PFAS are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals“. These perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances arechemical compounds, to which we are exposed through our food, various consumer products and drinking water.
PFAS can represent a threat to health, being responsible for various types of cancer and thyroid disease.
The Canadian research team has developed a unique absorbent material capable of capturing PFAS present in drinking water. These are then destroyed using special electrochemical and photochemical techniques.
“Think Brita filter, but a thousand times better,” says UBC chemical and biological engineering professor Dr. Madjid Mohseni, who developed the technology.
Other filters already exist, such as activated carbon water filters and ion exchange systems, and are used in professional and domestic environments. But they have never been able to filter out these chemical pollutants as effectively or require a longer filtration time.
“Our adsorbing media captures up to 99% of PFAS particles and can also be regenerated and potentially reused. This means that when we scrub off the PFAS from these materials, we do not end up with more highly toxic solid waste that will be another major environmental challenge,” explains Dr. Mohseni in a news release.
Although banned in Canada, PFAS can still leach into the environment, including waterways, through consumer products. By creating this material, the team hopes to provide effective water supply solutions, especially for rural, remote and indigenous communities.
“Our adsorbing media are particularly beneficial for people living in smaller communities who lack resources to implement the most advanced and expensive solutions that could capture PFAS. These can also be used in the form of decentralized and in-home water treatments,” adds Dr Mohseni.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the project, the team plans to conduct early trials in British Columbia.
“The results we obtain from these real-world field studies will allow us to further optimise the technology and have it ready as products that municipalities, industry and individuals can use to eliminate PFAS in their water,” the scientist concludes.