New Clues Help Explain Why PFAS Chemicals Resist Remediation

The synthetic chemicals known as PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are found in soil and groundwater where they have accumulated, posing risks to human health ranging from respiratory problems to cancer. New research from the University of Houston and Oregon State University published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters suggests why these “forever chemicals” — so called because they can persist in the environment for decades — are so difficult to permanently remove and offers new avenues for better remediation practices.The work focused on the interactions sparked when firefighters use firefighting foam, which contains PFAS, to combat fires involving jet fuel, diesel