Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose a persistent and growing challenge to the semiconductor industry, particularly in wastewater management. Traditional treatment technologies, such as activated carbon or ion exchange, struggle to address the complex and variable PFAS profiles found in process waters, especially when short-chain compounds like PFBA, PFPeA, and PFHxA are prevalent.
Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF®), a nature-inspired PFAS separation and concentration technology, offers a highly effective, media-free alternative tailored for high-efficiency PFAS removal. SAFF leverages the amphiphilic properties of PFAS to selectively extract them from water using only air, creating a hyper-concentrated waste stream suitable for closed-loop destruction.
SAFF’s modular, containerized design enables rapid deployment, and its energy-efficient, automated operation with remote telemetry supports continuous, low-touch monitoring which is crucial for facilities seeking operational resilience under tightening environmental regulations.
This presentation will highlight SAFF's performance at a fab site and comparative advantages over media-based approaches. SAFF’s success at the site illustrates a scalable, sustainable pathway for fabs to meet evolving PFAS discharge standards while significantly reducing waste volumes and long-term liability.
