Due to air pollution, rainwater has quickly become unsafe for drinking. Additionally, some “forever chemicals” (chemicals that do not break down in the environment) continue to increase to unsafe levels worldwide.
In light of this situation, scientists are urgently seeking solutions. Recently, a method for treating forever chemicals has been discovered to eliminate these toxins.
Scientists are discovering new ways to treat forever chemicals. (Photo: Gorodenkoff / Adobe).
Commonly known scientifically as synthetic chemical groups including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, abbreviated as PFAS, forever chemicals are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in nearly everything humans manufacture.
As a result, it is almost impossible to avoid their infiltration into water sources, soil, air, and even blood. Although they do not actually exist forever, they are named as such because they are nearly indestructible and seemingly endless.
Numerous studies have shown clear links between these chemicals and various health issues, including high blood pressure and reproductive abnormalities. Therefore, scientists have recognized the need to find a way to treat and remove forever chemicals from water sources, leading to the emergence of a new technology that can accomplish this.
This treatment method was developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia in the United States. It works by using a silica-based material capable of absorbing up to 99% of the forever chemicals found in water. Afterward, the forever chemicals are separated from this material, allowing us to reuse it for subsequent applications. According to research, this method is highly effective.
The research team plans to conduct experiments in the coming months to determine the optimal filtering capability of this material. They hope that these experiments will take six months to complete. If successful, they will propose a permanent treatment method to keep these toxins under control.
It is hoped that, along with other treatment solutions, such as magnetic solutions for removing forever chemicals, we will soon be able to address this pressing issue. The research report on this invention has been published in the journal Chemosphere.
