FOREVER CHEMICALS
PFAS from fluorochemical plant found in dust of nearby homes
North Carolina State University
Researchers from the GenX Exposure Study have detected PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) associated with a nearby fluorochemical plant in the household dust of homes located in Cumberland and Bladen counties, North Carolina. Homes closer to the plant had higher concentrations of those specific PFAS than homes located farther away.
Additionally, the researchers detected high levels of other PFAS not necessarily associated with the fluorochemical plant in over 90% of samples taken from homes. Overall, the findings indicate that household dust can be an additional PFAS exposure source.
“PFAS exposure via contaminated well water is relatively well studied but, given the air emissions from the plant, we wanted to learn whether household dust was also a source of exposure,” says Nadine Kotlarz, assistant professor of civil, construction, and environmental engineering, member of North Carolina State University’s Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE), and corresponding author of the work.
In February 2019, the team collected dust samples from 65 homes located within ~6 miles (9 km) of the plant; these homes had previously undergone well-water testing as part of the GenX Exposure Study. They targeted 48 PFAS, including 12 PFEAs (or per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids, a subset of PFAS) specifically associated with the fluorochemical plant that were also detected in the drinking water wells of nearby residents. They also included ultrashort chain PFAS in the testing due to increasing reports of their presence in dust and people.
Every dust sample had at least one PFAS detected. GenX was present in 89% of the samples, and an additional six of the 12 PFEAs were detected in over 75% of the samples. Dust concentrations of six PFEAs (PEPA, PMPA, PFMOAA, PFO2HxA, GenX, and Nafion byproduct 2) decreased significantly as home distance from the fluorochemical plant increased.
The team also found TFA, an ultrashort chain PFAS, in 89% of dust samples. This compound had the highest median concentration of the 48 targeted PFAS in the study. Ultrashort chain PFAS like TFA are an emerging class of PFAS that originate from breakdown of refrigerants.
“For people living near the fluorochemical facility, it would be natural to wonder how important dust exposure may be,” says Jane Hoppin, environmental epidemiologist at NC State and principal investigator of the GenX Exposure Study.
“Generally speaking, we know that dust exposure can contribute to overall exposure, and that small children tend to have higher dust exposures than adults,” Hoppin says. “This study demonstrates the need for evaluating household dust for PFAS in impacted communities. Additionally, we need to identify the sources of short chain PFAS, such as TFA.”
The study appears in Environmental Science and Technology and was supported by research funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (1R21ES029353), NC State’s Center for Human Health and the Environment, the Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS (P42 ES0310095), and the NC Policy Collaboratory. Susie Proctor, former research assistant at NC State and current Ph.D. student at University of Michigan, is first author. Sharon Zhang and Heather Stapleton of Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment developed the analytical method and performed the dust PFAS analyses. Other NC State contributors were Jane Hoppin and Detlef Knappe.
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Note to editors: An abstract follows.
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acid (PFEA) concentrations in indoor dust are higher in homes closer to a fluorochemical manufacturing facility”
Authors: Susie Proctor, Jane Hoppin, Detlef Knappe, Nadine Kotlarz, North Carolina State University; Sharon Zhang, Heather Stapleton, Duke University
Published: March 31, 2025 in Environmental Science and Technology
Abstract:
Concentrations of 48 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were measured in settled dust samples from 65 homes of GenX Exposure Study participants residing near a fluorochemical manufacturing facility in North Carolina. Eight PFAS [perfluoro(3,5-dioxahexanoic) acid (aka PFO2HxA), perfluoro-2-(perfluoromethoxy)propanoic acid (PMPA), perfluoro-2-ethoxypropanoic acid (PEPA), 6:2 fluorotelomer phosphate diester (6:2 diPAP), 6:2/8:2 fluorotelomer phosphate diester (6:2/8:2 diPAP), perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA), perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (PFDS), and 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA)] were detected in >90% of dust samples. Dust concentrations of six per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids (PFEAs) produced at the facility (PEPA, PMPA, perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), PFO2HxA, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA aka GenX), and Ethanesulfonic acid, 2-[1-[difluoro(1,2,2,2- tetrafluoroethoxy)methyl]-1,2,2,2- tetrafluoroethoxy]-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro- (Nafion byproduct 2) were significantly, negatively associated with home distance from the facility. Homes closer to the facility had higher summed mass concentrations of 12 targeted PFEAs (∑_12_PFEAs)but not higher (∑_48PFAS). Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), an ultrashort chain PFAS, and three diPAPs (8:2/6:2 diPAP, 6:2 diPAP, and 8:2 diPAP) were the major contributors to ∑_48PFAS, and these compounds did not show relationships with distance. Based on our previous findings associating PFEAs in well water and human serum, our current findings indicate dust could be an important PFAS exposure source.
