Zapping PFAS Away

Forever chemicals—specifically per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are linked to cancer risk—have become ubiquitous. Decades of products have been laden with PFAS, which have leached into our water supplies and pretty much everything else we touch. But governments are cracking down; in April, the U.S. EPA announced the first legally enforceable limits on PFAS in drinking water. Now, companies and municipalities need help cleaning up. To tackle the issue, Gradiant has introduced a system called ForeverGone, which works by injecting billions of microbubbles into water supplies to break PFAS away from water molecules. The resulting concentrated PFAS foam is cleaned by electrodes that zap the PFAS away. “We are not sweeping [PFAS] under the carpet,” says Prakash Govindan, co-founder and COO of Gradiant. “It’s complete destruction.” Gradiant’s clients include utilities and Fortune 100 companies like Coca-Cola and BMW.