WC138 SeptOct 2024 - Flipbook - Page 23
DRINKING WATER
PFAS: New
Regulations and
Innovative Solutions
Protection of potable aquifers
affected by PFAS via in situ Point of
Entry Treatment technologies.
BY MALIKA BENDOUZ AND JEAN PARE
O
Getty Images
VER THE PAST FEW DECADES, the scientific
community has been focusing its attention on a
group of emerging fluorinated substances that are
widely distributed in the global environment. These
include perfluoro alkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS), which are a large family of synthetic
chemicals, the most common being perfluoro octane sulfonate
(PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
In May 2023, the Minister of the Environment and the
Minister of Health of Canada published a draft State of PFAS
Report. This report provides the decision-making on PFAS
in Canada, summarizing relevant information on the class of
PFAS, concluding that PFAS have the potential to cause harm
to the environment and human health, and multiple PFAS
are widely present and co-occur in the environment, wildlife,
and humans across Canada, including in remote regions such
as the Arctic and Subarctic.
PFAS—with high chemical and thermal stability,
and the ability to repel water and oils—are found
in non-stick coatings, food packaging, water
repellents, and fire-fighting foams.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
Jean Paré, Eng.
Malika Bendouz, Ph.D
is the Vice-president, Sales and
marketing at Chemco Inc, with over
30 years of experience in soil and
GW remediation technologies.
is the Technical Director at
Chemco Inc., her role is the
techno-economic evaluation of
contaminated sites, and selection of
appropriate technology.
WATER C AN ADA • SEP TEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
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