A New Hope for PFAS Pollution: Reusable Algae-Based Material Removes 97% of PFOA

Researchers from Shenyang Agricultural University have developed a new material that effectively degrades the ‘forever chemical’ PFOA. 

By turning Ulva algae into a biochar (charcoal) with added Iron Oxide and Zinc Oxide, scientists were able to create a nanoreactor that traps and degrades PFOA pollution using light.

The researchers found that the material removed approximately 97% of PFOA from water, owing to its large, porous surface area, which enables efficient degradation.

The approach can also be reused. Magnets are used to extract the material from water by exploiting the magnetic properties of iron oxides, enabling sustainable reuse. 

It is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 PFAS-contaminated sites in the UK, which are exceptionally challenging to remediate because of their resistance to conventional treatments, owing to strong carbon-fluorine bonds that do not readily break down in the environment.

Exposure to PFOA (a type of PFAS) has been linked to harmful impacts on human health, including increased risks of cancer, hormone disruption, and damaging effects on reproduction, as well as severe harm to the environment.

These chemicals are synthetic, used in industrial processes, and present in consumer goods we use daily.

It is therefore imperative that new techniques and methods to eliminate PFAS (such as the one described above) be developed to remove these harmful, persistent chemicals from our waterways. You can find more information on the research here.