TalkingPFAS Ep 18 Prof Chris Higgins "I have certainly described this as what I think is a major challenge for my generation of environmental engineers"
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Jun 20, 2020 Professor Chris Higgins, an expert in environmental engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, discusses the pressing issue of PFAS contamination. He highlights innovative soil washing techniques being developed in Australia to tackle these pollutants. The conversation dives into the complexities of PFAS, including their persistent presence in consumer products and the challenges for wastewater treatment. Chris emphasizes the long-term implications for environmental engineers and the need for greater understanding and regulation of these hazardous substances.
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Four Dimensions of PFAS Complexity
- PFAS's complexity includes chemical composition, environmental behavior, exposure pathways, and toxicology.
- The variety of PFAS structures leads to different behaviors, like how positively charged compounds stick to soil while negatively charged ones move through it.
PFAS Transformation
- Polyfluorinated substances can transform into perfluorinated compounds under certain conditions.
- Consumer products often contain polyfluorinated compounds, which can enter the waste stream and eventually degrade into perfluorinated compounds.
Wastewater Treatment Plants and PFAS
- Wastewater treatment plants are gaining attention due to the transformation of PFAS precursors in aeration ponds.
- Studies show more perfluorinated compounds leaving treatment plants than entering, indicating precursor transformation.