Researchers from WestTech London universities secure £2m funding to track ‘forever chemical’ pollution across UK rivers

The project UNSaFE (UNderstanding the Scale, Sources, Fate and Effects of PFAS pollution) – led by scientists from Brunel University of London, Imperial College London, King’s College London and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology – has secured £2m in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to map and monitor persistent ‘forever chemicals’ (PFAS) in rivers across the UK, starting with the River Thames based in west London.

The Environment Agency and charity Earthwatch-UK will also participate, alongside thousands of citizen scientists who will be recruited to gather freshwater samples, in this new four-year research initiative.

Forever chemicals, known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are manmade compounds used in everyday products from furniture to cosmetics. They do not break down in the environment, accumulating in water sources, food systems, and the human body, and are now recognised as a persistent global health and environmental threat. UNSaFE harnesses the research power of WestTech London’s innovation ecosystem – from world-class universities and analytical capabilities to connectivity and industrial heritage – to address this pressing global challenge.

Read more Read more about Researchers from WestTech London universities secure £2m funding to track ‘forever chemical’ pollution across UK rivers