Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 12:59 am
A recent investigation conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has revealed that a staggering 45 percent of tap water sources in the United States may be contaminated by per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. These persistent chemicals, referred to as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic compounds used in a wide range of applications, including fast-food packaging, non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, pesticides, cosmetics, textiles, and outdoor clothing.
Bengt Rittri, the visionary founder and CEO of global beverage and water purification company Bluewater, described the findings of the USGS study as “alarming and unsettling.” PFAS has been detected in tap and bottled water worldwide and has been linked to numerous adverse health effects in humans, as emphasised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has cautioned that high concentrations of PFAS chemicals can lead to an increased risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol levels, and damage to the immune system.
The issue of PFAS contamination extends beyond the borders of the United States. The European Environment Agency has reported the presence of PFAS in the environment across Europe, with drinking water supplies in several European countries affected by contamination resulting from the production and use of PFAS-containing products. In China, a 2021 study conducted by researchers from Tsinghua University revealed that nearly 100 million people were exposed to water containing unsafe levels of toxic PFAS chemicals.
Mr. Rittri, a Swedish environmental entrepreneur dedicated to ensuring safe and healthy water for all, highlighted the long-term consequences of PFAS contamination, stating that even if the release of these toxic chemicals were halted immediately, they would persist in the environment and in human bodies for many generations, as warned by the European Chemicals Agency.
Rich Razgaitis, CEO of Bluewater North America, echoed Mr. Rittri’s sentiments, emphasising the urgency of addressing the widespread issue of PFAS contamination in drinking water. The USGS research serves as compelling evidence of the presence of contaminants in the water supply and underscores the need for schools, businesses, and consumers to take control of water purification within their own environments, where they work, rest, and play.
According to the USGS, this comprehensive study represents the first nationwide testing and comparison of PFAS in tap water from both private and government-regulated public water supplies. The collected data were used to estimate the extent of PFAS contamination across the country. Due to their slow breakdown, PFAS chemicals pose a unique water-quality concern, given their persistence in the environment and their prevalence.
During the study, USGS scientists collected tap water samples directly from kitchen sinks at 716 locations, representing areas with varying levels of human impact. The results indicated that interim health advisories set by the U.S. EPA for PFOS and PFOA were exceeded in every sample where these compounds were detected. The USGS study employed a testing method developed by the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory to analyse 32 individual PFAS compounds.
Independent tests conducted by Bluewater have confirmed the remarkable effectiveness of their purifiers in removing up to 99.99% of PFAS chemicals known to pose health risks, including PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, and PFBS, which have been found in tap water sources worldwide.
Bluewater’s research was carried out in collaboration with the prestigious Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) and verified by the independent bio-analytical testing group Eurofins.
Dr. Ahmed Fawzy, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at Bluewater who oversaw the tests at KTH, highlighted the lack of detailed information regarding the specific PFAS compounds used in various applications and to what extent. To address this uncertainty, Bluewater conducted independent tests to assess the PFAS removal efficiency of their Bluewater Pro water purifier. The tests focused on the four most common PFAS compounds found in drinking water according to the Swedish National Food Agency: PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, and PFBS.
Dr. Fawzy explained, “By deliberately contaminating the water entering the Bluewater Pro with PFAS at concentrations exceeding average levels and subsequently passing it through the purifier, we obtained unequivocal results. Bluewater’s second-generation SuperiorOsmosis™ technology demonstrated the ability to remove up to 99.99 percent of all the tested PFAS chemicals.”
PFAS compounds have been found to accumulate in humans and the environment over time. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has classified PFAS as “moderately to highly toxic,” particularly impacting children’s development. In China, a study published in Environmental Sciences Europe in early 2021 revealed that approximately 100 million people in 66 cities across the country were consuming tap water with unsafe levels of PFAS.
