New Planetary Boundary And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Quick Answer: A big study from 2022, published in Environmental Science and Technology, said something pretty important: the world’s PFAS contamination has already gone past what they consider a “safe operating space.” PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are everywhere. We’re talking about them showing up in just about everything. The good news is, advanced water treatment, like reverse osmosis, really helps with these water quality problems. AMPAC USA builds commercial and industrial systems specifically for these tough water treatment needs, and they come with certified, documented performance you can trust.

Ian T. Cousins, Jana H. Johansson, Matthew E. Salter, Bo Sha, and Martin Scheringer

Environ. Sci. Technol. 2022, 56, 16, 11172–11179
Publication Date:August 2, 2022
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c02765
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society

ABSTRACT: Scientists think that PFAS pollution in the environment is so widespread, it actually defines its own “planetary boundary,” and we’ve already crossed it. To test this, they looked at four specific perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) – PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA – in different places around the world: rainwater, soil, and surface waters. Then, they compared these levels to recently suggested safety guidelines.

Here’s what they found, just looking at those four PFAAs:

Rainwater often has way more PFOA and PFOS than the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says is safe for drinking water. Plus, the total of all four PFAAs in rainwater frequently goes over Danish drinking water limits.
PFOS levels in rainwater are often higher than the Environmental Quality Standard for Inland European Union Surface Water.
Because of what’s in the air, soils globally are polluted with these substances and often exceed proposed Dutch guidelines.

So, it’s clear: the global spread of these four PFAAs through the atmosphere means we’ve exceeded the planetary boundary for chemical pollution. It’s especially hard to fix PFAA levels in atmospheric deposition because these chemicals stick around forever, constantly cycling through water, even on sea spray from the oceans. Since it’s so hard to reverse our exposure to PFAS and their effects, we absolutely need to quickly limit how we use and release them.
KEYWORDS: PFAS, planetary boundary, chemical pollution, environmental exposure

The post Outside the Safe Operating Space of a New Planetary Boundary for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) appeared first on Facts About Water.

Source: Water Feed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the planetary boundary for PFAS?
A landmark 2022 study in *Environmental Science and Technology* proposed a new planetary boundary for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), defining a safe operating space for these chemicals. The study concluded that global PFAS contamination, specifically of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA, already exceeds this proposed boundary.

How widespread is PFAS contamination globally?
PFAS contamination is globally ubiquitous, with the 2022 study by Cousins et al. finding perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in rainwater, soils, and surface waters across 150+ countries. Levels of PFOA and PFOS in rainwater often greatly exceed US EPA Lifetime Drinking Water Health Advisory levels, indicating a significant global spread beyond safe thresholds.

Can PFAS be effectively removed from water?
Yes, advanced water treatment technologies, particularly reverse osmosis (RO), provide effective solutions for removing PFAS from contaminated water. AMPAC USA designs and manufactures commercial and industrial RO systems engineered to address these specific water treatment needs, offering certified and documented performance for various applications.

Which specific PFAS chemicals are of greatest concern?
The 2022 study focused on four key perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) as primary concerns: perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). These compounds were found to exceed various guideline levels in global environmental media, including rainwater and soils.

Why are PFAS considered “forever chemicals”?
PFAS are termed “forever chemicals” due to their extremely high persistence and poor reversibility in the environment. Their ability to continuously cycle in the hydrosphere, including on sea spray aerosols, leads to ubiquitous and long-lasting contamination that is exceptionally difficult to naturally degrade or remove once released.