Destroying PFAS with no secondary waste
The system uses a catalyst that is activated by turbulence in the water
Commonly called ‘forever chemicals’, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) do not naturally break down in the environment and can cause serious health problems, like cancers and fertility issues. As a result, government agencies across the world are taking steps to regulate the presence of these compounds in water systems and consumer products.
In the UK, analysis of official Environment Agency data by the Rivers Trust has found that 77% of UK rivers where forever chemicals have been detected would fail to meet proposed EU standards. Solutions that practically and cost-effectively remove and destroy PFAS in water are therefore needed, and many innovators are working to develop them.
of UK rivers where forever chemicals have been detected would fail to meet proposed EU standards
One of these is Oxyle, a Swiss startup that has developed a system to completely break down PFAS into harmless minerals. Under the system, forever chemicals in water adsorb to a nanoporous catalyst, which has an exceptionally high surface area. Turbulence in the water then activates this catalyst through piezoelectricity – the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge when they are subject to mechanical stress. Temporary electric charges are created across the catalyst’s nano and micro pores, generating highly reactive substances, including hydrated electrons and hydroxyl radicals. These break down the forever chemicals into substances such as fluoride and CO2, which can be safely discharged.
Oxyle provides its technology through modular and flow-through reactors with a range of volume capacities. These can be optimised by first running the water through a process that increases the PFAS concentration. The company also provides proprietary real-time analytics that ensure efficiency and enable dynamic adjustments to fluctuating PFAS levels.
The main applications for Oxyle’s reactors are in surface and ground water remediation, soil and site remediation, and industrial wastewater treatment. The startup has already completed over 20 customer projects and its first commercial installation is operational.
Did you know?
With an increasing number of PFAS-related lawsuits, there has been a marked increase in PFAS solutions hitting the market. Oxyle’s technology offers a number of key benefits, however. It is highly efficient at eliminating short-, medium-, and long-chain PFAS to below detection limits, and it produces no secondary waste, leaving behind only safe and dischargeable compounds. The company further claims that its approach is the most energy-efficient on the market, and it also destroys all organic micropollutants non-selectively. The catalyst itself has a long shelf-life and is reusable and recyclable.
Novel chemistry tackles waterborne PFAS
A convenient, onsite system converts the harmful chemicals into non-toxic substances
Oxyle is not the only company building technology to destroy PFAS in water – so too is US firm Enspired Solutions.
Forever chemicals are particularly challenging to treat because they are made up of long chains of carbon and fluorine atoms, and the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest in nature. Nonetheless, the startup has created the ‘PFASigator’, a compact and mobile equipment stack that disassembles the chain-like PFAS molecules into water, fluoride, and simple carbon compounds – all of which are non-toxic.
"Unlike many existing PFAS destruction technologies, Enspired Solutions’ system works under atmospheric temperature and pressure, making it more energy efficient."
At the start of the process, liquid catalysts are added to PFAS-contaminated water, forming a ‘reactive cage’. Exposure to UV light then initiates a ‘reductive defluorination’ reaction that breaks the forever chemicals down into harmless by-products. The chemistry the system runs on is unique and patented, and the hardware is modular and fully automated.
Unlike many existing PFAS destruction technologies, Enspired Solutions’ system works under atmospheric temperature and pressure, making it more energy efficient. It also offers real-time destruction monitoring. As PFAS are broken down, the system measures the volume of fluoride released, enabling customers to stop the reaction when they’ve reached their desired remediation levels according to company or regulatory targets.
Enspired Solutions sold its first, commercial-scale PFASigator in 2024, and the equipment is currently available in the US. Benchtop treatability studies can be arranged to estimate pricing for a full-scale PFAS destruction system, and to determine the UV dose required to achieve destruction targets in a site-specific matrix.
Did you know?
More studies are emerging about the link between PFAS-contaminated drinking water and instances of heart disease and cancers. And although countries like the UK have been accused of lagging behind the US and EU in terms of regulation, there is growing pressure from the scientific community to change that.
With the PFASigator, companies can more easily target their PFAS pollution without needing to rely on an energy-intensive system. And because the convenient on-site technology doesn’t produce any toxic by-products, customers don’t need to worry about implementing additional waste disposal or treatment processes.
Development stage Launched
Innovator website enspiredsolutions.com
Innovator contact info@enspiredsolutions.com
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