Removing Forever Chemicals from North Carolina Waters

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a ubiquitous and diverse class of toxic, persistent, synthetic fluorochemicals that easily travel in the environment and have been detected in water resources and systems globally, earning the moniker “forever chemicals.” PFAS are small molecules used widely in industrial processes, consumer products, and fire-fighting foams and are associated with adverse human health effects, necessitating effective remediation strategies. This talk will begin by providing an overview of PFAS as a contaminant of concern and the technical challenges faced when needing to remove PFAS from water matrices. It will continue with a discussion of the lab’s approach for developing a novel class of sorbents that selectively remove PFAS from diverse water matrices, even in the presence of 20,000 times excess non-fluorinated organic matter. Of note, these novel sorbents are uniquely selective for the difficult-to-remove short-chain PFAS. They can also be reused after washing the PFAS from the resin, which creates a concentrated solution for subsequent destruction. The session will furthermore highlight how partnerships with key stakeholders in the state of North Carolina have enabled the forthcoming piloting of our novel technology at municipal water treatment plants with acute PFAS contamination. The community-centered approach to science demonstrated through the evolution of this work represents an under-explored model for how University research can be leveraged to drive innovation and positively impact local communities.