PFAS Biodegradation and the Constraints of Thermodynamics

2025/06/01 by Lawrence P. Wackett · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics · Engineering · #Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research #Fluorine in Organic Chemistry #Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/1751-7915.70181

openalex publication_date 2025/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/06/18 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

Microbial metabolism of PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) would yield 15 toxic fluoride anions and metabolites with relatively low growth yield coefficients.

Citations

• Estimated scale of costs to remove PFAS from the environment at current emission rates

Discussions

• #MicroSky: Microbial PFAS biodegradation? Not impossible-but growing on compounds like PFOA as sole C/energy source faces major thermodynamic hurdles. Studies must back claims with energy calculations [bsky, 3 points, 1 comments]

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