Grace Hewitt and Alex Pearson
53 minutes ago
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Researchers have found a new way to remove certain chemicals found in everyday products and primary water supplies.
The new solution addresses “forever chemicals” called polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short. These substances don’t break down easily and therefore remain in the environment forever.
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But now new technology could change that.
These PFAS chemicals are found everywhere, from nonstick cookware to food packaging and even some cosmetics.
“It’s water resistant and stain resistant, that’s what’s great about it,” said Linda Weavers, co-director of the Ohio Water Resources Center.
But it also has a downside and is becoming very dangerous, so researchers have found a new solution to get rid of it safely.
“The way ultrasound works is that if you have enough power and the right frequency, the pitch and volume of the sound is the power — you can create cavitation bubbles in the water,” Weavers says. “When the bubbles collapse, the gas inside gets compressed and heated.”
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Researchers are still exploring how to use ultrasound technology most efficiently.
“One of the problems with ultrasound is that it uses a lot of energy to break down compounds, so one of the key things we have to think about as engineers is what’s that energy and how do we make it work? What’s the best use for this technology?” Weavers said.
But change is happening: When chemicals stop entering the environment, we’ll see a slow decline over time.
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“These compounds have been taken off the market, and we’re already seeing a decline in blood levels and in the environment, so we can make improvements, but it’s just going to take time,” Weavers said.
To reduce everyday exposure, experts recommend using filtered water, avoiding non-stick cookware and using glass containers instead of paper or cardboard.
