Researchers from the University of Oxford and Colorado State University have developed a new method to destroy and recycle harmful PFAS chemicals, promising a cleaner environment and a sustainable future for fluorine-based industries.
In a significant scientific breakthrough, a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and Colorado State University has developed an innovative method to destroy and recycle poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” These findings, published in the journal Nature, could revolutionize environmental management and industrial production.
PFAS have been ubiquitously used in industries for over 70 years, appearing in products like non-stick cookware, textiles, food packaging and medical devices. Their robust carbon-fluorine bonds make them resistant to degradation, leading to extensive environmental contamination. PFAS have been detected in drinking water and livestock globally and pose significant health risks with chronic exposure.
Given the environmental persistence and potential health risks, developing effective PFAS mitigation technologies is critical. The Oxford and CSU research team’s new method is both practical and environmentally sustainable, achieving PFAS destruction while recovering fluoride for industrial reuse.
“Our method not only eliminates waste from PFAS chemicals but also contributes to a circular fluorine chemistry by transforming persistent pollutants into valuable fluorochemicals,” Véronique Gouverneur, the Waynflete Professor of Chemistry at Oxford, who led the study, said in a news release.
The team’s approach involves reacting PFAS samples with potassium phosphate salts in a solid-state process. By grinding the reactants together with ball bearings, the process breaks down the resilient PFAS molecules and separates the valuable fluorine content.
The recovered fluoride is then repurposed to create essential fluorinating reagents for various industrial applications, including pharmaceutical and agrochemical production.
“The mechanochemical destruction of PFAS with phosphate salts is an exciting innovation, offering a simple yet powerful solution to a long-standing environmental challenge. With this effective PFAS destruction method, we hope to shift away from the notion of PFAS as ‘forever chemicals’,” added co-lead author Long Yang from the Department of Chemistry at Oxford.
This development signifies a step towards a circular economy for fluorine, particularly relevant as natural fluoride sources, such as fluorspar, are dwindling.
“Fluoride recovery is important because our reserves of Fluorspar, essential for the manufacturing of e.g. life-saving medicines, are rapidly depleting due to extensive mining. This method not only eliminates PFAS waste but also contributes to a circular fluorine chemistry by transforming persistent pollutants into valuable fluorochemicals,” Gouverneur added.
The method was initially inspired by a serendipitous observation during an earlier experiment where higher-than-expected fluoride yields were noticed due to the degradation of PFAS-containing sealing rings in ball-milling jars.
This research presents a promising solution to one of the most persistent industrial pollutants of our time, converting hazardous waste into a resource that can be reused in critical applications, thereby promoting environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.
Source: University of Oxford