How New Water Filter Materials Are Tackling Forever Chemicals

Introduction: The Unseen Threat in Our Water

Imagine pouring yourself a glass of water, clear and cold, straight from the tap. It’s a simple act, one that most of us take for granted. But what if that water, despite its clarity, harbored invisible contaminants - chemicals so persistent that they linger in the environment for centuries, accumulating in our bodies and ecosystems - and perhaps contributing to environmental illness? These are the so-called “forever chemicals,” a class of substances that have become one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges of our time.

For decades, scientists and engineers have grappled with the problem of removing these stubborn pollutants from our water supplies. Now, thanks to groundbreaking research from teams at Monash University and MIT, we may be on the cusp of a revolution in water purification. Their innovative filter materials promise not only to capture these elusive chemicals but to do so in a way that is efficient, sustainable, and scalable.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the science behind these new filters, explore why “forever chemicals” are so hard to remove, and consider what these advances mean for the future of clean water.

What Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ - And Why Are They So Hard to Remove?

The term “forever chemicals” refers to a group of synthetic compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals have been used since the 1940s in everything from non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing to firefighting foams and food packaging. Their appeal lies in their remarkable stability: PFAS resist heat, water, and oil, making them incredibly useful in industrial and consumer products.

But that same stability is also their curse. PFAS molecules are characterized by strong carbon-fluorine bonds, among the strongest in organic chemistry. This makes them highly resistant to natural degradation processes. As a result, PFAS persist in the environment, leaching into soil, rivers, and groundwater, and ultimately making their way into our drinking water.

The health risks associated with PFAS exposure are well documented. Studies have linked them to a range of adverse effects, including cancer, immune system suppression, thyroid disease, and developmental issues in children. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory bodies around the world have set increasingly stringent limits on PFAS levels in drinking water, but removing these chemicals remains a formidable technical challenge.

Traditional water treatment methods - such as activated carbon filtration, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis - can reduce PFAS concentrations, but they often fall short when it comes to complete removal, especially for the shorter-chain variants that are becoming more prevalent. Moreover, these methods can be expensive, energy intensive, and generate significant waste.

The Search for a Better Solution: Enter Advanced Filter Materials

Recognizing the limitations of existing technologies, researchers have turned their attention to developing new materials that can selectively capture and remove PFAS from water. Two recent breakthroughs - one from Monash University in Australia and another from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - have generated significant excitement in the scientific community and beyond.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these innovations.

Monash University’s Breakthrough: A Super-Absorbent Filter for PFAS

In June 2024, a team of chemical engineers at Monash University announced the development of a novel water filter material capable of removing more than 99% of PFAS from contaminated water. The key to their success lies in the design of a new class of absorbent materials known as “metal-organic frameworks” (MOFs).

What Are Metal-Organic Frameworks?

MOFs are crystalline materials composed of metal ions linked together by organic molecules. This structure creates a highly porous network, with an enormous internal surface area—just one gram of MOF can have a surface area equivalent to several football fields. This makes MOFs ideal candidates for trapping and storing a wide range of molecules, including gases, toxins, and, as it turns out, PFAS.

How Does the Monash Filter Work?

The Monash team engineered a specific MOF that is not only highly porous but also chemically tailored to attract and bind PFAS molecules. By fine-tuning the size and chemistry of the pores, the researchers created a filter that acts like a molecular “sieve,” selectively capturing PFAS while allowing water and other harmless substances to pass through.

In laboratory tests, the MOF-based filter demonstrated remarkable efficiency, removing more than 99% of PFAS from water samples in just 30 minutes. Even more impressive, the filter could be regenerated and reused multiple times without losing its effectiveness—a crucial advantage for real-world applications.

Why Is This Research Important?

The Monash filter addresses several of the key challenges associated with PFAS removal. Its high selectivity means that it can target even low concentrations of PFAS, including the shorter-chain variants that are notoriously difficult to capture. Its reusability reduces waste and operational costs, making it a more sustainable option than single-use filters. And because MOFs can be synthesized from relatively inexpensive materials, the technology has the potential to be scaled up for widespread use.

As Professor Huanting Wang, one of the lead researchers, explained, “Our technology offers a promising solution for the removal of PFAS from water, which is critical for protecting public health and the environment.”

Read more about the Monash breakthrough

MIT’s Silk-Cellulose Filter: Nature-Inspired Innovation

While the Monash team focused on advanced synthetic materials, researchers at MIT took inspiration from nature to tackle the PFAS problem. Their solution? A water filter made from a blend of silk and cellulose - two of the most abundant and renewable biopolymers on Earth.

The Science Behind the Silk-Cellulose Filter

The MIT team, led by Professor Benedetto Marelli, developed a composite material by combining silk fibroin (the protein that makes up silk fibers) with cellulose nanofibers derived from plant matter. This blend creates a membrane with a unique structure: a dense network of nanofibers interspersed with tiny pores.

