According to the researchers, treating PFAS as a single class of contaminants may overlook important differences in how individual compounds move through water systems and respond to remediation. Treatment strategies should be designed based on molecular structure, especially chain length.
Moringa oleifera seed extract could potentially serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional alum coagulants for microplastic removal in drinking water treatments, while also allowing for process simplification and cost savings.
With two proposed rules issued on May 18, the Trump EPA followed through on its stated intent to rescind or extend the compliance date for Biden-era drinking water limits for several “forever chemicals” of concern.
EPA has announced its sixth Contaminant Candidate List, which includes PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, disinfection byproducts, and other chemicals and microbes. Concurrently, HHS unveiled its Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP)
initiative to address and understand microplastics in the human body.
The Center for Produce Safety-funded project aims to generate practical guidance for produce growers, including improved sampling approaches to determine whether groundwater is influenced by surface water, and immediately actionable recommendations for mitigating microbial contamination and biofilms in irrigation systems.
FAO and WHO recently published a report identifying and prioritizing chemical contaminants that pose a food safety risk due to their presence in sources of water used in agri-food systems.
German Federal researchers have developed a rapid, onsite detection system for PFAS in water samples. Its cost-effectiveness and ease-of-use make it a potentially scalable solution for authorities and industry to monitor and remediate “forever chemical” contamination.
The French agency ANSES published the results of a two-year, national sampling and testing assignment for “forever chemicals” in drinking water, which was conducted to inform future monitoring strategies. Although most analyzed samples fell below regulatory limits for PFAS, TFA was found in 92 percent of samples.
FAO published a report that encourages the application of risk-based tools to ensure the safety of water used in production and processing in fisheries and aquaculture operations.
