Forever Chemicals Finally Meet a Dead End

A Nature Chemistry study details an electrochemical method that destroys PFAS and recovers fluorine for reuse

25 Mar 2026

A study published in Nature Chemistry in January describes an electrochemical method that breaks down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the class of synthetic compounds known as PFAS or "forever chemicals," and recovers the fluorine they release as usable material.

Researchers at the University of Chicago, led by Bidushi Sarkar and Chibueze V. Amanchukwu, used lithium metal inside an electrochemical cell to sever the carbon-fluorine bonds that make PFAS resistant to conventional treatment. The method achieved 95% degradation and 94% defluorination of perfluorooctanoic acid, a widely studied PFAS compound, without producing shorter-chain PFAS as byproducts. Testing across 33 PFAS variants found that 22 showed degradation above 70%.

The technique captures released inorganic fluoride and converts it into fluorinated compounds with applications in batteries and pharmaceuticals, a recovery loop that most destruction methods lack. That circularity gives the process a potential cost advantage, which matters to utilities and site operators bearing the expense of long-term PFAS management.

The commercial and regulatory stakes are substantial. Australia's updated national PFAS management framework now requires utilities and site operators to prioritise permanent destruction over containment. Hundreds of defence and industrial sites have contaminated drinking water supplies and groundwater across the country, and the pressure on operators to move beyond pump-and-store approaches is growing.

The process currently operates in organic solvents rather than water. PFAS would need to be extracted and concentrated before entering the electrochemical cell, adding steps to any real-world deployment. Lithium's reactivity with water is a known constraint; the team is working on aqueous-compatible variants.

The technology remains at laboratory scale. The path from controlled experiment to full water treatment deployment will require significant engineering work and capital. Whether the fluorine recovery economics hold at scale remains to be demonstrated.