New technologies for breaking down forever chemicals - PFAS

The main objective of our project is to create a sustainable and cost-effective solution for managing PFAS-contaminated groundwater that can be applied on site at the source of contamination.

The broad use of products containing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to the global contamination of the environment, including soil and water. PFAS are synthetic chemicals that are extremely difficult to break down, thus new technologies are needed to eliminate these persistent chemicals in the environment.

To address this issue, we will build on our earlier achievements and continue developing solutions to break down PFAS in soil and groundwater. The collaborative efforts of researchers in Norway, Sweden, and Finland will be undertaken by combining complementary expertise in organic chemistry, electro-oxidative and biological degradation techniques of environmental pollutants. The project has the potential to lead to the discovery of new microbial species capable of more efficiently biodegrading PFAS.

Achieving our objectives requires dialog with a diverse range of stakeholders, but here we mainly target the public sector, specifically municipalities. Municipalities play a crucial role in addressing the issue of contaminated soil and groundwater by being not only responsible for the detailed planning of land use, but also by acting both as problem owners and problem solvers.

Contact:

Jurate Kumpiene

e-mail: jurate.kumpiene@ltu.se