Materials containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) possess unique physical and chemical properties that enable a wide range of applications. At the same time, these distinctive characteristics also raise environmental concerns, due to the high persistence of PFAS (or their degradation products), which leads to their accumulation in the environment and the associated impact on human and environmental health.
The main objective of the UPeM project is to establish harmonised protocols for the sampling and analysis of PFAS in different inlet and outlet streams (liquids, gases and aerosols) from PEMFC and PEMWE systems, as well as to quantitatively validate the release of PFAS during the operation of fuel cells (FC) and water electrolysers (WE). It also aims to improve understanding of the root causes of such releases. This will enable the UPeM project to provide recommendations on proper use, mitigation strategies (including filtration and operational/control strategies), as well as on the type of membranes expected to result in the lowest PFAS release.
To achieve this main objective, four specific project objectives have been defined, accompanied by information on the current state of the art, existing challenges and the project’s approach, including scientific and technical objectives and expected outcomes for each project component:
- To establish harmonised protocols for the sampling and analysis of PFAS released by PEMFC and PEMWE systems, as well as for investigating the causes of their release.
- To understand the root causes of PFAS release.
- To validate PFAS measurement protocols under industrial conditions and in real-world use cases.
- To provide UPeM recommendations on PFAS release in (future) electrolysis and fuel cell systems (including LCA).
To achieve these objectives, the UPeM consortium comprises leading European experts in modelling, analysis and testing procedures related to PFAS (CU, UFZ, IMWS, CEA, FHA, KE, KIST), supported by three stack manufacturers (ITM, SYM, IE) and one of Europe’s leading service providers in electrolysis and fuel cell technologies (FEV), thereby connecting both ends of the value chain.
