Protecting the Environment and Human Health From Persistent, Mobile, and Toxic Substances

Safe and clean drinking water is essential for human life. However, a new generation of pollutants has been increasing in concentration in the sources of drinking water as well as being found more commonly in human blood. These pollutants are called persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) substances and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substances. By nature, these substances do not break down in the environment over appreciable timescales (persistent). They can travel long distances with water (mobile) and, in some cases, cause negative effects on the ecosystem and humans (toxic).

A well-known example of a group of PMT/vPvM substances is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are typically used in non-stick pans and Gore-Tex jackets. These substances are now found globally and have coined the name ‘forever chemicals’ owing to their intergenerational presence in the environment.