Change Leader: PFAS Is a Daunting Problem Requiring New and Collaborative Approaches
Bruce Chalmers
This interview was recorded by Todd Danielson, the editorial director of Informed Infrastructure. You can watch a video of the full interview above or by visiting iimag.link/IYSkH.
Susan Moiso
Chemicals That Changed the World
The general public is becoming increasingly aware of the origin and dangers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals”), a group of synthetic chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. They originated in the 1930s with the inventions of Teflon and have been and are currently used in fabrics, paints, cosmetics, firefighting foam and insulation, among many other products. There are 7 million PFAS substances, according to the PubChem database of chemical molecules.
These and other “persistent organic pollutants” are resistant to degradation through chemical, biological and photolytic processes. They’re now known to be toxic and adversely affect human health and the overall environment. And the largest problem with PFAS seems to be that they’re everywhere; they’re in our water, soils and food—even within our bodies. If there’s a positive to be found concerning PFAS among engineers and scientists, it may be “job security.”
“Given how pervasive the problem is, we don’t have all the solutions today,” notes Chalmers. “The fact that this could be a 25-, 35-, 45-year challenge we all face, you can have a career helping to solve this problem.”
Where to Start
The PFAS problem is so widespread that there’s no single way to approach it. A common first step is to identify where there are such chemicals, and even that process is more complicated than in most environmental problems. After PFAS have been found and identified, the source of contamination must be determined. New technologies such as AI are being used to search through vast databases for possible manufacturers, equipment or other direct sources of contamination.
“Things like digital technology and data analytics, large language models and AI can be very useful in terms of working through documentation and product specifications and various systems to try and identify where the risk might be,” explains Chalmers.
When the source has been located, engineers can help organizations strategize around how to substitute alternative compounds that are safer or discuss how to manage risk in manufacturing or distribution processes so these compounds don’t get into the environment.
A Broader Solution
Chalmers and Moiso agree that this problem is beyond just engineering and will require collaboration among a wide range of experts. Communication and digital skills that transcend silos will be extremely important.
“It requires engineers to be a lot more curious and inquisitive as to what else is out there, and partner and collaborate a little bit more on the solutions, because I don’t think single organizations and single locations will find the answers,” explains Chalmers. “We will need to be very agnostic and have a broad understanding, so we can bring the right solution to the right project for that client and community.
“Just coming up with a solution thinking we’re going to quickly cut it across a hundred sites is probably not going to work,” he adds. “But one solution at a particular site might be unique enough to be applicable in another geography on the other side of the world. People wouldn’t know that if we don’t get out there and communicate.”
With Moiso’s water-system expertise, she sees PFAS from a “whole water cycle standpoint” that examines how the contaminants arrive and can be eliminated from all aspects of the water system, including drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. Drinking water is the most critical system, however, with the most human health risks.
“The good news is that the technologies to remove PFAS from drinking water exists today,” she notes, citing examples such as activated carbon ion exchange resins, reverse osmosis membranes, and emerging technologies such as selective absorption that are specifically engineered to pull out and target PFAS compounds. She also believes new digital tools will help engineers optimize the processes, layouts and economics of updating or building new water treatment systems that better address PFAS chemicals.
“This is one of those times in our engineering careers where it’s good to be curious, and it’s good to think broadly and look across this entire environment,” she explains.
About Todd Danielson
Todd Danielson has been in trade technology media for more than 20 years, now the editorial director for V1 Media and all of its publications: Informed Infrastructure, Earth Imaging Journal, Sensors & Systems and Asian Surveying & Mapping.
