E-ffiliates welcomes separation technologies pioneer Komline to advance PFAS treatment and environmental solutions
Komline, a leader in developing advanced separation technologies, has joined Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership (E-ffiliates), strengthening the Andlinger Center’s expertise at the nexus of water, energy, and the environment.
Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Peapack, New Jersey — just a short distance from Princeton University — Komline has built a global reputation for separation solutions, pioneering technologies in areas including water and wastewater treatment, stormwater management, agriculture, environmental and renewables, and industrial manufacturing. The Komline Group operates eight manufacturing locations across the United States, including two facilities in New Jersey.
The proximity of Komline’s facilities to Princeton University offers special engagement opportunities for students and researchers. The company’s testing facility and operations can serve as a field trip destination for students across engineering disciplines to explore real-world applications of their studies. Additionally, Komline is interested in exploring internship opportunities for students to gain valuable industry experience while benefiting from their fresh perspectives and academic knowledge.
As an E-ffiliates member, Komline plans to work with Princeton faculty members, including PFAS expert Peter Jaffé, the William L. Knapp ’47 Professor of Civil Engineering, and environmental separations researcher Ryan Kingsbury, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, to develop innovative solutions for managing environmental pollutants and increasing the efficacy of industrial separation processes.
One key area of interest for Komline is developing ways to remove PFAS from biosolids — the solid organic matter recovered from the wastewater treatment process — without destroying their value for agricultural applications, which is the case with most existing technologies.
Representatives from Komline attended a PFAS summit hosted by the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment earlier in the year, which was dedicated to solutions for combating PFAS pollution in biosolids. The summit, organized by Jaffé alongside former Gerhard R. Andlinger Visiting Fellow and current non-resident fellow Angela Fasnacht, emphasized the need for multi-faceted solutions and the importance of partnerships between industry and academia to tackle the PFAS challenge effectively.
“PFAS contamination is a pressing environmental challenge that requires innovative solutions,” said Danai Brooks, CEO of Komline. “By partnering with Princeton’s world-class researchers like Professors Jaffé, Kingsbury, and their teams, we aim to accelerate the development of effective technologies to address this critical issue in water and biosolids treatment. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our commitment to engineering excellence and environmental stewardship.”
Beyond PFAS, possible areas of collaboration include research into technologies for ensuring water quality standards in municipal and industrial process water treatment, as well as research that could inform better stormwater management and treatment systems.
Chris Greig, associate director for external partnerships and the Theodora D. ’78 & William H. Walton III ’74 Senior Research Scientist at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, said the partnership with Komline will unlock new opportunities at Princeton for conducting applied research on the wide range of technologies dependent upon separation processes, particularly those related to environmental remediation and pollution mitigation.
“Separation processes are the backbone of a whole host of energy and environmental technologies, from water treatment systems to biofuels production,” said Greig. “The Andlinger Center is thrilled to work with Komline to explore research solutions across a very diverse realm of energy and environmental challenges.”