Yale researchers found a new way to tackle ‘forever chemicals’: they make some PFAS molecules roughly twice as large so they separate from water and become easier to destroy
- forever checmicals(Representative image)Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are often called “forever chemicals” because their ultra-strong carbon–fluorine bonds make them stubbornly resistant to breakdown in the environment.
- They’re prized in industry for repelling water, oil and heat, but that same durability means they persist in soil, water and living tissue long after use.
- Now, a Yale Engineering doctoral student has developed a novel approach that doesn’t just capture PFAS, it chemically re-engineers them.
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- forever checmicals(Representative image)Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are often called “forever chemicals” because their ultra-strong carbon–fluorine bonds make them stubbornly resistant to breakdown in the environment.
- They’re prized in industry for repelling water, oil and heat, but that same durability means they persist in soil, water and living tissue long after use.
- Now, a Yale Engineering doctoral student has developed a novel approach that doesn’t just capture PFAS, it chemically re-engineers them.
Sources: Times of India