Much of the world’s source water exceeds PFAS safe drinking limits.

PFAS “forever chemicals” are known for their resistance to degradation and links to various health problems.

Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have found widespread use in numerous consumer and industrial products for their properties that resist heat, water, grease, and stains. However, their enduring presence in the environment has raised significant concerns due to potential health risks, including certain cancers. 

A recent study, which is the first of its kind to assess the global burden of PFAS contamination, analysed over 45,000 data points from sources like government reports and scientific literature. 

The findings suggest that a significant fraction of the world's source water contains PFAS concentrations above recommended levels. 

In Australia, areas most strongly affected were those with a history of firefighting foam usage.

“Many of our source waters are above PFAS regulatory limits... We're talking above 5 per cent, and it goes over 50 per cent in some cases,” said senior author and UNSW Engineering Professor Denis O’Carroll.

Despite the alarming prevalence of PFAS in source waters, Professor O'Carroll reassured that drinking water remains largely safe, thanks to treatment processes that reduce these chemicals. 

However, he emphasised the importance of routine monitoring and data transparency concerning PFAS levels in drinking water.

The study’s findings also highlight disparities in regulatory limits across different countries. 

For instance, in Australia, the combined limit for PFOS and PFHxS is set at 70 nanograms per litre, significantly higher than the US's proposed limit for these substances. Canada adopts an even more stringent approach, capping the total PFAS concentration at 30 nanograms per litre.

Prof O’Carroll and his team are now trying to develop their research by quantifying these levels of PFAS from commercial products in the environment.

They are also working to develop technologies that can degrade PFAS in drinking water systems, and looking at developing predictive models that determine where PFAS will go in the environment.