Journal
Environmental Science & Technology
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Ether Acid (PFEA) Concentrations in Indoor Dust are Higher in Homes Closer to a Fluorochemical Manufacturing Facility
Article Publication Date
31-Mar-2025
Rice scientists pioneer method to tackle ‘forever chemicals’
New process upcycles hazardous chemicals, ‘transforms waste into a resource’
Rice University
Rice University researchers have developed an innovative solution to a pressing environmental challenge: removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals.” A study led byJames Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, and graduate student Phelecia Scotland unveils a method that not only eliminates PFAS from water systems but also transforms waste into high-value graphene, offering a cost-effective and sustainable approach to environmental remediation. This research was published March 31 in Nature Water.
PFAS are synthetic compounds in various consumer products, valued for their heat, water and oil resistance. However, their chemical stability has made them persistent in the environment, contaminating water supplies and posing significant health risks, including cancer and immune system disruptions. Traditional methods of PFAS disposal are costly, energy-intensive and often generate secondary pollutants, prompting the need for innovative solutions that are more efficient and environmentally friendly.
“Our method doesn’t just destroy these hazardous chemicals; it turns waste into something of value,” Tour said. “By upcycling the spent carbon into graphene, we’ve created a process that’s not only environmentally beneficial but also economically viable, helping to offset the costs of remediation.”
The research team’s process employs flash joule heating (FJH) to tackle these challenges. By combining granular activated carbon (GAC) saturated with PFAS and mineralizing agents like sodium or calcium salts, the researchers applied a high voltage to generate temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius in under one second. The intense heat breaks down the strong carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS, converting them into inert, nontoxic fluoride salts. Simultaneously, the GAC is upcycled into graphene, a valuable material used in industries ranging from electronics to construction.
The research results yielded more than 96% defluorination efficiency and 99.98% removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most common PFAS pollutants. Analytical tests confirmed that the reaction produced undetectable amounts of harmful volatile organic fluorides, a common byproduct of other PFAS treatments. The method also eliminates the secondary waste associated with traditional disposal methods such as incineration or adding spent carbon to landfills.
“This dual-purpose approach is a game changer,” Scotland said. “It transforms waste into a resource while providing a scalable, cost-effective solution to an urgent environmental issue.”
The implications of this research extend beyond PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, the two most studied PFAS; it even works on the most recalcitrant PFAS type, Teflon R. The high temperatures achieved during FJH suggest that this method could degrade a wide range of PFAS compounds, paving the way for broader water treatment and waste management applications. The FJH process can also be tailored to produce other valuable carbon-based materials, including carbon nanotubes and nanodiamonds, further enhancing its versatility and economic appeal.
“With its promise of zero net cost, scalability and environmental benefits, our method represents a step forward in the fight against forever chemicals,” Scotland said. “As concerns over PFAS contamination continue to grow, this breakthrough offers hope for safeguarding water quality and protecting public health worldwide.”
The study’s co-authors from Rice include Kevin Wyss,Yi Cheng, Lucas Eddy,Jacob Beckham, Justin Sharp, Tengda Si, Bing Deng and Michael Wong from the Department of Chemistry; Youngkun Chung, Bo Wang and Juan Donoso from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Chi Hun Choi, Yimo Han, Boris Yakobson and Yufeng Zhao from the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering; and Yu-Yi Shen and Mason Tomson from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Additional co-authors include Sarah Grace Zetterholm and Christopher Griggs from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
The research was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Stauffer-Rothwell Scholarship, and Rice Academy Fellowship.
Journal
Nature Water
Article Title
Mineralization of captured perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid at zero net cost using flash Joule heating
Article Publication Date
31-Mar-2025
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