Rice University researchers have collaborated with international partners to develop the first eco-friendly technology that can capture and destroy PFAS. This finding marks a major step toward addressing one of the world's most persistent environmental threats: toxic "forever chemicals."
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals used in products from waterproof clothing to food packaging. Their resistance to heat, grease, and water ensures their utility but also means they do not easily degrade, earning them their nickname. Because current cleanup methods are slow, inefficient, and create secondary waste, scientists have struggled to remove and destroy PFAS in water.
The Rice-led team's innovation centers on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) material made from copper and aluminum. During testing, researchers discovered one LDH formulation captured PFAS more than 1,000 times better than other materials. In fact, it worked incredibly fast, removing large amounts of the chemicals within minutes, which is about 100 times faster than commercial carbon filters.
The material’s unique internal structure, organized copper-aluminum layers with slight charge imbalances, creates an ideal environment for PFAS molecules to bind quickly and strongly. Furthermore, the team developed a method to thermally decompose the captured PFAS by heating the saturated LDH with calcium carbonate.
This process eliminates over half of the trapped chemicals without releasing toxic by-products. Remarkably, this process also regenerates the LDH, allowing it to complete at least six cycles of capture, destruction, and renewal, offering a truly sustainable solution.
