AAAS: “Battery reactions give clues to fighting forever chemicals.” It is widely known + bemoaned that the cancer-causing industrial compounds used in Teflon™ cookware + other nonstick technology can persist almost indefinitely in the environment. But these “forever chemicals,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), may have met their match. “Inspired by the volatile reaction in everyday batteries, researchers pitted lithium against perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most abundant forever chemicals in an experiment detailed in Nature Chemistry.” Just as the metal and culprit molecule wrestle it out in a Duracell™, lithium pinned its fluorine-based opponent, breaking down 95% of harmful chemical bonds in PFOA. “The takedown, which pacified carbon-fluorine bonds, [by] turning them into lithium-fluoride, a less toxic substance, represents a promising molecular engineering strategy to tackling PFAS, Chemical & Engineering Newsut reports this week.”
But better curb your burst of enthusiasm. “Lithium’s wild card persona makes it hard to manage, and extracting forever chemicals from their environments for the showdown isn’t always possible.” My reassurance derives from an Amory Lovins koan: “What has been done is possible.”
