Researchers Find Nanoporous Material That Captures PFAS

Barely visible material that looks like tiny grains of sand may hold the key to removing an invisible health threat that has contaminated water supplies across the country. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have successfully tested highly porous materials and found they can absorb key components of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a class of toxic chemicals found in 43 states. Materials scientists at PNNL are experts in optimizing metal organic frameworks (MOFs). These nano-sized porous materials with metal centers can attract, hold and then later release specific chemicals. PNNL researchers recently demonstrated a MOF that quickly takes up fluorinated compounds