Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkylsubstances (PFAS)are notoriously difficult to scrub from the environment.
These so-called forever chemicals can take thousands of years to degrade naturally.
They leach into the environment during the production processes and seep through landfills.
Verywell Health / Mira Norian
PFAS is everywhereit contaminates drinking water, soil, and the air.
Yes, you could destroy [PFAS].
Their approach, of course, has the beauty of being much simpler, Lohmann said.
Verywell Health / Mira Norian
How Would the New Approach Break Down PFAS?
Once these chemicals are filtered out, treatment sites are left with a potion of waste concentrated with PFAS.
If the toxic chemicals are just tossed in a landfill, they will just leach back into the environment.
This is where her teams approach comes in.
A simple chemical solvent could be added to these waste products so they could be disposed of safely.
In this case, DMSO would never actually touch the drinking water that is being decontaminated.
He emphasized that degrading carboxylates alone wont solve the PFAS problem.
The approach may not be implemented right away.
Researchers will need to run more tests in the laboratory and in the field.
Then, its a matter of making it on the market.
Its a very good and strong study, Lohmann said.
Its a good step, but is this now the solution to our PFAS problems?
I dont think so.
Im not trying to say that the approaches that exist right now are really good.
Its just that water providers rely on them, Lohmann said.
For them to switch, they really have to be convinced that the alternative is better and cheaper.
And even then, itll likely be used in large-scale operations, such as water treatment plants.
2019;248:101-113. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.02.018
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
