PFAS in the air: development of model aerosols to study their atmospheric fate

IFP Energies nouvelles - Lyon

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IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) est un acteur majeur de la recherche et de la formation dans les domaines de l’énergie, du transport et de l’environnement. De la recherche à l’industrie, l’innovation technologique est au cœur de son action, articulée autour de quatre priorités stratégiques : CLIMAT, ENVIRONNEMENT ET ÉCONOMIE CIRCULAIRE, ÉNERGIES RENOUVELABLES, MOBILITÉ DURABLE et HYDROCARBURES RESPONSABLES.

L’engagement d’IFPEN en faveur d’un mix énergétique durable se traduit par des actions visant :

• à gagner en efficacité énergétique ;
• à réduire les émissions de CO2 et de polluants ;
• à améliorer l’empreinte environnementale de l’industrie et des transports ;

tout en répondant à la demande mondiale en mobilité, en énergie et en produits pour la chimie.

Dans cet objectif, IFPEN développe des solutions permettant, d’une part, d’utiliser des sources d’énergie alternatives et, d’autre part, d’améliorer les technologies existantes liées à l’exploitation des énergies fossiles.

PFAS in the air: development of model aerosols to study their atmospheric fate

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of emerging contaminants characterized by very high persistence in the environment. While their presence in water and soil is now well documented, their occurrence in the atmosphere remains poorly understood.

In air, PFAS can be present in both the gaseous phase and attached to particles. This gas–particle partitioning controls their atmospheric transport, environmental deposition and human inhalation exposure. It depends in particular on the physicochemical properties of different PFAS families, the characteristics of atmospheric particles and environmental conditions.

Despite the potentially harmful impacts of airborne PFAS, relatively few studies have focused on them to date. An experimental approach providing well-characterized model aerosols will make it possible to study PFAS behavior in air. Developing such tools is a prerequisite for future work on their atmospheric transport and fate.

Internship objectives

The internship will combine a literature review and laboratory experiment.

1. State-of-the-art literature review

The candidate will produce a synthesis of current knowledge on:

• Main atmospheric emission sources of PFAS,
• PFAS families found in air and their gas/particle partitioning,
• Mechanisms affecting their transport and atmospheric fate,
• Methods for sampling, generating and characterizing them in air.

2. Development of PFAS model aerosols

Using the experimental facilities available at IFPEN, the intern will contribute to:

• Selecting 1 to 3 principal PFAS families representative of different expected gas/particle partitioning,
• Proposing a protocol for generating model aerosols of these PFAS families,
• Characterizing the produced aerosols using available techniques (particle size distribution, particle concentration, …),
• Studying the influence of PFAS chemical nature on certain characteristics of the generated aerosols.

Candidate profile

Master’s student (M2) specializing in environmental chemistry, pollution, atmospheric sciences, physico‑chemistry or a related field.

Desired qualities

• Interest in environmental issues, air quality and emerging pollutants,
• Enjoyment of laboratory experimentation,
• Scientific rigor, autonomy and analytical mindset,
• Ease reading scientific articles in English.

Keywords: PFAS, aerosols, air quality, atmospheric pollution, environmental metrology, particle physico‑chemistry

Duration & period: 6 months between February/March and July/August 2027
Location: IFPEN Lyon (Solaize)

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