Toxic “Forever Chemicals” Are No Match for This Breakthrough Water Filter

Researchers develop highly effective filter material to Remove hazardous PFAS chemicals from drinking water.

PFAS chemicals are a serious threat to human health, linked to liver damage, cancer, and hormonal disorders. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a highly effective method to remove these harmful substances from drinking water. Their approach uses metal-organic framework compounds, which perform significantly better than traditional filtration materials. These advanced filters can even capture PFAS at extremely low concentrations, making water much safer to drink.

The Persistent Threat of PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called “forever chemicals,” are highly persistent compounds that do not break down naturally, even over centuries. As a result, they pose long-term risks to both human and animal health. PFAS are widely used in products like textiles, firefighting foams, and food packaging, leading to their release into the environment. Over time, these chemicals can accumulate in the body through contaminated food and drinking water, potentially causing serious health problems.

A Breakthrough in PFAS Filtration

A research team led by Nebojša Ilić from the TUM Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, along with Prof. Soumya Mukherjee — formerly a postdoctoral researcher at the TUM Chair of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry and now an Assistant Professor of Materials Chemistry at the University of Limerick — identified an innovative solution for PFAS filtration.

They discovered that water-stable metal-organic frameworks made of zirconium carboxylate are particularly effective at capturing PFAS. These materials stand out due to their adjustable pore sizes, unique surface chemistry, and high electrostatic charge, making them exceptionally water-resistant. By carefully designing the structures and integrating them with polymers, researchers significantly enhanced their filtering performance, surpassing conventional materials like activated carbon and specialized resins.

The Urgent Need for Better Solutions

Prof. Jörg Drewes, Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, emphasizes the great social significance of the research results: “PFAS pose a constant threat to public health. For too long, the negative effects of the chemicals, which, among other things, ensure that rain jackets are waterproof and breathable, have been underestimated. The industry has now started to rethink this, but the legacy of PFAS will continue to affect us for several generations to come.”

Collaboration Across Disciplines

Researchers from the TUM School of Natural Sciences worked together with colleagues from the TUM School of Engineering and Design and simulation experts from the TUM School of Computation, Information, and Technology to develop and research the new filters. Prof. Roland Fischer, Chair of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry, emphasizes: “When solving such major challenges, experts from a wide range of disciplines have to work together. You simply can’t get anywhere on your own. I am delighted that this approach has again proved its worth here.”

Challenges in Large-Scale Implementation

However, it will be some time before this new filter material is adopted at large scale in waterworks. The newly discovered principle would have to be implemented with sustainably available, inexpensive materials that are safe in every respect. This will require considerable further research and engineering solutions.

Reference: “Trace Adsorptive Removal of PFAS from Water by Optimizing the UiO-66 MOF Interface” by Nebojša Ilić, Kui Tan, Felix Mayr, Shujin Hou, Benedikt M. Aumeier, Eder Moisés Cedeño Morales, Uwe Hübner, Jennifer Cookman, Andreas Schneemann, Alessio Gagliardi, Jörg E. Drewes, Roland A. Fischer and Soumya Mukherjee, 21 November 2024, Advanced Materials.
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202413120

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