Study to remove "eternal chemical" ability
PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) is also called perfluorinated alkyl and fluorine alkyl poly material.The most common is PFOA (acid) and PFOS (perfluorinated octane sulfonic acid).
Most people contained PFAS, because it is able to persist in the environment and "indefinite" accumulated in human body, so also known as the "eternal life chemicals", the earliest PFAS began in the 1930 s application in the food packaging, household cleaners, waterproof, non-stick cookware, and foam extinguishing agent, and other products and field.
POU products is an effective way to remove water pollutants, but it comes PFAS pollutants removal, they are different effect.According to duke university and the university of north Carolina, a new study shows that in terms of PFAS pollutant removal, the effect of the POU products are different.
The study tested 76 POU water purifiers and 13 POE products or whole house water purification system.Study concluded that all the groove filter reverse osmosis (RO) and two-stage filter (Two - stage filters) to be able to "almost entirely" PFAS pollutant removal.
The main research results
Published in the journal of environmental science and technology, a study claims of residential environment for the first time detection POU filter to remove PFAS (perfluorinated octane sulfonic acid) effect.
Researchers in central north Carolina Chatham, orange, durham and wake county, southeast and north Carolina new Hanover and Brunswick county water samples were tested.
Study tested a variety of PFAS (perfluorinated alkyl sulfonate) pollutants, including three PFSA (perfluorinated alkyl sulfonate), seven PFCA (perfluorinated alkyl carboxylic acids) and six kinds of PFEA (perfluorinated and multiple fluorine alkyl ether acid).
In this study, the reverse osmosis filter and two-stage filter will PFAS pollutant was reduced by 94%, and the activated carbon filter decreased 73%, the difference is very big.
Duke university shows that "in some cases, PFAS were completely removed;In other cases, no less."And brands, manufacturers, and the filter on the removal rate and no obvious trend, the researchers added.
North Carolina state university distinguished professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, Detlef Knappe, the s. James Ellen said, on PFAS coping, household water purifier is just a "quick fix", should control PFAS pollutants from the source.
PFAS: worrying thing
PFAS attracted attention recently, especially in the north American market.
Earlier this month, the guardian published a report entitled "the eternal life of chemicals", the report adds the public health crisis of drinking water.
According to the report, the United States has found about 700 PFAS octane sulfonic acid) (full fluorine pollution, it is estimated that there are more than 110 million people drinking contaminated water.
Orange county utilities such as water area are actively invested $1.4 million, the implementation of the so-called "the nation's largest PFAS to remove plan".
By 2015, due to health and environment issues, the United States is no longer make no use of PFOA and PFOS chemicals.In spite of this, but they can still be used to import products.
Over the years, landfill, sewage plants and military bases and PFAS manufacturing facilities is still the main source of PFAS into the environment.
Environmental justice: governance require expensive price
Although groove under the reverse osmosis technology is thought to be widespread in central north Carolina PFAS pollutant removal of "the most effective system", but this comes at a price that knapp added.
"Unfortunately, the groove reverse osmosis water purifier is much more expensive than other POU filter," he said."That added to worries about the people of environmental justice, because of the influence of pollution of PFAS families, poor family more."
Money for the research came from the policy cooperation laboratory in north Carolina, north Carolina PFAS detection network and Wallace genetic foundation.
