WQRF, University of Colorado Boulder join forces in research
LISLE, Ill. – Research to fill key knowledge gaps on the effectiveness of household water treatment systems for PFAS and other fluorinated organic compounds is under way under the direction of Assistant Professor Dr. Riley Mulhern of the University of Colorado Boulder. The project, funded by the Water Quality Research Foundation, will be conducted in collaboration with a community of private well users affected by groundwater contamination from historical aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) use.
The project will start with a sampling effort of pre-existing water filter systems in impacted homes and continue with a longitudinal study to install and monitor certified point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) systems in high-risk households over time. “Repeat sampling of the same systems over time and relating that data to the volume of water treated is particularly important to understanding real world performance,” Mulhern said.
The study also will assess removal of other fluorinated organic compounds in groundwater that might not be captured by current PFAS reduction methods, which test for only a subset of the overall organic fluorine.
“We are essentially trying to future-proof the public health recommendations we can make around household filter use,” Mulhern said. “Measuring the broader category of organic fluorine through household filters will provide increased confidence in these products for handling PFAS as a class, rather than just for specific types.”
Overall, the results will support evidence-based decision-making by communities and individuals nationwide to reduce exposures to these “forever chemicals” in household tap water, especially communities reliant on private wells near contaminated sites.
Mulhern has extensive experience with field-based water quality studies, community engagement, participatory science projects, and POU systems. He is the lead author of the only peer-reviewed, longitudinal field study to date on the effectiveness of POU filters for PFAS in the United States, and he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on applied POU water treatment and PFAS in well water.
Since 1952, the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) has served as an independent, scientific water quality research organization with an aim to improve water quality through relevant academic research, advancing the knowledge and science of high-quality, sustainable water. Since its inception, WQRF has funded numerous research studies that have generated essential information on water quality for industry, policymakers, regulators, and the public. Find out more at WQRF.org/completed-studies or sign up for WQRF’s email newsletter to get bi-monthly research updates, funding opportunity notifications, and more.
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