"Forever chemicals" may have just their match after an environmental engineering team at UC Riverside says it has discovered specific bacterial species that can destroy them -- forever.
The new findings could be a step closer to low-cost treatments for contaminated drinking water sources.
Microorganisms are typically found in wastewater environments around the world, according to UC Riverside News.
Forever chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are named for their especially stubborn, strong carbon-fluorine bonds, which cause them to persist in the environment.
"This is the first discovery of a bacterium that can do reductive defluorination of PFAS structures," Yujie Men, an author of the study, told the journal Science Advances.
Men warned that the bacteria were effective only against unsaturated PFAS compounds, which have double carbon-to-carbon bonds in their chemical structures.
The scientists also highlighted the specific enzymes in these bacteria that are crucial for breaking the carbon-fluorine bonds.
This breakthrough could pave the way for bioengineers to improve these enzymes so they can be effective on other PFAS compounds.
"If we can understand the mechanism, maybe we can find similar enzymes based on the identified molecular traits and screen out more effective ones," explained Men.
"Also, if we can design some new enzyme or alter this known enzyme based on the mechanistic understanding, we could be able to make it more efficient and work with a broader range of PFAS molecules."
Using bacteria to treat groundwater is cost-effective because the microorganisms eliminate pollutants before the water reaches wells.
The process involves injecting the groundwater with selected bacteria species and nutrients to increase their numbers.
Due to concerns about cancer and other health issues, the Environmental Protection Agency recently implemented new strict water-quality limits, allowing only four parts per trillion of certain PFAS compounds in the nation's tap water.
The new rules have prompted water providers to seek ways to clean up PFAS contamination.
