Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are artificial compounds that have been extensively employed since the 1940s. Numerous sectors have used these flexible compounds for repellent characteristics, ranging from textiles and furniture to food packaging and electronics. However, when a relationship between PFAS and harmful health consequences was discovered in the early 2000s, the manufacture of some PFAS was phased out in the United States. Despite these attempts, they have grown widely in the environment and water supplies due to ongoing usage in foreign production, imported items, and a strong chemical link that resists degradation.
Learn about PFAS Water Treatment, determine whether your water is affected, and how to cleanse your water supply of these dangerous pollutants.
What exactly is PFAS?
PFAS are a family of artificial compounds formed by carbon and fluorine, constituting one of nature’s most robust connections. As a result, PFAS do not degrade, are stable in water, and persist in the environment and the human body for a lengthy period, giving them the sad but appropriate moniker “forever chemicals.” According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), reducing PFAS levels in the human body by half might take up to four years.
PFAS were used as repellents for water, oil, grease, stains, and even fire in the 1940s. They’ve been employed in various goods and sectors, including nonstick cookware, water-resistant apparel, stain-resistant textiles, and fire-fighting foam. There are almost 5,000 distinct forms of PFAS, but the most prevalent and well-studied are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Although U.S. businesses ceased making PFOA and PFOS in the early 2000s, PFAS are still abundant in our environment owing to their extended half-lives and used elsewhere.
What are the health implications of PFAS?
PFAS’s health impacts vary, including reproductive, developmental, and immunological issues. Because PFAS can not quickly degrade and may build in the human body over time, the higher a person’s exposure, the greater the risk of harmful health impacts.
According to the EPA, PFAS exposure is linked to the following:
- Cholesterol levels have risen.
- Immune system suppression
- Thyroid hormone imbalance
- Damage to the liver and kidneys
- Cancer caused by low childbirth weight
How to Get PFAS Out of Water
Reverse osmosis-activated carbon filtration and ion exchange can all be used to remove PFAS from water.
Pressure is used to push unfiltered water through a semipermeable membrane in a reverse osmosis (RO) system. The membrane has tiny pores that allow clean water to pass through while blocking contaminants like PFAS. So, PFAS Water Treatment is the need of the hour, and reverse osmosis is one of the most comprehensive water treatment methods for removing impurities.
Bottom Line
If you are concerned about your health, you can take precautions to reduce your exposure to PFAS. Activated carbon filters and reverse osmosis membranes effectively remove PFAS from water supplies. To function correctly, all water treatment units require routine maintenance. Water treatment units that need to be maintained appropriately will gradually lose effectiveness.
Membrane Systems Australia specialises in assisting you regarding the PFAs water treatment.
