Arizona State University researchers develop method to destroy PFAS

Researchers at Arizona State University, in collaboration with international partners, have developed a new technique to destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’. Unlike conventional treatments such as activated carbon or membrane filtration, which merely capture and concentrate these substances into waste that requires further disposal, this new method aims to break the chemical bonds entirely.

The process utilizes hydrogen to attack the carbon-fluorine bond, which is considered one of the strongest in organic chemistry. By coating membrane fibers with palladium nanoparticles, the researchers created a catalyst that converts hydrogen gas into a highly reactive form capable of stripping fluorine from the PFAS molecules.

Led by Bruce Rittmann, director of the Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, the study involved collaborators from Rice University, Tongji University, Nanjing University, and the National University of Singapore. In tests involving six PFAS compounds of regulatory concern, the treatment removed more than 90 per cent of each compound and stripped away approximately 83 per cent of the fluorine.