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There is lots of information available about PFAS, microplastic and tire wear particles. Below are some significant or recent advancements in the field.
PFAS and Microplastics in the News
PFAS and microplastics are becoming greater topics of public interest and with lots of new research being done on them they are frequently topics in the news. These are some of the most important news headlines regarding PFAS and microplastics recently.
As contaminants of emerging concern such a PFAS (Forever Chemicals) are becoming more prominent in the news and environment one can only ask How Can I Get ‘Forever Chemicals’ Out of My Life? This NYT article provides a brief list of ways to avoid PFAS which are present in many everyday items!
Advocates in the Ithaca area are concerned about the building of two new artificial turf fields as a part of Cornell's new athletic facility. The concern with the turf is regarding the PFAS compounds that can be found in artificial turf. However, a lot of athletes are in support of the new turfs as they feel they will be safer. This is an ongoing debate in the Ithaca community.
In April 2024, EPA announced the first limits on levels of PFAS compounds in drinking water. The legislation covers several different compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA), but the hope is that the techniques used to reduce these chemcials will also reduce all other forever chemicals as well. The allowable limits are 4 or 10 parts per trillion, depending on the compound. You can read more on the EPA's webpage.
A research group out of the University of Exeter found that seabed creatures' risk of exposure to microplastics depends not only on local pollution levels but also on how the species feed and interact with the immediate surroundings. It was found that animals living in areas with high levels of plastic pollution carried higher plastic burdens. Of the tested species, who lived in the Yellow and Mediterranean Seas, two shrimp species, the Blue and Red Shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) (164 microplastics per individual) from the north-west Mediterranean Sea, and Crangon affinis (294 microplastics per individual) from the Yellow Sea, China had the highest levels of microplastics. Previous studies have suggested that filter-feeders are most at risk for ingesting microplastics, however, they have relatively effective ways of removing unwanted particles from their bodies, it is predators, omnivores, and deposit feeders, who are more vulnerable.
In 2020, researchers linked the death of coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest to an anti-oxidation compound in tire wear particles. Now, the good news is that the use of permeable pavement can trap up to 95% of the tire wear particles.
Two high school students from Texas won the top prize in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering for their device that uses ultrasound to filter microplastics from drinking water and waste water. The waves created by the ultrasound create pressure, which holds microplastics back and allows the pure water to flow through. Prety cool!
Ithaca Times is a local newspaper station located right in the heart of downtown Ithaca. The paper covers news, town events, and editorials.