Due to their extensive use in coatings, chemical and materials processing, and aqueous firefighting foams, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have a ubiquitous presence in water and soils in the environment, and in biological organisms including humans. PFAS are toxic, and evidence of developmental and reproductive problems, liver damage, and certain types of cancer continues to emerge. Incineration is presently the only commercially available destructive technology to treat or manage PFAS waste. The problem is that thermal degradation methods are energy-intensive because they require heating to extreme temperatures, and it is uncertain how complete the destruction is. Thus, low-energy, complete destruction technologies are needed. I will describe the various destructive methods currently being investigated around the world, ranging from basic science to test-bed level research, i.e., with increasing technology readiness levels (TRLs).
