Using Nanotechnology and Microbes to Break Down “Forever Chemicals”

With increased regulatory pressure to reduce the use of “forever chemicals” such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in food packaging, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University at Buffalo are looking to nanotechnology to break down PFAS into smaller pieces which microbes can then digest. The researchers are developing catalytic carbon-metal nanomaterials capable of reacting with, and cleaving, PFAS. The researchers are currently examining the breakdown and fate of 15 types of PFAS degraded by the technology, the performance of the microbes, and evaluating the types and toxicity of byproducts from the technology. Researchers hope to use the technology to be able to create a treatment and remediation process for removing PFAS from the environment.