Project to catalyse removal of ‘forever chemicals’ from water supply
Engineers are building a system that selectively removes and destroys poly- and perfluorinated substances – PFAS, often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ - from industrial and municipal wastewaters.
The team at the University of Illinois Chicago has received funding from the US Department of Energy’s National Alliance for Water Innovation to develop their solution over three years.
Due to widespread use in industrial settings, fertilizers and commercial products that end up in landfills, PFAS seep into groundwater and drinking water supplies but do not break down in the body and are linked to a range of health conditions in humans and animals. Evidence shows that at low levels the compounds can lead to high cholesterol and cancer and have effects on the reproductive and immune system and thyroid.
The UIC team, led by Brian Chaplin, professor of chemical engineering, will develop a prototype of their system and deploy it for scale-up and pilot testing in California’s Orange County Water District. In the county, frequent droughts mean that the utility is investing in new technology to increase the county’s problematic drinking water supply through water recycling and aquifer recharge.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Comment: The UK is closer to deindustrialisation than reindustrialisation
"..have been years in the making" and are embedded in the actors - thus making it difficult for UK industry to move on and develop and apply...