perfluorinated substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals’ They are pollutants that are ubiquitous, highly resistant, and pose a threat to human health because they remain in the environment for a long time. Now research has revealed this: Ultrasound can be used to eliminate these compounds Chemicals in groundwater.
Invented almost a century ago, perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances are used to make kitchen utensils, waterproof clothing and personal hygiene items, among many other applications. Scientists warn exposure to PFAS can cause a wide range of diseasesdiseases and health problems, such as birth defects and cancer. However, since the bonds within these chemical compounds do not break easily, These are incredibly difficult to remove environment.
How such difficulties confront researchers from Ohio State University (USA) ultrasonic degradation, a process that uses sound to break down substances by splitting the molecules that make them upcan work against different types and concentrations of these chemicals. The research was published on: Journal of Physical Chemistry A.
By experimenting with laboratory-prepared mixtures containing three different sizes of fluorotelomer sulfonate compounds (PFAS compounds typically found in firefighting foams), their results showed that: Over a three-hour period, small compounds degraded much faster than larger ones. This is in contrast to many other treatment methods, where smaller PFASs are actually more difficult to treat.
“We found that smaller compounds can be processed and treated more effectively than larger compounds,” said study co-author Linda Weavers, a professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering at Ohio State University. “That’s what makes this technology potentially really valuable.”
System that can also be applied to other areas
This paper, one of several studies investigating how ultrasound can be used to remove toxic PFAS chemicals from our environment, is an extension of previous research by Weavers. the same technology could also degrade pharmaceuticals in taps and wastewater council.
“PFAS compounds are unique because many of the disposal technologies we use for other hard-to-remove compounds in environmental engineering do not work for them,” Weavers said. “So we really need to develop a range of technologies to find which ones might be useful in different applications.”
Unlike other traditional disposal methods that attempt to break down PFAS by reacting with oxidizing chemicals, Ultrasounds attempt to purify these substances by emitting sound at a much lower frequency.Weavers explained that it’s more than what’s normally used for medical imaging.
This is how the system works
A low-pitched ultrasound pressure wave compresses and separates the solutionThis then allows vapor pockets called cavitation bubbles to be created.
“As the bubbles collapse, they gain so much momentum and energy that they become compressed and super-compressed, heating up the bubble,” Weavers said.
Like powerful combustion chambers, Temperatures inside these tiny bubbles can reach up to 10,000 Kelvin, and it is this heat that breaks the stable carbon and fluorine bonds that make up PFAS.and renders byproducts essentially harmless. “Unfortunately this degradation method can be expensive and energy intensive, but along with several other options it may be something the public should consider investing in preserving groundwater for drinking and other uses,” Weavers added.
Because ultrasound is so effective at clearing PFAS from solutions, the study found scientists and Government agencies should consider its use in the future development of purification technologies.and with other combined treatment systems.
While Weavers’ research isn’t ready to be applied to broader anti-pollution strategies, the study notes: could be the first step in creating small, high-energy water filtration devices For public use within the home.
“Our research revolves around trying to think about how we can scale to something bigger and what it would take to make it work,” Weavers said. “These compounds are found everywhere, so as we learn more about them, understanding how they can be degraded and broken down is important moving forward.”
Reference work: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpca.3c03011
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Contact address of the environmental department:krisclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
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