Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new water treatment that safely and efficiently removes “permanent chemicals” from drinking water.
“Think of the Brita filter. It’s 1,000 times better,” says Dr. Madjid Mohseni, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at UBC who developed the technology.
Perpetual chemicals, formally known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are a large group of substances that make certain products non-stick or stain-resistant. Over 4,700 of his PFASs are used, primarily in rain gear, non-stick cookware, stain repellants, and fire-fighting foam. Research has linked these chemicals to a wide range of health problems, including hormonal disruptions, cardiovascular disease, developmental delay, and cancer.
To remove PFAS from drinking water, Dr. Mohseni and his team have devised a unique sorbent material that can trap and retain all PFAS present in the water supply.
PFAS is then destroyed using specialized electrochemical and photochemical techniques. This technology was also developed at the Mohseni Lab and is described in part in a paper recently published in Chemosphere.
There are treatments currently on the market such as activated charcoal and ion exchange systems that are widely used in homes and industries, but they do not effectively scavenge all different PFASs and require longer treatment times. It does, explained Dr. Mohseni.
“Our adsorption media can also capture up to 99% of PFAS particles and recycle them for reuse. It means no solid waste with high volatility.”
He explained that although PFAS is no longer manufactured in Canada, it is incorporated into many consumer products and can leach into the environment. , washing PFAS-treated rain gear, or using certain foams to extinguish fires, the chemicals are washed into waterways. Alternatively, using cosmetics or sunscreens that contain PFAS can introduce chemicals into your body.
Most people are exposed through food and consumer goods, but they can also be exposed through drinking water, especially if they live in areas with contaminated water sources.
Dr Mohseni, whose research group is also focused on developing water solutions for rural, remote and indigenous communities, said: PFAS. They can also be used in the form of decentralized and domestic water treatment. ”
The UBC team is preparing to pilot the new technology in many locations across BC starting this month.
“The results from these field studies will allow us to further optimize the technology and prepare it as a product that can be used by municipalities, industries and individuals to remove PFAS in water,” said Dr. Mohseni. increase.
Original: New UBC Water Treatment Permanently Destroys ‘Forever Chemicals’
Than: University of British Columbia
