Now, a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology shows that heating PFAS with a common material called granular activated carbon, or GAC, can degrade these chemicals.
The latest study shows that heating PFAS with GAC at about 300C leads to a 90 per cent mineralization of the PFAS, breaking the toxic substance down into harmless inorganic fluorine.
Toxic forever chemicals can be removed from drinking water by a form of activated carbon commonly used to clean aquariums, a new study says.
Forever chemicals – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS – are a class of industrial chemicals used for manufacturing numerous products such as non-stick cookware, cosmetics, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, food packaging, and waterproof clothing.
Just heat the PFAS with granular activated carbon or GAC,” Feng Xiao, an author of the study from the University of Missouri in the US, says.
