Researchers have identified a strain of bacteria that can eat PFAS or “forever chemicals”, as well as some of their toxic byproducts.
Since their invention in the 1940s, poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have spread worldwide. They represent a group of around 12,000 different chemicals and are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their unbreakable chemical structure.
Due to their handy water-repelling properties, PFAS have been widely used for decades in non-stick cookware, waterproof cosmetics, firefighting foams and clothing.
A study led by researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York has identified a strain of bacteria that can break down at least three types of PFAS, as well as mop up some of the toxic byproducts created in the bond-breaking process.
Having discovered that the bacteria Labrys portucalensis F11 (F11) was feeding on common contaminants such as PFAS at a heavily polluted industrial site in Portugal, the team decided to isolate the bacteria for...