Water systems have struggled for years with how to remove “forever chemicals” from water. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have found a set of chemical reactions that clarify the role ultraviolet light can play in taking those pollutants apart.
Here’s what to know
UC Riverside said the work, published in the journal Nature Water and detailed by Phys.org, traces the chemistry behind UV-driven treatment of PFAS — short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. By spelling out those reactions, the study gives researchers a clearer basis for improving cleanup methods.
PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they are remarkably persistent. Their carbon-fluorine bonds are so strong that the compounds can resist breaking down in nature and can be difficult to destroy even during treatment.
Rather than stopping at the conclusion that UV harms PFAS, the researchers identified specific reaction pathways and the byproducts produced when treatment starts cutting through the carbon-fluorine bonds that make the chemicals so durable…