Welcome to our new special focus publication, which explores the need for water filtration solutions in the age of PFAS chemicals and pollutants and highlights effective chemical removal technologies for several pollution sources.
Water filtration is essential for ensuring safe and reliable drinking water in modern society. Although many water sources appear clean, they often contain invisible contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, and microplastics.
Without proper filtration, these pollutants can pose serious health risks, including gastrointestinal illness, neurological damage, and long-term chronic diseases.
Effective water filtration systems remove or reduce these harmful substances, protecting public health and improving overall quality of life.
The growing PFAS problem and how they contaminate water sources
Water filtration is increasingly important in modern drinking water systems due to growing concerns about PFAS. PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in products such as nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, and water-resistant fabrics.
Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS persist in the environment and water supplies because they do not easily break down. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to serious health risks, including hormone disruption, immune system suppression, developmental issues, and increased risk of certain cancers.
Traditional water treatment processes are not always effective at removing PFAS, making advanced filtration technologies essential. Systems such as activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis can significantly reduce PFAS concentrations in drinking water, providing an important layer of protection for communities and households.
Why modern water sources need filtration technology
The first article explores what makes PFAS so persistent, how they spread, the dangers they pose, and – most importantly – the filtration technologies and policy measures that can help safeguard our water and our health.
Across the globe, communities are confronting a growing threat hiding in plain sight: PFAS, a family of synthetic chemicals now so widespread that they can be found in rainwater, remote ecosystems, and even the bloodstreams of most people.
Access to safe, PFAS-free water is essential to public health, yet increasingly difficult to guarantee. For many communities, ensuring safety now depends on advanced water filtration systems capable of removing these ‘forever chemicals’ from tap water.
Detection, removal, and destruction
Accurate detection is the foundation of effective PFAS control. Modern analytical techniques, such as liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), have enabled the identification of these compounds at parts per trillion levels.
However, detection remains a challenge due to the diversity of PFAS structures, matrix interference, and the absence of universal standards across laboratories.
At instrAction’s analytical facility in Heidelberg, detection precision is strengthened through state-of-the-art Agilent instrumentation. These systems combine high sensitivity, stable baselines, and robust method reproducibility, allowing researchers to quantify both long- and short-chain PFAS across complex water matrices.
This method supports an efficient chain of removal and destruction – if we can detect PFAS more accurately, we can destroy them more accurately.
Absorber resins for active PFAS removal
In the next article, instrAction’s CEO, Florian Rohde, and Business Development Manager, Mohnish Pujari, discuss the company’s breakthrough resin technology delivering faster, cleaner, and more cost-effective PFAS removal for sustainable water treatment.
By offering a complete, filter-based system – from contaminant capture through to final destruction – the company is tackling key industry challenges such as cost, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
The company provides a complete filter-based PFAS removal solution, which differentiates us from traditional industry absorbers.
Unlike competitors offering raw materials, instrAction provides complete, ready-to-use filters. This approach is simpler, cleaner, and more efficient than existing technologies, such as activated carbon.
Benefits of absorbers for heavy metal removal
Additionally, absorber resins are designed to target the removal of specific contaminants through functionalised surface chemistry that binds to priority pollutants with high affinity and selectivity.
Building on the success of its resins for PFAS removal, instrAction is now expanding its portfolio with resins targeting toxic metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, enabling the design of multifunctional filters capable of removing a broad range of critical contaminants.
The article highlights how the resins open new opportunities for municipalities, manufacturers, and NGOs looking for adaptable, field-ready filtration systems – especially in regions with complex water quality issues.
With growing demand for decentralised solutions that address multiple pollutants at once, instrAction’s resin technology provides a scalable path forward.
A clear path to safer, cleaner water
As PFAS and other persistent pollutants continue to challenge water safety worldwide, effective filtration is no longer optional – it is essential.
Advances in detection, absorber resins, and integrated filtration systems demonstrate that these “forever chemicals” can be accurately identified, efficiently removed, and responsibly destroyed.
By combining scientific precision with scalable, field-ready technologies, modern water filtration solutions offer a practical and sustainable path toward protecting public health and securing clean drinking water for communities now and in the future.
