short- and ultra-short-chain PFAS compounds. It also presented a difficult treatment profile, including high turbidity and low UV transparency before filtration.
For PFAS remediation buyers, that distinction matters. Many treatment systems can capture or concentrate PFAS, but long-term liability often depends on what happens after those compounds are removed from water. Technologies that perform well in clean test water do not always carry over to complex field conditions.
Claros said the ClarosTechUV system maintained performance across small-, bench-, and commercial-scale testing. At commercial scale, the treated concentrate represented material derived from approximately 600,000 gallons of groundwater, giving the study a clearer connection to larger remediation projects.
Analytical testing by ClarosLabs used a modified EPA Method 1633 for targeted PFAS compounds and combustion ion chromatography to measure total organofluorine. The company reported an approximately 88% reduction in total organic fluorine after treatment, along with an increase in inorganic fluoride. That result suggests conversion of PFAS into mineralized end products rather than simple transfer to another waste stream.
Cost and energy use will be key factors for broader adoption. Claros reported energy consumption below 200 Wh/L for PFOS and PFOA destruction and an operating expense of about $0.015 per 1,000 gallons of untreated groundwater. Those figures suggest PFAS destruction may become more practical when paired with upstream capture and concentration systems, although site-specific economics will still determine feasibility.
For the broader PFAS treatment market, the Lake Elmo study adds momentum to a shift away from containment-only strategies. The next test for remediation teams will be consistency: whether similar results can be achieved across different PFAS chemistries, water matrices, regulatory requirements, and project budgets.
