LOGAN, Utah — A team at Utah State University is working hard to tackle ‘forever chemicals’ that can pollute our groundwater and food. These chemicals, known as PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances), are surprisingly common.
Dr. Ryan Dupont, a professor in civil and environmental engineering, explains that you don’t have to be in a heavily industrial area to encounter these substances. They are found in everyday items like nonstick cookware and fast food containers, where they help keep grease from sticking.
Dupont’s team is focusing on the sludge that wastewater treatment plants turn into compost. This compost is then used to grow plants, which can be eaten by animals and humans. PFAS can also leak into groundwater, making them tough to avoid. Even small amounts of these chemicals can harm liver function and affect how our bodies respond to vaccines.
“Some of these compounds are suspected or known carcinogens,” Dupont said.
To combat this problem, researchers at USU are experimenting with biochar, a material similar to activated carbon. It aims to either break down PFAS or trap them, and early results are promising. Dupont notes that biochar appears to speed up the breakdown of these harmful substances in the compost.
However, analyzing the effectiveness of this method is challenging and costly. The researchers are dedicated to understanding its potential, as successful results could allow wastewater treatment plants to implement this solution at a low cost. But Dupont cautions that this approach won’t completely eliminate PFAS; that requires significant changes in our consumer habits.
“If we continue to use products containing these chemicals, they will remain in our environment, and we will keep being exposed,” he emphasized.
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