UC Riverside discovers bacteria that break down forever chemicals

In a study, researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have identified specific bacterial species within the genus Acetobacterium capable of degrading per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals. These substances, prevalent in consumer products like textiles and apparels for their heat, water, and lipid-resistant properties, have been associated with serious health risks, including cancer.

This discovery is a pivotal step towards developing cost-effective methods for treating contaminated drinking water. The bacteria, found in wastewater environments globally, excel in breaking down unsaturated PFAS compounds that feature double carbon-to-carbon bonds, as per the study published in Science Advances journal.

This research builds on previous work by the team, which had already pinpointed microorganisms that could cleave carbon-chlorine bonds in chlorinated PFAS compounds. The new findings expand the scope of PFAS compounds that can be biologically dismantled.

The potential application of these bacteria in groundwater treatment systems is particularly promising. This method offers a cost-efficient way to neutralise pollutants before they contaminate water wells, aligning with the EPA's recent stringent regulations on certain forever chemicals in tap water.

“This is the first discovery of a bacterium that can do reductive defluorination of PFAS structures,” said Yujie Men, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor at UCR’s Bourns College of Engineering. “If we can understand the mechanism, maybe we can find similar enzymes based on the identified molecular traits and screen out more effective ones. Also, if we can design some new enzyme or alter this known enzyme based on the mechanistic understanding, we could be able to make it more efficient and work with a broader range of PFAS molecules.”

In addition to Men, the co-authors authors are Yaochun Yu, Fengjun Xu, Weiyang Zhao, Calvin Thoma, Shun Che, Jack E. Richman, Bosen Jin, Yiwen Zhu, Yue Xing, and Lawrence Wackett.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)