19 October 2023
Emission sources for PFAS in Luleå are charted
PFAS is a collective name for a large number of different chemicals that are used in a variety of products. Several of these chemicals are believed to have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Several research project at Luleå University of Technology aims to identify emission sources for PFAS and develop methods to decompose the chemicals.
PFAS was invented in the 1950s and is used, among other things, for its grease, dirt and water-repellent properties, such as impregnation in textiles and paper packaging, among other things. It is also used in, for example, cleaning agents, paints, cosmetics and firefighting foam. Some of the PFAS chemicals might have harmful effects on health, including cancer, infertility and hypersensitivity to vaccines. Common to all PFAS chemicals is that they contain bonds between carbon and fluorine atoms
“Carbon-fluorine bonds are one of the strongest bonds in existence. There is no known natural process that can effectively break down these bonds, which means that PFAS spreads everywhere in nature and accumulates. PFAS have been found in the Arctic, even in our blood”, says Jurate Kumpiene, professor of waste technology and one of the project leaders.
Emission sources mapped
In a sub-project, the researchers have mapped several emission sources of PFAS in Luleå. One of the largest secondary sources is sludge from treated wastewater. Sludge is in some cases used as fertiliser in agriculture and for the production of topsoil, where part of the PFAS found in the sludge can be taken up by the plants and spread further. Another part of the project involves developing different remediation techniques for PFAS-contaminated materials.
“Mechanical, chemical and biological methods are currently used to clean the wastewater. None of these methods work particularly well on PFAS, which is due, among other things, to the fact that the PFAS chemicals have such different properties. For example, some are more fat-soluble while others are more water-soluble, and therefore they can remain both in sludge and in purified water, explains Jurate Kumpiene.
Develops remediation techniques
In the next phase of the project, the researchers will identify the various primary sources of PFAS. It can be landfill leachate, household or industrial. It is more effective to clean up the primary sources. But remediation of secondary sources will also be needed. It's about using the right cleaning technology in the right place. Because the PFAS chemicals differ so much, it is also about identifying which remediation technology is the most effective for different types of PFAS. No fully developed method for completely breaking down all types of PFAS at the same time is currently available in Sweden, but there have been promising trials with electricity and UV light.
Participating in the project in addition to Jurate Kumpiene are assistant professor Ivan Carabante and doctoral students Jean Noel Uwayezu and Sajjad Hazrati. The charting of PFAS sources in Luleå is implemented in cooperation with the research group Urban water engineeringt at Luleå University of Technology that is linked to the future area Creaternity, and the copmany Luleå Miljöresurs.
Contact
Jurate Kumpiene
- Professor and Head of Subject
- 0920-493020
- jurate.kumpiene@ltu.se
- Jurate Kumpiene
Jean Noel Uwayezu
- Postdoctoral researcher
- 0920-493569
- jean.noel.uwayezu@ltu.se
- Jean Noel Uwayezu
Ivan Carabante
- Associate Professor
- 0920-492103
- ivan.carabante@ltu.se
- Ivan Carabante
Sajjad Hazrati
- Doctoral Student
- 0920-492539
- sajjad.hazrati@ltu.se
- Sajjad Hazrati
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