PFAS Detection, Removal, and Environmental Fate in Water Systems

PFAS Detection, Removal, and Environmental Fate in Water Systems

This research community investigates the occurrence, health risks, and remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, wastewater, and the environment.

The work centers on identifying PFAS in drinking water and surface waters, assessing human exposure and health risks, and developing methods for their removal. Recurring technical approaches include adsorption using activated carbon and metal–organic frameworks, photocatalytic degradation, and advanced detection via mass spectrometry. Specific compounds such as PFOA and PFOS are frequently studied, alongside emerging short-chain PFAS. The research also addresses the global distribution of these contaminants in groundwater and the development of full-scale treatment technologies to mitigate their persistence in the environment.

Fluorine research accounts for the largest share of this community’s output, representing 9.3% of all fluorine research tracked, with 2,857 papers. This element leads both in share and paper count within the group.

The community comprises 4,520 papers, published primarily in Environmental Science & Technology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Chemosphere. Recent work continues to focus on PFAS analysis in wastewater treatment, the development of on-site testing devices, and the assessment of exposure risks through food chains and global serum studies.

Papers behind this description

• Underestimated burden of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in global surface waters and groundwaters — Nature Geoscience, 2024 — doi:10.1038/s41561-024-01402-8
• Revisiting the “forever chemicals”, PFOA and PFOS exposure in drinking water — npj Clean Water, 2023 — doi:10.1038/s41545-023-00274-6
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in PubChem: 7 Million and Growing — Environmental Science & Technology, 2023 — doi:10.1021/acs.est.3c04855
• Technology status to treat PFAS-contaminated water and limiting factors for their effective full-scale application — npj Clean Water, 2025 — doi:10.1038/s41545-025-00457-3
• Outside the Safe Operating Space of a New Planetary Boundary for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — Environmental Science & Technology, 2022 — doi:10.1021/acs.est.2c02765
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater: A critical review of their global occurrence and distribution — The Science of The Total Environment, 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151003
• Historical and current usage of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A literature review — American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2022 — doi:10.1002/ajim.23362
• Environmental impacts, exposure pathways, and health effects of PFOA and PFOS — Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115663
• Cationic covalent organic framework for the fluorescent sensing and cooperative adsorption of perfluorooctanoic acid — Nature Communications, 2024 — doi:10.1038/s41467-024-53945-4
• Estimation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) half-lives in human studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis — Environmental Research, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.117743
• Physicochemical properties and interactions of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - Challenges and opportunities in sensing and remediation — The Science of The Total Environment, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166764
• Predictions of groundwater PFAS occurrence at drinking water supply depths in the United States — Science, 2024 — doi:10.1126/science.ado6638
• A comprehensive review of emerging environmental contaminants of global concern — Discover Environment, 2025 — doi:10.1007/s44274-025-00259-x
• A Critical Review of PFAS Analysis, Occurrence, and Fate in Wastewater Treatment Plants — Environmental Science & Technology, 2025 — doi:10.1021/acs.est.5c09949
• Risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure through marine fish consumption — Science, 2025 — doi:10.1126/science.adr0351
• A review of removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using metal–organic framework-based nanoadsorbents — Nano Convergence, 2025 — doi:10.1186/s40580-025-00521-1
• Short-chain PFAS: A global challenge - Environmental fate, health risks, and promising removal technologies — Results in Chemistry, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.rechem.2025.103000
• Understanding PFAS Adsorption: How Molecular Structure Affects Sustainable Water Treatment — Environments, 2025 — doi:10.3390/environments12090330