Dr. Tanju Karanfil, a faculty member in Environmental Engineering and Vice President for research at ABD Clemson University in the USA, visited SUEN on July 28, 2023. He provided information about recent developments in the water and wastewater sector as well as studies related to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the United States.
He interpreted the current status and projections related to long-term water supply, infrastructure, adaptation to changing natural and weather events, regulations, current issues faced in water treatment plants (e.g. resource management and cyber security), and potential future risks.
Dr. Karanfil elaborated on a pollutant class highlighted in the reports, PFAS, and underlined their significance. He provided detailed information about these substances, emphasizing that they are found in various points of human life due to their presence in many industrial processes, from non-stick materials to firefighting foams. He also noted that these substances, with over 4000 artificially produced combinations, have also been detected in human blood. Moreover, he highlighted the nearly impossible nature of breaking down the carbon-fluorine (C-F) covalent bonds that constitute these compounds, and thus being coined as "forever chemicals."
It was highlighted that, upon realizing their adverse impacts on human health, studies investigating their presence in nature have intensified since the early 2000s. It was further marked that research is focusing on potential alternatives to these chemicals. For instance, it was mentioned that producing two PFAS compounds with widespread use and long chain (PFOA and PFOS) has been prohibited in Europe and in some other countries.
Regarding the projected PFAS limits in municipal tap water, published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2022, it was noted that they are currently in the evaluation phase. It was also noted that the removal of PFAS is technologically possible, but the processes involved (e.g. activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange) are costly.
