University of Minnesota Researchers Develop New Method to Remove PFAS From Water

(KNSI) — Cities are taking note as researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a new method of removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or forever chemicals, from water supplies.

Wells in Waite Park and Sauk Rapids have tested above acceptable levels for PFAS in recent years.

Professor Bill Arnold, from the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, says the method uses activated charcoal, similar to a home water filter, to absorb the toxic compounds. He describes the ultimate goal and a current challenge: “What we’d really like to do is destroy the chemicals in some way. And there are some things that work. The challenge with them is they tend to not work at the really low levels that are present in the environment.”

Some of the worst PFAS compounds are now considered toxic at just four parts per trillion. Arnold’s work could prove beneficial to central Minnesota, though it’s not ready for municipal water systems yet. He remarks that his peers are, like physicians, just trying to do no harm. “We’re trying our best to find a comprehensive solution here that is a combination of better treatment on the back end and better chemistry on the front end, so that we don’t cause new chemical problems.”

PFAS pose difficulties for researchers in that they are used in many applications and are a family of thousands of man-made compounds. They don’t show up individually, and properties can change depending on which chemical they are teamed up with. Arnold compares it to dealing with pesticides like Roundup, where there is a single ingredient that is the source of the toxicity.

Arnold’s team works with an environmental consulting firm that helps set up pilot tests that mimic real-world situations so the ideas can prove their effectiveness.

___