J-WAFS at MIT’s Post

A quick and easy way to screen for PFAS in your water? The next step in the innovation curve pertaining to PFAS is nearly complete. Thanks to Eliot Cooper for posting this over in the Emerging Contaminants group. #cleanwater #forpeopleforplant

In exciting water innovation news: The resilient and revolutionary water flea shows promise in treating and removing “forever chemicals” from water. Researchers from the University of Birmingham have discovered some dormant populations of water fleas can survive amid polluted environments and remove contaminants, including PFOs, heavy meats, and arsenic from water. "The water flea's remarkable ability to remain dormant for centuries allows scientists to revive dormant populations that endured varying historical pollution pressures. Leveraging this trait, researchers sourced strains with diverse tolerances to chemical pollutants, incorporating them into the technology," notes Senior Author and Professor Luisa Orsini. Such a ground-breaking discovery could relieve water-stressed areas and provide a more cost-efficient means of treating water worldwide. This article discusses this crustacean's exciting and innovative application in water tech via The Cool Down here:

In Denmark, an underground reservoir near Korsør is the site of a groundbreaking experiment aimed at removing toxic PFAS chemicals from the environment. Known as "forever chemicals," PFAS have been used since the 1940s and pose significant health risks due to their persistence and mobility. The SCENARIOS project, led by Professor Francesco Dondero, PhD, is testing a novel technology called Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF) to remove these contaminants effectively. Initial results are promising, with the system achieving over 99% contamination removal in some cases. This research marks a significant step toward addressing global PFAS pollution and supports the EU's Zero Pollution Action Plan. Collaboration and innovation are key to developing sustainable solutions for these environmental challenges. https://lnkd.in/evuPaciB #Chemistry #IP #Patents #VC #PFAS #DeepTech #Environment

Sunflower seed husks were transformed into Fe-Cu-biochar-MOFs, a novel catalyst synthesized through pyrolysis. This material efficiently degrades pollutants like sulfadiazine, achieving 95.9% removal in 60 minutes by activating peroxydisulfate, making it a promising solution for sustainable water treatment and environmental remediation. https://lnkd.in/g78qN5Ti

The article reports that a Swiss start-up company, Oxyle, has developed a promising technology to address the challenge of removing per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from the environment more effectively and economically. PFAS have contaminated water sources around the world. Existing remediation methods, such as adsorption and incineration, are limited because they either simply transfer the contamination or are energy-intensive and potentially ineffective. Oxyle's approach uses nanoparticles to oxidize and break down PFAS into harmless components. Oxyle has demonstrated the effectiveness and cost savings of its technology in a pilot project with Swiss chemical company CIMO, achieving significant PFAS removal with much lower energy consumption. https://lnkd.in/dbTqts2k

🌍💧 Solutions for PFAS Challenges: Enhanced Phytoremediation 🌱🌿 Researchers have developed a novel approach to enhance phytoremediation, a sustainable method for cleaning up PFAS-contaminated environments using plants. By combining specific plant species with soil amendments, this innovative technique significantly boosts the removal of these harmful substances from polluted sites. This advancement not only improves environmental health but also paves the way for more cost-effective and eco-friendly remediation strategies. It's inspiring to see such creative solutions addressing critical environmental issues. https://lnkd.in/gKPS5pim

Microorganism-mediated biodegradation for effective management and/or removal of micro-plastics from the environment: A comprehensive review

June 14th(Friday): Thoughts on Regulations for Emissions of Pollutants PFAS Causing Health Damage About a year ago, on July 22, I discussed in my blog the health damage caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the regulatory efforts in the EU (European Union) targeting all PFAS. The EU is expected to adopt regulations covering all PFAS by 2025. At that time, in Japan, not many people were even aware of what "PFAS" were, and it seemed more like someone else’s problem. However, since then, high concentrations of PFAS far exceeding the standard values have been detected in tap water and well water across Japan, making it a serious issue. Rivers, lakes, and groundwater may be contaminated, meaning that not only well water but also water from purification plants could be contaminated. A symbolic case is the test results revealed in 2023, showing that the average concentration of PFAS in the blood of residents who underwent blood tests in Kibichuo Town, Okayama Prefecture, was more than nine times the value considered to increase health risks. NHK has published a nationwide map based on investigations of detection status for the fiscal year 2021. The interim target value set by the Japanese government is 50 nanograms per liter, but 1,200 nanograms per liter, which is 24 times the target value, was detected at the Enjo Water Purification Plant in Kibichuo Town, Okayama Prefecture. Why is the problem serious? PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they are hardly broken down in the natural environment. It is said that it takes 3 to 4 years for PFAS taken into the bloodstream to halve, and the troublesome aspect is that it is an accumulative pollution known as residual pollution. The sources of PFAS contamination in Japan have not been definitively identified, but some reports suspect waste disposal sites and U.S. military bases in Japan as possible sources. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been used in fire-fighting foam, precision equipment manufacturing, pan coatings, water-repellent sprays, and more. Research papers have reported potential health impacts of certain PFAS substances, including carcinogenicity, effects on child development (such as miscarriages), and the potential to disrupt hormone functions, thereby lowering immune function. Regulations for PFAS, which are accumulative pollutants, will be too late if implemented only after sufficient supporting data is collected. Prompt comprehensive testing and regulations are crucial.

Waste is a global issue that starts locally. Currently, 1.3 billion tonnes of waste is being disposed of in landfills each year — expected to soar to 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025, if urgent action isn’t taken. Put simply, current disposal practices cannot continue. Ineffective waste management can contribute to flooding, air pollution, spreading of diseases, and wasting of precious resources only available on earth. So, what’s the solution? Learn more about the biotechnology driving sustainability progress: https://bit.ly/446zlFE #Biotechnology #Landfill #LandfillGas #WasteDisposal #NetZero

Discover the intricate process of eutrophication and its impact on aquatic environments. Free release of phosphates and nitrates from sewage and industrial waste effluents led to the growth of blue-green algae, leading to organic pollution and ecosystem imbalance. Explore innovative chemical (For water quality improvement in the aquatic environment, heavy metal ions, organic contaminants, and radionuclides have been removed by polymeric membranes, microporous solids, and hybrid chemoenzymatic materials. For phosphate removal, calcium compounds such as calcium hydroxide (lime), calcium carbonate, and calcium silicate have been used. However, these calcium compounds have low solubility to fresh water; therefore, these compounds are not suitable for effective removal of phosphate ion which dissolved in fresh water) and biological remediation techniques (autotrophic nitrifying bacteria, and denitrifying bacteria) . Follow the following YouTube video for a detailed explanation of these techniques. https://lnkd.in/gDK7cWGT