Can engineering solve the forever chemical problem?

Damian Helbling, a professor in Cornell's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a leading researcher on trace organic chemicals in water, received a curious question from a local woman about whether it was safe for her golden retrievers to swim in a nearby pond. As a researcher, Helbling emphasized that the question required a different perspective, focusing on how science and engineering could tackle the problem rather than simply assessing safety.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals," are a vast family of synthetic chemicals with applications in products ranging from nonstick cookware and firefighting foams to medical devices and food packaging. These chemicals are remarkably durable due to strong carbon-fluorine bonds, making them difficult to break down in the environment. This persistence has led to increasing concerns over their potential health impacts.

Industrial production of PFAS began in the 1940s and continues today, resulting in their ubiquity in water, air, soil, and even the human body. Helbling and his research group are part of an IBM-led project called "Faster Solutions for Forever Chemicals," which aims to aid manufacturers in identifying PFAS in their supply chains and replacing them with safer alternatives. However, replacing PFAS is challenging because of their unique properties that make them useful in various applications.

Instead of testing thousands of potential replacements in the lab, the project utilizes IBM's AI capabilities to screen candidate molecules and predict which ones are likely to deliver the desired performance while minimizing environmental impact. The team also aims to avoid "regrettable substitutions" – the replacement of one harmful chemical with another.

For the PFAS that cannot be replaced, Helbling and his team have developed specialized polymer materials, referred to as "molecular nanosponges," which selectively capture PFAS from water. These nanosponges work by attracting PFAS molecules using molecular receptors engineered to recognize the unique features of fluorinated compounds. Once the PFAS are concentrated inside the nanosponges, they can be destroyed using emerging technologies.