Research Unveils Method to Safely Destroy 'Forever Chemicals'

Canberra, March 3 (NationPress) An international team of researchers has established a method to safely and entirely eliminate materials tainted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through incineration in a hazardous waste facility.

Known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS persist in the environment and accumulate, posing serious risks to both human and animal health, according to a report by Xinhua news agency.

This study marks the first comprehensive analysis of the full spectrum of chemical reactions that occur as PFAS decompose during incineration, as per the findings of scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the University of Newcastle, Colorado State University in the US, and the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) in Hefei, China.

PFAS are found in various consumer, industrial, and commercial products, including non-stick food packaging and cookware, as well as legacy firefighting foams. These chemicals can seep into soil and groundwater, travel extensive distances, and do not fully degrade naturally.

Currently, there is a moratorium on the incineration of PFAS in the US, along with regulatory ambiguity elsewhere, as improper burning does not effectively eliminate them and can lead to further dispersion through the air. Additionally, it produces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, researchers indicated.

According to CSIRO Environmental Chemist and study co-author Lu Wenchao, “There are over 15,000 types of PFAS, but all of them share a strong fluorocarbon chain which doesn't break down naturally. This is what makes them so persistent in our environments.”

Some of the chemicals generated during PFAS incineration exist for merely 1 millisecond, shorter than the flap of a housefly's wings. However, pinpointing these transient molecules is critical for understanding what harmful substances may form throughout the incineration process, Wenchao stated.

The interdisciplinary team focused on a widely used PFAS, known as perfluorohexanoic acid.

Utilizing specialized instruments at the NSRL, the researchers were able to identify the fleeting molecules produced as the PFAS combusted.

“By capturing 'snapshots' of the chemical reactions as they transpire, we can observe what intermediaries or harmful free radicals are created inside the incinerator,” he explained, noting that while these chemicals had been theorized, they had never been detected before.

Eric Kennedy, co-author from the University of Newcastle, remarked that their findings illuminate how PFAS can be safely eradicated at elevated temperatures, with identified intermediary molecules ensuring that no harmful byproducts are generated.

The primary objective of incinerating PFAS is a process termed “mineralization,” which transforms the robust fluorocarbon chains into inorganic compounds such as calcium fluoride, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water, as stated by the researchers.

They also mentioned that these byproducts can subsequently be captured and repurposed into reusable materials like industrial chemicals, concrete, fertilizers, and fuels.