Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'
Qatari PM: The only path to peace begins through negotiations and a ceasefire
Qatari PM: We demand that the Security Council assume its historical responsibility, as silence in the face of the law of the jungle undermines international peace and destabilizes the UN system
Qatari PM: The extremists who rule "Israel" do not care about the lives of the "hostages"; otherwise, how can the timing and location of the attack be explained?
Qatari PM: 'Israel's' attack on Hamas leaders in Doha is a violation of Qatar's sovereignty
Qatari PM: The ongoing [Israeli] violations only prove one thing: the Israeli officials' drunkenness on power amid impunity
Yemeni Ministry of Health: The death toll from the Israeli aggression on Sanaa and Al-Jawf Governorate has risen to 46, in addition to 165 injuries, including a large number of women and children, according to a non-final toll

Canadian prof develops way to remove forever chemicals from water

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 25 Mar 2023 11:19
  • 2 Shares
3 Min Read

Dr. Mohseni explains that PFAS still find their way into our environmental systems and bodies despite the fact that Canada is no longer producing them - through cosmetics and repellents.

  • x
  • Scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency doing research on PFAS in February 2023 (AP)
    Scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency doing research on PFAS in February 2023. (AP)

New water technology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), developed by the university's chemical and biological engineering professor Dr. Madjid Mohseni, has the ability to remove “forever chemicals” from drinking water safely and actually for good.

PFAS (per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), or forever chemicals, are substances used for making products non-stick or stain-resistant, such as cookware, stain repellents, and firefighting foam - which are the cause of health problems, including hormonal disruption, cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and cancer.

Dr. Mohseni, with the aid of his team, developed an adsorbing material with the quality to trap PFAS in a body of water, which then destroys them with electrochemical and photochemical techniques. The techniques are conducted at the Mohseni lab and published recently in the Chemosphere journal.

Read more: US Supreme Court restricts the EPA from limiting toxic gas emissions

Dr. Mohseni clarifies that even though treatments like activated carbon and ion-exchange systems are available to apply in homes, they are not as effective as they don't trap all PFAS. 

“Our adsorbing media captures up to 99% of PFAS particles and can also be regenerated and potentially reused. This means that when we scrub off the PFAS from these materials, we do not end up with more highly toxic solid waste that will be another major environmental challenge.”

Related News

Wildfire forces evacuation of over 3,000 Canadians in British Columbia

Canada BC minister resigns after anti-Palestine remarks

From the bottle to the body

Dr. Mohseni further explains that PFAS still find their way into our environmental systems and bodies, despite the fact that Canada is no longer producing them.

When fires are put out using firefighting foam or when raingear is sprayed with stain-repellent martial, the chemicals end up in our water systems. Especially when PFAS-containing cosmetics and sunscreens are applied to our skin, the chemicals could end up being absorbed by the body. 

Dr. Mohseni, who focuses on devising and developing water solutions for rural, remote and Indigenous communities, noted, “Our adsorbing media are particularly beneficial for people living in smaller communities who lack resources to implement the most advanced and expensive solutions that could capture PFAS. These can also be used in the form of decentralized and in-home water treatments.”

Read next: Scale of ‘forever chemical’ pollution across UK and Europe

With that being said, the UBC lab is preparing to launch the new technology at various locations in British Columbia this month.

“The results we obtain from these real-world field studies will allow us to further optimize the technology and have it ready as products that municipalities, industry and individuals can use to eliminate PFAS in their water,” Dr. Mohseni stressed. 

It is worth noting that although the EPA originally issued a warning concerning the presence of PFAS in drinking water in 2001, no national standard has ever been approved.
 
Around 14,000 chemicals, known as PFAS, are frequently employed to shield a range of consumer goods against humidity, heat, and contamination. Due to the fact that these compounds do not naturally decompose, they are referred to as "forever" chemicals. 

  • British Columbia
  • Environment
  • forever chemicals
  • PFAS contamination

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Damage sustained after a Yemeni drone exploded in Ramon Airport, southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, September 7, 2025 (Social Media)

Yemeni drone successfully hits Ramon Airport in southern Palestine

  • Politics
  • 7 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli military strike on a building in Gaza City, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)
Politics

Israeli bombs kill 45 in Gaza as schools, homes targeted

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization
Palestine

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Hamas: Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing
Palestine

Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing: Palestinian Resistance

Head of the National Security Committee in Iran’s Parliament, MP Ebrahim Azizi. (Tasnim News Agency)
Politics

Iran parliament security chief: NPT exit on table if snapback invoked

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS