By optimizing the ratio of boron nitride to PFAS, the team almost completely removed the fluorine atoms from PFAS in four hours at ambient temperature and pressure.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially harmful substances known as "forever chemicals" because they are so difficult to destroy. One emerging technique to degrade PFAS involves forcefully grinding them with metal balls in a moving container, but this technique can require corrosive additives. Now, in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers report a new type of additive for "ball milling" that completely breaks down PFAS at ambient temperature and pressure.
Solid PFAS contamination is an ongoing issue for soil near waste sites, manufacturing sites, and facilities that frequently use firefighting foam. Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends incineration to destroy these substances, but concerns remain about whether this energy-intensive method can effectively prevent environmental contamination.