PEI researchers turn sawdust into wastewater solution
UPEI researchers are experimenting with using sawdust to clean wastewater, and they hope that in the future they can use it to remove ‘forever chemicals’ like PFAS.
The project uses sawdust from local mills on Prince Edward Island and turns it into activated carbon, which is commonly used in home water filtration devices.
yulin huAn assistant professor of engineering at UPEI says that it works like a sponge.
“Once the pollutants get inside, the pollutants will remain inside the open space,” he said. “So, now you can take them out of the water.”
Hu said so far they have tested it against synthetic dyes, a water contaminant commonly found in the textile industry. The next step is to test it on real wastewater from some industries in PEI.
Although researchers have not yet tested its effectiveness against water contaminated with PFAS, Hu said there is a possibility it could help islanders cope. Chemicals are contaminating their drinking water,
A report from the federal government That said, exposure to PFAS can be harmful to the body, including the liver, kidneys, immune system, reproductive system and nervous system.
“Drinking water is very important,” Hu said. “In PEI, some communities have suffered a lot from PFAS in wastewater, so we wanted to help them and then we thought what are some solutions we can come up with?”
‘It’s on us’
Milad Jalilian is a PhD student at UPEI who has been working on this project for the past two years.
“It’s on us,” he said. “We are human beings and we are polluting the water, so we should also clean it.”
Jalilian used to be a petroleum engineer. He said that he often saw oil spills while working on offshore platforms and this ultimately inspired him to conduct such research.
“You’re helping the community, you’re helping the environment. It feels great when you see that.”
One goal of the project is to create a filter that can be used in homes and by companies on an industrial scale.
Researchers are also turning sawdust into biochar, which is typically made from natural waste materials from the agriculture and forestry sector.
Hu says this product could potentially be used by farmers to retain more water in their soils.
