May 6, 2026
Prof. Dr. Uwe Lahl has given a presentation at IFAT on 4 May 2026 in Munich as part of the session Removal and destruction of PFAS from contaminated water streams by adsorption on activated carbon and subsequent reactivation of the saturated activated carbon on the topic Current status of EU chemicals regulation – the particular significance of substance grouping, using PFAS as an example (in German).
As long as 20 years ago, we highlighted the particular risks posed by the group of organic fluorinated compounds (Fricke & Lahl). At that time, the hazardous individual compounds were known as PFOS or PFOA. These have since been banned. However, the substitutes, which were taken from the same group of substances, have subsequently proved to be no less hazardous. Today, exposure levels in humans are so high that scientists are sounding the alarm. On the one hand, the presentation looks back to examine how this situation could have arisen. On the other hand, it also looks ahead and describes the efforts of European legislators to pull the emergency brake.
Below you will find a link to download the presentation.