Researchers find improved treatments for removing 'forever chemicals'

Carlton Fletcher, The Albany Herald, Ga.
Updated ·5 min read

May 24—GRIFFIN — University of Georgia researchers in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the College of Engineering are wrapping up the final year of a study to develop improved, cost-effective treatment systems with advanced technologies for removing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, wastewater and biosolids.

Dubbed "forever chemicals," PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals developed in the late 1930s that have been widely used in industry and consumer products due to their fire-resistant properties and ability to repel oil and water. The team was awarded nearly $1.6 million through a congressionally mandated grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to mitigate PFAS, which take a long time to break down and can build up in people, animals, water and soil over time.

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