What sets this filter apart is its ability to block not only PFAS but also heavy metals and other contaminants. The silk component provides a high density of binding sites for PFAS molecules, while the cellulose fibers add mechanical strength and stability. The result is a filter that is both highly effective and environmentally friendly.

Performance and Potential

In tests, the silk-cellulose filter was able to remove more than 95% of PFAS from contaminated water, as well as significant amounts of lead, copper, and other heavy metals. The filter operates at low pressure, meaning it can be used in gravity-fed systems without the need for pumps or electricity - a major advantage for remote or resource-limited settings.

Perhaps most importantly, the materials used to make the filter are biodegradable and non-toxic, reducing the risk of secondary pollution. The filter can be produced using simple, scalable processes, making it accessible for communities around the world.

As Professor Marelli noted, “By leveraging natural materials, we can create water purification technologies that are both effective and sustainable, helping to address the global challenge of clean water access.”

Read more about the MIT silk-cellulose filter

Comparing the Two Approaches: Synthetic vs. Natural Materials

Both the Monash and MIT filters represent significant advances in the fight against forever chemicals, but they take very different approaches.

The Monash MOF filter is a triumph of synthetic chemistry, offering unparalleled selectivity and reusability. Its modular design means it can be tailored to target specific contaminants, and its high efficiency makes it suitable for large-scale municipal water treatment plants.

The MIT silk-cellulose filter, on the other hand, is a model of biomimicry and sustainability. By harnessing the properties of natural polymers, the filter provides a low-cost, biodegradable solution that can be deployed in a wide range of settings, from rural villages to urban households.

Both technologies have their strengths and potential limitations. MOFs, while highly effective, may require more complex manufacturing processes and careful handling to prevent degradation. Natural fiber filters, while sustainable, may need to be replaced more frequently or combined with other treatment methods for maximum effectiveness.

Ultimately, the choice between these approaches will depend on the specific needs of each community - factors like water quality, available resources, and infrastructure will all play a role.

The Bigger Picture: What These Advances Mean for the Future

The development of these new filter materials is more than just a technical achievement - it’s a sign of hope in the ongoing battle against water pollution. As awareness of PFAS and other emerging contaminants grows, so too does the demand for solutions that are not only effective but also affordable and sustainable.

These innovations also highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The Monash and MIT teams brought together experts in chemistry, materials science, environmental engineering, and biology to tackle a complex problem from multiple angles. The scientists' successes here underscore the value of combining synthetic and natural approaches, leveraging the best of both worlds.

[Ed: This interdisiplinary approach is desperately needed in Environmental and Invisible Illness research if we're ever to get answers and effective treatments!].

Looking ahead, there are several exciting directions for future research and development:

• Scaling Up Production: Both MOF and silk-cellulose filters will need to be produced at scale to meet global demand. This will require investment in manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.
• Integration with Existing Systems: New filters must be compatible with current water treatment technologies, allowing for seamless adoption by utilities and consumers.
• Addressing a Broader Range of Contaminants: While PFAS (and toxic metals, MIT) are a major concern, water supplies are often contaminated with a cocktail of additional pollutants, including fluoride intentionally added to municipal supplies - in the misguided belief it benefits dental health (while it may to a degree, fluoride is implicated in thyroid disorders and other invisible illness). So, filters that can target multiple contaminants simultaneously will be especially valuable - going beyond what the best reverse osmosis systems achieve.
• Ensuring Affordability and Accessibility: The ultimate goal is to make clean water available to everyone, regardless of geography or income. This means designing filters that are not only effective but also affordable and easy to use.
  

Conclusion: Toward a World Free of Forever Chemicals

The story of forever chemicals is a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of technological progress. Similar to how chemical household and personal care products, while enhancing modern life, can also lead to multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). But it’s also a story of resilience and ingenuity - a testament to the power of science to solve even the most intractable problems.

Thanks to the pioneering work of researchers at Monash University, MIT, and other institutions around the world, we are closer than ever to breaking the cycle of PFAS pollution. Their innovative filter materials offer a glimpse of a future where clean, safe water is not a luxury, but a universal right.

As these technologies move from the lab to the real world, they will play a crucial role in safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

So the next time you pour yourself a glass of water, take a moment to appreciate the science - and the scientists - working tirelessly to keep it pure. Those of us affected by environmental illness often give scientists and researchers a bad rap. But they do sometimes produce studies and new products that can help treat, or at least manage, our illnesses.

If you found this post helpful, consider sharing how you purify your water with us in the comments below. Do you use a water filter or whole house filtration system? If so, let us know which kind and which you find most effective, thanks!
For more articles on living well with invisible illness, explore the rest of The Environmental Illness Resource.

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References:

New Monash-designed water filter removes stubborn ‘forever chemicals’
MIT’s new silk-cellulose water filter blocks stubborn ‘forever chemicals’ and metals
Pecham S Lowery D Spencer S (2015) Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water British Medical Journal (BMJ)