Dr. Fuhar Dixit, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley studying PFAS contaminants in the environment, discussed in an interview the sites of contamination in California, including refineries, airports, and military bases. He emphasized the need for scientific proof for remediation protocols. Researchers are studying how these chemicals get into our wastewater systems and impact public health. Dr. Dixit’s role is to research the broadening scope of the compounds themselves. If all of the compounds are not discovered, they cannot all be treated.
Research regarding the ecological impact of PFAS is ongoing, but their presence is undeniable. Global concern has been growing as greater numbers of previously unidentified compounds are being discovered, and the Bay Area is no exception. According to the San Francisco Estuary Institute and Aquatic Science Center, PFAS have and continue to make their way into the Bay Area ecosystem. Contamination field tests historically have indicated some of the highest global concentrations of PFAS in Bay Area biota, like harbor seals and bird eggs. A 2019 study of sport fish PFAS levels shows contamination limits that far exceed levels in other states. Due to scientific data such as these, there have been new legislative efforts aimed at addressing this public health problem.
California is currently developing consumer recommendations for PFAS exposure and contamination. The state has been at the forefront of the efforts to clean up PFAS contamination. State legislators have introduced several bills to tackle the issue comprehensively. One law passed in October 2021, Assembly Bill (AB) 1200, prevents the use of PFAS in plant-based food packaging and cookware. There are also public materials, such as the California Water Board’s map of sites under investigation, which serves as an up-to-date display of potential PFAS sources in the state. Areas of potential contamination in the bay include ten active refinery or bulk terminal sites in Richmond, six Department of Defense Facilities, 16 landfills, 24 chrome plating facilities (noted as “suspected” sites of PFAS pollution), three airports, and countless drinking water wells with orders for PFAS monitoring. There are countless signs of concern.
In response, multiple Bay Area municipalities have made efforts to take action against PFAS contamination. San Francisco passed an ordinance in 2019 to prevent the usage of PFAS in products like food packaging and firefighting foam. Oakland implemented stricter regulations on industrial discharge containing PFAS into the municipal wastewater systems.
These policies can also aim to incorporate PFAS remediation techniques. “There are known techniques out there that can, on a feasible scale, achieve these levels of concentration,” said Dr. Fuhar Dixit. As scientists discover thousands of new compounds, the engineers can then work to develop advanced wastewater treatment techniques. Ultraviolet, electrochemical, supercritical water oxidation, and hydrothermal alkaline treatment processes all exist and are constantly being tested and scaled. Dixit voiced that these developments will make large impacts on the water treatment market.
The future of PFAS regulation and treatment in the Bay Area points towards increased oversight, accountability, and efforts to clean up the chemical pollutants that are highly ingrained in our environment. We can expect further innovations and discoveries in both science and engineering. As research advances and public advocacy grows, PFAS regulation looks promising. However, stakeholders must continue to remain vigilant in monitoring and addressing PFAS contamination to defend both public health and environmental integrity.
