A new adsorption method shows strong PFAS capture performance, including hard-to-remove short-chain compounds. Contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, widely known as PFAS, continues to pose complex challenges for water authorities and environmental regulators worldwide. These synthetic chemicals, used in industrial processes, firefighting foams and a wide range of consumer goods, persist in soil and water systems and have been detected in drinking water supplies across multiple countries. Now, researchers at Flinders University report progress toward more effective PFAS removal, particularly targeting short-chain variants that have proven difficult to eliminate with conventional treatment technologies. Addressing a persistent water treatment gap Long-chain PFAS compounds can sometimes be reduced through activated carbon filtration or other standard adsorption methods. However, shorter-chain molecules are more mobile in water and less likely to bind effectively to existing materials, limiting PFAS capture rates in many treatment systems. The research team, led by Dr Witold Bloch of the university’s College of Science and Engineering, has developed a nano-scale molecular structure designed to selectively bind these smaller PFAS molecules. At the centre of …