A £2 million national research project will investigate how toxic ‘forever chemicals’ are polluting rivers and wildlife, starting with the Thames.
PFAS – short for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances are manmade compounds used in everyday items like non-stick pans and waterproof coats. They linger in the environment for decades and can build up in the bodies of fish, animals and people.
The four year UNSaFE project, (UNderstanding the Scale, Sources, Fate and Effects of PFAS pollution), will look at how PFAS spread, how they affect ecosystems, and how best to monitor and reduce the risks. Scientists from Brunel University of London, Imperial College London, King’s College London, and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology are leading the research. Funded by the government’s UKRI (UK Research and Innovation), they’re joined by the Environment Agency and citizen science charity Earthwatch.
Brunel’s Dr Thomas Miller, from the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, is one of the project leads.
“PFAS are a hidden threat to our rivers and wildlife. UNSaFE will give us the clearest picture yet of how these chemicals build up and what they mean for ecosystems. Our findings will provide the solid evidence policymakers need to act and protect the environment.”
Much of the monitoring will be of water and wildlife samples collected from the Thames River Basin, but environmental charity Earthwatch will also gather data from sites across the UK. More than 3,000 volunteers will test the quality of their local freshwater including rivers, streams and lakes.
Brunel’s focus will be chemical analysis of biological samples including fish and freshwater invertebrates to track how PFAS accumulate in living organisms. Dr Miller’s team will study the effects of 24 priority PFAS compounds (those regulated by the EU) to identify which are most hazardous and why.
The research will also:
- Develop new lab methods to test PFAS in water and wildlife
- Use AI and genomics to understand how PFAS affect organisms
- Study which PFAS types are most mobile, persistent, and toxic
- Set science-based thresholds to help protect rivers and wildlife
Professor Leon Barron from Imperial, who is leading the overall project, said:
“PFAS are some of the most persistent pollutants we face. This project will give us the clearest picture yet of how and where they’re building up — and what they’re doing to life in our rivers.”
Professor Christer Hogstrand from King’s College London added:
“The science we produce will help set clear risk thresholds and shape policies that protect public health and the environment.”
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