Advancing PFAS and TFA removal from surface water in Lake Neuchâtel with HF
2026-05-08
Advancing PFAS and TFA removal from surface water in Lake Neuchâtel with HFNF technology
NX Filtration participates in a Swiss initiative focused on improving drinking water quality from surface water sources such as Lake Neuchâtel. The project evaluates effective removal of PFAS, TFA and other micropollutants using a combination of hollow fiber nanofiltration (HFNF) and adsorption technologies.
In this approach, HFNF acts as a selective low pressure barrier, removing a broad range of organic micropollutants including PFAS, pesticides and pharmaceutical residues, while also reducing natural organic matter. This enables stable high quality water production with high recovery, low energy consumption and minimal chemical use.
When combined with granular activated carbon (GAC) or ion exchange resins as polishing steps, the treatment concept aims to further enhance removal performance while significantly reducing media consumption and operational complexity.
“This project demonstrates the strong business case for using HFNF as a pre-treatment to GAC and/or ion exchange resins for the removal of PFAS, TFA, and a broad range of micropollutants under real surface water conditions,” said Remi Duvillard, Sales Manager at NX Filtration.
“Directly fed with lake water, the HFNF showed excellent performance in removing organic matter, already delivering a clear positive impact on the downstream operation of resins and GAC.”
“Ensuring reliable removal of persistent compounds such as PFAS and TFA is becoming a key requirement for drinking water utilities,” added a representative of RWB Groupe. “By combining membrane filtration with adsorption technologies, this project evaluates how different treatment steps can complement each other to achieve high removal efficiency while maintaining operational and environmental sustainability.”
The project is coordinated by RWB Groupe, with contributions from SAGENORD, ACRG, the City of Lausanne and Eawag. Initial results are expected by the end of 2026.
