Researchers at Colorado State University have found a new approach for breaking down PFAS – a group of human-made “forever” chemicals commonly used for their water-resistant properties that can carry health risks from long-term exposure.
Garret MiyakeThe carbon-fluorine bond found in PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) compounds is particularly challenging to break apart. That durability has led to the widespread use of these manufactured chemicals in medical, industrial, and commercial settings. However, that inherent stability has also made them difficult to dispose of. Over time, they have made their way into water, air, and soil worldwide, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA says exposure to these lingering compounds can lead to health problems, including cancer or reproductive issues.
In a paper published in Nature, CSU researchers showcase an effective LED light-based photocatalytic system that can be used at room temperature to break down those key carbon-fluorine bonds. The system improves over traditional chemical manufacturing processes that typically require high temperatures to achieve similar results.
Professor Garret Miyake led the work at CSU in the Department of Chemistry. On the paper, his team partnered with fellow CSU chemistry professor Robert Paton and Professor Niels Damrauer at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Miyake said complementary expertise across those teams led to this high-impact interdisciplinary research finding.
“Our approach is a fundamental advancement in organic synthesis that achieves activation of these challenging carbon-fluorine bonds across various situations,” he said. “Our method is more sustainable and efficient and can be used to address stubborn compounds in plastics, for example, in addition to the obvious uses around PFAS.”
Garret Miyake is a co-author on the recent Nature paper and the head of the Miyake Research Group. He is also an executive committee member at SuPRCat, a collaborative research effort that develops low-energy methods for industrial processes using visible light and organic chemistry.Most people worldwide have been exposed to PFAS by touching or eating materials containing them. Drinking water is a common source of exposure, but the compounds can also be found in non-stick consumer products, food packaging, and common manufacturing processes. Research led by the EPA shows that even low-level exposure can result in developmental effects like low birth weight or reduced immune response, among many other health issues.
Postdoctoral researcher Mihai Popescu served as an author on the paper and contributed to the mechanistic understanding of the research using computational chemistry. He said the next challenge will be taking the technology and preparing it for application in the field across many instances.
“We need to make this technology more practical so it can be used in water or soil – places where PFAS are found,” said Popescu. “We need the chemistry we are showcasing here to be useful in those conditions, and that is where a lot of work remains.”
Miyake currently serves as director of the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Sustainable Photoredox Catalysis (SuPRCat) on campus. The center launched in 2023 with the goal of developing chemical manufacturing processes that harness light energy and utilize readily available materials as catalysts.
Miyake noted that similar research projects to the one discussed in the paper happen daily through the center. Postdoctoral researcher Xin Liu – who leads the synthetic development of this work and is also a member of SuPRCat – said the work holds many possibilities.
“This paper deals specifically with forever chemicals, but our approach in SuPRCat to using LED lights presents a host of possibilities towards achieving these reactions in a more sustainable and efficient way,” said Liu. “From dealing with plastics that don’t degrade quickly to improving the manufacturing process of needed fertilizers, this is a key area and something CSU is well positioned to lead on.”
