Scientists discovering ways to destroy a ‘forever chemical’ PFAS
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There’s finally hope for a simple, cheap way to destroy a class of ubiquitous environmental toxins found in shampoos, fast-food wrappers, and fire-dousing foams.
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Researchers have developed an approach to break down a class of long-lasting chemicals.
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PFAS chemicals seemed like a good idea at first. As Teflon, they made pots easier to clean starting in the 1940s.
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A 2015 study found PFASs in the blood of 97% of Americans, and scientists have linked them to conditions including thyroid disease, high cholesterol and cancer.
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PFAS contain strings of carbon atoms attached to fluorine atoms, which bind so tightly to one another they are nearly impossible to break apart.
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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASs, are widely used in products such as firefighting foams, waterproof clothes and nonstick cookware.
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PFASs can be removed from water, but disposing of these chemicals has proved challenging.
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The latest method, published on 18 August by Brittany Trang in Science, showed promise in breaking down one of the largest groups of PFASs using inexpensive reagents and temperatures of about 100 °C.