MSGID: 1:317/3 641bd5eb   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    New water treatment zaps 'forever chemicals' for good    
      
     Date:   
         March 22, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of British Columbia   
     Summary:   
         Engineers have developed a new water treatment that removes 'forever   
         chemicals' from drinking water safely, efficiently -- and for good.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new   
   water treatment that removes "forever chemicals" from drinking water   
   safely, efficiently -- and for good.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Forever chemicals, formally known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl   
   substances) are a large group of substances that make certain products   
   non-stick or stain- resistant. There are more than 4,700 PFAS in use,   
   mostly in raingear, non-stick cookware, stain repellents and firefighting   
   foam. Research links these chemicals to a wide range of health problems   
   including hormonal disruption, cardiovascular disease, developmental   
   delays and cancer.   
      
   To remove PFAS from drinking water, Dr. Mohseni and his team devised a   
   unique adsorbing material that is capable of trapping and holding all   
   the PFAS present in the water supply.   
      
   The PFAS are then destroyed using special electrochemical and   
   photochemical techniques, also developed at the Mohseni lab and described   
   in part in a new paper published recently in Chemosphere.   
      
   While there are treatments currently on the market, like activated carbon   
   and ion-exchange systems which are widely used in homes and industry,   
   they do not effectively capture all the different PFAS, or they require   
   longer treatment time, Dr. Mohseni explained.   
      
   "Our adsorbing media captures up to 99 per cent 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."   
   He explained that while PFAS are no longer manufactured in Canada, they   
   are still incorporated in many consumer products and can then leach into   
   the environment. For example, when we apply stain-resistant or repellent   
   sprays/ materials, wash PFAS-treated raingear, or use certain foams to   
   put down fires, the chemicals end up in our waterways. Or when we use   
   PFAS-containing cosmetics and sunscreens, the chemicals could find their   
   way into the body.   
      
   For most people, exposure is through food and consumer products, but   
   they can also be exposed from drinking water -- particularly if they   
   live in areas with contaminated water sources.   
      
   Dr. Mohseni, whose research group also focuses on developing water   
   solutions for rural, remote and Indigenous communities, noted:   
   "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."  The UBC   
   team is preparing to pilot the new technology at a number of locations   
   in B.C. starting this month.   
      
   "The results we obtain from these real-world field studies will allow us   
   to further optimize the technology and have it ready as products that   
   municipalities, industry and individuals can use to eliminate PFAS in   
   their water," said Dr. Mohseni.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Matter_&_Energy   
                   # Nature_of_Water # Nuclear_Energy #   
                   Engineering_and_Construction # Civil_Engineering   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Water # Drought_Research # Environmental_Issues #   
                   Sustainability   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Sewage_treatment o Water_scarcity o Environmental_engineering   
             o Water_turbine o Brackish_water o Water_resources o Cloud   
             o Sewer   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_British_Columbia. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Fatemeh Asadi Zeidabadi, Ehsan Banayan Esfahani, Sean T. McBeath,   
         Kristian L. Dubrawski, Madjid Mohseni. Electrochemical degradation   
         of PFOA and its common alternatives: Assessment of key parameters,   
         roles of active species, and transformation pathway. Chemosphere,   
         2023; 315: 137743 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137743   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230322140403.htm   
      
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