Contact

PFAS Expertise

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become one of the most significant emerging contaminants in the environmental industry. While their rise has often been compared to the emergence of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the 1980s (Newell et al. 2020), PFAS present a unique set of technical and regulatory challenges:

  • Persistence: PFAS are highly resistant to degradation, with no known natural processes capable of completely mineralizing them.
  • Ultra-low regulatory limits: PFAS can be detected—and are increasingly regulated—at extremely low concentrations.
  • Environmental mobility: Many PFAS compounds are highly mobile in soil and groundwater, allowing them to migrate significant distances from their source.
  • Complex treatment: Technologies capable of detecting, removing, and destroying PFAS to current and anticipated regulatory standards are technically challenging and often costly.

Experience That Matters

Dr. Jason Hnatko has more than a decade of experience working with PFAS, beginning with his graduate research at Tufts University. His research examined the effects of PFAS on Dehalococcoides mccartyi, a key microorganism used in the bioremediation of chlorinated solvents. This work provided a strong foundation in PFAS chemistry, analytical methods, and environmental behavior.

As an environmental consultant, Dr. Hnatko served as a technical lead and subject matter expert on PFAS investigations and remediation projects. His experience includes:

  • Designing PFAS sampling programs
  • Evaluating analytical data
  • Developing PFAS-specific conceptual site models (CSMs)
  • Source identification and chemical fingerprinting
  • Reviewing historical operational records
  • Responding to regulatory inquiries
  • Evaluating remedial alternatives for commingled PFAS and chlorinated solvent plumes
  • Providing senior technical review of in situ and ex situ PFAS containment and treatment systems

Most recently, Dr. Hnatko led the engineering team at a technology startup commercializing Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF®) for PFAS removal from contaminated water. He directed bench-scale testing, pilot studies, and full-scale treatment system deployments for a wide range of applications, including:

  • Groundwater
  • Surface water
  • Landfill leachate
  • Industrial process water
  • Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) rinse water
  • Reverse osmosis concentrate (reject water)

This work expanded his expertise in PFAS treatment while providing firsthand experience with the challenges faced by industrial clients, municipalities, passive receivers, and other stakeholders managing PFAS impacts.

In addition to foam fractionation, Dr. Hnatko collaborated with technology developers to evaluate and deploy several PFAS destruction technologies for concentrated waste streams, including:

  • Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO)
  • Electrochemical Oxidation (EO)
  • Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT)
  • Ultraviolet-Sulfide Reduction (UV-Sulfide)
  • Plasma-Based Destruction

Technical Leadership

Dr. Hnatko has authored and contributed to publications on PFAS treatment technologies, with particular emphasis on the opportunities and limitations of PFAS biodegradation (DiGuiseppi et al. 2024; McDonough et al. 2023). He has also served as a technical resource on research investigating PFAS precursor biotransformation by fungi and bacteria.

He further contributed to the environmental community by authoring and leading the foam fractionation section of the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) guidance document Sorption-Based Technologies for Separation and Concentration of PFAS from Water and presented the relevant sections of the ITRC training.

How Vine Brook Environmental Can Help

Vine Brook Environmental applies this depth of technical knowledge and practical experience to help clients navigate the complexities of PFAS investigation and remediation. Our services include:

  • Sampling program design
  • Data evaluation and interpretation
  • Conceptual site model (CSM) development
  • Regulatory strategy, reporting, and agency responses
  • Remedial alternatives analysis
  • Cost estimating
  • Remedy selection
  • Remedy implementation
  • Project and program management

Whether your project involves site investigation, regulatory compliance, treatment system evaluation, or full-scale remediation, Vine Brook Environmental provides practical, science-based solutions tailored to your site’s specific challenges.