Rinsing PFAS from soil with biodegradable soap
Prize for best master's thesis in the field of geohydrology
Sophie Hibben will receive the Pieter Stuyfzand Thesis Prize for the best master's thesis of 2024 on a topic related to groundwater. The prize, an initiative of the Dutch chapter of the International Association for Hydrologists (IAH), will be awarded on 22 May during a mini-symposium in Utrecht. With her research, a solution to the PFAS problem has come another step closer. PFAS is a collective term for man-made substances that are very difficult to break down. They pose a health risk to animals, people and the environment.
For her thesis, Sophie Hibben conducted research in the PFAS Living lab at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视. She was nominated by her supervisor Alraune Zech (Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视). "PFAS is everywhere we take air, soil and water samples. Sophie's research brings us closer to a possible remediation solution," says a proud thesis supervisor. Johan van Leeuwen, fellow thesis supervisor and coordinator of the PFAS Living Lab, expresses the hope that Hibben's research results can soon be tested at contaminated locations. "Then we can learn how to scale up this potential new technique." With her research, Hibben therefore makes an important contribution to geohydrology (also known as groundwater hydrology and hydrogeology), the academic field that studies the flow of water in the subsurface.
Water issues
The winning thesis is entitled "Biosurfactant-induced PFAS leaching from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) impacted Dutch soil" and deals with the behaviour of PFAS in soil and groundwater. Hibben conducted literature research, experiments and a simulation of PFAS transport to interpret the experimental results. "The thesis is extremely well designed and written, and all the results and methods are presented in a very clear and precise way," said the jury of the award. With the thesis, geohydrologist Hibben completed her MSc course Earth Surface and Water. She graduated cum laude and currently works at Acacia Water, a Dutch consultancy firm that develops sustainable solutions for water issues worldwide.
Sophie's research brings us closer to a possible remediation solution
Mini-symposium
As every year, the prize winner will present his or her work at a mini-symposium on the thesis topic. This year's topic is PFAS and groundwater. The other two presentations on this topic will be given by two other hydrogeologists at the beginning of their careers. The symposium is open to anyone interested in hydrogeology and related fields. For more information about the symposium, see
PFAS Living Lab
In this living lab, master's students and researchers from the faculties of Science and Geosciences, together with the Campus & Facilities department, are investigating the possibilities for sustainable soil remediation.
Groundwater sources
The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) is committed to promoting the knowledge, responsible use and protection of groundwater resources worldwide. The board of the Dutch department of the IAH has created the thesis prize in honour of the retirement of Prof. Pieter S. Stuyfzand in 2019 for his contribution to the development of geohydrology in the Netherlands and worldwide and his commitment to the importance of geohydrological fieldwork and university education.
