A new filtration system has the power to remove dangerous chemicals from polluted water.
This innovative technique can filter out PFAS, or "forever chemicals," much faster than standard carbon filters on the market today, according to a report by ScienceAlert. It was developed by a team of researchers from Rice University.
The filter is made from a layered double hydroxide material composed of copper and aluminum. In testing, the team found that the filter can effectively suck in molecules of the harmful chemicals, which can then be safely collected and disposed of.
"This LDH compound captured PFAS more than 1,000 times better than other materials," said Youngkun Chung, lead author of the study, per ScienceAlert. "It also worked incredibly fast, removing large amounts of PFAS within minutes, about 100 times faster than commercial carbon filters."
The researchers tested the filter on water contaminated with PFAS from rivers, taps, and various wastewater sources. They hope to scale up the technology and implement it in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.
PFAS are used to make thousands of everyday products, such as cookware, packaging, clothing, and cosmetics.
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These chemicals can take centuries to break down and can be found contaminating soil, drinking water, and even human bodies. They are dangerous to public health and have been linked to cancer, infertility, and other diseases.
There has been an increase in efforts in recent years to clean up and prevent PFAS pollution.
Some local governments have passed legislation that bans the use of certain chemicals in products. Developments like this new filtration system are also an important step forward in PFAS protection.
"We are excited by the potential of this one-of-a-kind LDH-based technology to transform how PFAS-contaminated water sources are treated in the near future," said Michael Wong, a co-author of the paper, per ScienceAlert.
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