<
https://www.sciencealert.com/new-method-can-break-down-95-of-toxic-forever-chemicals-in-water-in-just-45-minutes>
"Scientists have discovered a new way to break apart 'forever chemicals', the
notoriously stubborn pollutants that contaminate our waterways and threaten
public health, contributing to a growing list of potential methods of dealing
with the long-lived compounds.
News of a simple, low-energy way to degrade some, but not all, forever
chemicals came in August from researchers at Northwestern University who
described how these tightly bonded, long-chain synthetic chemicals – once
thought impossible to degrade without a great deal of energy – 'fell apart'
under unexpectedly mild conditions.
Now, a team of scientists at University of California (UC) Riverside have
reported an alternative method for supercharging the destruction of PFAS
chemicals in water.
It uses UV light and hydrogen gas to break down these harmful substances found
in drinking supplies.
Long-lasting PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) were widely used for
decades as non-stick and waterproofing agents, where they've found their way
into everything from fire-fighting foam to cosmetics. Later nicknamed 'forever
chemicals' for the way they persist in the environment, they've been found in
concerningly high levels in drinking water around the world and linked to
health problems, such as liver cancer.
If this sort of research progress continues, they might finally be coming
unstuck."
Via Rixty Dixet.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
