PFAS – News and Features

Chemists have illustrated how an LED light-based photocatalytic system can break the carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS at room temperature.

Study shows wastewater treatment plants remove 99% of microplastics and some PFAS from water, but these contaminants accumulate in biosolids, which are often spread on farmland. Researchers highlight the need to stop producing microplastics and PFAS.

A new study is the first to describe an electrochemical strategy to capture, concentrate and destroy mixtures of diverse chemicals known as PFAS.

Researchers at UMass Amherst have created a portable, affordable method to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, achieving detection levels as low as 400 ppt. The device simplifies testing compared to traditional methods.

A study by USC researchers found that PFAS exposure is associated with reduced kidney function in young adults, with disruptions in the gut microbiome and related metabolites potentially explaining up to 50% of this decline.

Around 20% of the country’s population may rely on groundwater that contains detectable levels of PFAS, according to a new model developed by the US Geological Survey.

Researchers found that microplastics and PFAS chemicals together cause greater harm to aquatic life than either alone. Their study, involving Daphnia, revealed significant developmental issues and reduced offspring production.

PFAS have been detected in bottled and tap water samples from around the world, but the new study also illustrates that activated carbon filtration may remove them.

Researchers tested the samples they took to determine PFAS types and levels, then used groundwater age-dating tracers, coupled with atmospheric contamination data to model an estimate of past and future PFAS concentrations in the groundwater.

A Cornell research team has developed an innovative technique to produce waterproof coatings for clothing from discarded textiles, significantly safer for humans and the environment than traditional coatings.