Sounding Out Forever Chemicals: Ultrasonic Destruction of PFAS
PhD defence, Wednesday 19th August 2026, Zirui Luo
During his PhD studies, Zirui Luo researched the degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in contaminated water. PFAS are a group of highly persistent chemicals that are difficult to break down because of their extremely stable carbon–fluorine bonds. Zirui Luo studied how ultrasound-based treatment can be used to destroy PFAS and promote defluorination under different water conditions, including waters containing surfactants, electrochemical systems, and saline solutions.
The new research findings contribute to the understanding of how PFAS can be degraded through sonochemical processes and how water chemistry affects their destruction. The results provide new strategies for improving PFAS treatment efficiency, reducing secondary pollution, and developing more effective technologies for treating complex PFAS-contaminated wastewaters.
The PhD study was completed at Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.
This summary was prepared by the PhD student.
Time: Wednesday, 19th August 2026 at 13:00.
Place: Building 1171, room 120, Lecture Theatre 20, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 3, 8200, Aarhus
Title of PhD thesis: Enhancing Ultrasonic Degradation and Defluorination of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water
Contact information: Zirui Luo, e-mail: luozirui@bce.au.dk, tel.: +45 50262753
Members of the assessment committee:
Dr. Anett Georgi, Department Technical Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Germany
Professor Zhanyun Wang, Department of Green Technology, University of SouthernDenmark, Denmark
Associate Professor Menglin Chen (chair), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Associate Professor Zongsu Wei, Department and Biological Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Thomas William Seviour, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English
The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.