Scientists transform ‘forever chemicals’ in water into fluoride with new process
Scientists have developed a new method to decompose “chemicals forever” harmful by exposing them to a material activated by sunlight.
Perfluoroalkyle and polyfluoroalkyle substances (APFA) are chemicals found in many household productsIncluding kitchen utensils, cosmetics, dental wire and waterproof clothes. True to their nickname, chemicals take thousands of years to break down, allowing them to accumulate in the environment and our body.
PFAs have been used since the 1940s. Initially, they were appreciated for their non -stick properties, but now they are linked to a number of Health impactsincluding the increased risks of autoimmune disease,, Development disturbances,, reduced fertility And cancer in humans. This led some PFAs to be prohibited. But with nearly 15,000 types having been produced, About 98% of the American population To these chemicals in their blood.
Now, a team of researchers has found a way to decompose chemicals, reducing them to components that include fluoride, which is Harmless at low doses. They published their conclusions on July 25 in the journal Little.
“PFAS contamination continues to present a global health risk, and this research represents a critical step towards safer communities and cleaner ecosystems”, principal researcher Cameron Shearera scientist of materials at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said in a press release.
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PFAS owes their persistence to their strong chemical bonds; They consist of a head (often loaded with oxygen molecules) linked to a tail of carbon And fluorine atoms. For the PFA to deteriorate, this link must be broken – but this process is very difficult to carry out using traditional methods.
“Many water contaminants are degraded by adding a reactive chemical that binds to carbon,” said Shearer. “However, in PFAS molecules, carbon atoms are protected to make this process almost impossible.”
In recent years, researchers have developed methods to decompose PFA using materials called photocatalysis, which absorb incident light to accelerate chemical reactions. Scientists behind the new study turned to a photocatalytic material called cadmium indium sulfide, known for its ability to release reactive oxygen species – or free radicals – after being exposed to visible light.
After mixing the material with a common pfas called perfluorooctane sulfonate (SPFO), the researchers looked at the light absorbed by photocatalyst to generate free radicals that attacked fluorine atoms in the link.
Under optimized conditions, this led to the “complete breakdown” of around 99% of PFOS molecules. The by-products were components which, according to scientists, can be isolated and used to make additives of toothpaste and fertilizer.
“The materials we have developed thanks to our research could be used in the context of PFAS treatment chains that capture and first concentrate the PFA in water, which can then be degraded by exposure to our materials activated by light,” said Sheare. “We plan to build on this study thanks to our current work improving the stability of materials before we can be applied to large -scale systems.”
