3 ms·

We developed a way to use light to dismantle PFAS 'forever chemicals'

• westurner 2y ago
  "Photocatalytic C–F bond activation in small molecules and polyfluoroalkyl substances" (2024) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08327-7 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08327-7 : > Abstract: [...] Here, we report an organic photoredox catalyst system that can efficiently reduce C–F bonds to generate carbon-centered radicals, which can then be intercepted for hydrodefluorination (swapping F for H) and cross-coupling reactions. This system enables the general use of organofluorines as synthons under mild reaction conditions. We extend this method to the defluorination of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and fluorinated polymers, a critical challenge in the breakdown of persistent and environmentally damaging forever chemicals.
• deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
• gnabgib 2y ago
  A recycled story from a month ago (21 points, 1 comment) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199625 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199625 Which seems to be related to a different June study Low-Cost Method to Decompose PFAS Using LED Light and Semiconductor Nanocrystals (29 points, 5 months ago, 26 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41062885 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41062885
  • westurner 2y ago
    Distinctly, this is a subsequent article by the authors published by phys.org