Australian researchers use sunlight to turn 'forever chemicals' into fluoride

Australian researchers have developed a sunlight-activated material that transforms toxic "forever chemicals," PFAS, in water into harmless fluoride.

The innovation offers a low-energy approach to tackling toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, which has been linked to cancer, infertility, and developmental disorders, according to a statement released on Friday by the University of Adelaide in South Australia.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals in cookware, firefighting foams and water-repellent fabrics that resist breakdown and build up in the environment and the human body, it said, noting that over 85 percent of Australians carry them in their blood.

New drinking water guidelines have cut safe PFAS limits to mere nanograms per liter, researchers said.

"PFAS contamination continues to pose a global health risk, and this research represents a critical step toward safer communities and cleaner ecosystems," said the study's lead researcher, Cameron Shearer, from the University of Adelaide.

The team redesigned a catalyst to target PFAS fluorine atoms, achieving complete breakdown and enabling recovered fluoride to be reused in products like toothpaste or fertilizers, according to the study published in Small, a nanoscience and nanotechnology journal in Germany.

The new materials could be integrated into treatment systems that capture and concentrate PFAS in water, which can then be degraded through exposure to the light-activated materials, the authors said, adding that work is now underway to improve the material's stability for large-scale applications.