Claros Demonstrates ≥99.99% PFAS Destruction in Groundwater from MPCA Lake Elmo Site
ClarosTechUV™ delivers commercial-scale performance in complex remediation conditions using PFAS concentrate from Lake Elmo Minnesota site
MINNEAPOLIS, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Claros Technologies, Inc. (Claros), a leader in PFAS destruction technology, today announced results from a new study demonstrating ≥99.99% destruction of targeted species (PFOS and PFOA) using its ClarosTechUV™ system in groundwater samples from a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) remediation site in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
The MPCA provided Claros with foam fractionation concentrate derived from the treatment of approximately one million gallons of contaminated groundwater and surface water, resulting in a highly concentrated PFAS matrix with elevated levels of PFOS, PFOA, and other short- and ultra-short-chain compounds.
The study evaluated ClarosTechUV™ as part of an integrated treatment system applied to this low-transparency water matrix characterized by significant turbidity and near-zero UV transmittance in its raw form—conditions representative of real-world remediation environments rather than controlled laboratory settings.
At commercial scale, ClarosTechUV™ achieved ≥99.99% destruction on filtered concentrate in just four hours, maintaining performance across small-, bench-, and commercial-scale systems. The volume of concentrate treated in the commercial-scale system was derived from approximately 600,000 gallons of groundwater, underscoring the system's relevance to large-scale remediation efforts.
The white paper and full technical summary is available here.
Validating Performance Under Real-World Conditions
Building on prior deployments across industrial sites, including a 170,000-gallon (~640,000 liters) commercial optimization run with Daikin America, one of the largest in-field PFAS destruction tests conducted to date—this study focused on subsystem-level performance where ClarosTechUV™ can be paired with capture-concentration technologies for on-site destruction. With this study, ClarosTechUV™ brings the total volume of PFAS-impacted water treated to more than 1,000,000 gallons (approximately 3.8 million liters) across laboratory, pilot, and commercial deployments.
"What this pilot makes clear is that ClarosTechUV™ is built for the realities of the field," said Michelle Bellanca, CEO of Claros Technologies. "Whether the water is clean or highly complex, low-transparency, or heavily loaded with PFAS, our system adapts and delivers consistent, high-level destruction performance. That kind of reliability—across conditions—is what ultimately makes large-scale, permanent PFAS destruction achievable," added Bellanca. "It also opens up an entirely new category for Claros in treating contaminated groundwater and remediation sites at scale."
Analytical Validation Confirms Mineralization
Samples were analyzed by ClarosLabs™ using a modified EPA 1633 method for targeted compounds, including PFOS and PFOA. Total organofluorine results were obtained using combustion ion chromatography (CIC).
Results showed approximately 88% reduction in total organic fluorine following treatment, with a corresponding increase in inorganic fluoride, confirming conversion of PFAS into mineralized end products.
"This pilot shows that ClarosTechUV™ maintains performance as it scales and integrates with upstream processes," said John Brockgreitens, Co-Founder and VP of Product Development at Claros Technologies. "That's what turns this from a lab solution into something that can be deployed at scale," he added. "Even highly complex water matrices can be treated effectively with this system."
Scalable, Cost-Effective PFAS Destruction
The MPCA Lake Elmo site pilot results also demonstrate strong energy and cost performance, achieving ≥99.99% PFOS and PFOA destruction at commercial scale in four hours with energy consumption below 200 Wh/L and an operating expense of approximately $0.015 per 1,000 gallons ($0.004 per cubic meter) of untreated groundwater.
"When you get to this level of cost efficiency, it changes the equation entirely," said Lucas Harvey, Global Head of Sales at Claros Technologies. "There's now a strong incentive for remediation authorities and others to move toward solutions that actually destroy PFAS, rather than simply managing it."
About Claros Technologies
Founded in 2018 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Claros Technologies is a global leader in PFAS mitigation, with two core divisions. The ClarosTech™ division focuses exclusively on the permanent destruction of PFAS, offering affordable, high-flow, scalable, and field-ready systems that eliminate long, short, and ultra-short chain compounds with 99.99% efficiency. ClarosLabs™, the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited analytical division, is a leading commercial laboratory dedicated to PFAS detection, quantification, and exposure assessment. Claros is on a mission to eliminate PFAS from the environment. Claros Technologies destroys PFAS—for good.
For more information, visit www.clarostech.com.
Media Contact
Kari Finkler
Claros Technologies
[email protected]
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