Scientists Explore Safer Alternatives to Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’

In a major step toward reducing environmental pollution and health risks, researchers are actively developing alternatives to toxic and persistent “forever chemicals” scientifically known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic compounds, found in everything from firefighting foam and nonstick cookware to water-repellent textiles are under scrutiny for their durability and potential harm to human and ecological health.

A newly published review in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (July 15 edition) outlines over a decade of cross-laboratory research aimed at identifying fluorine-free materials that can replicate the unique surface properties of PFAS, particularly their ability to repel water and oil. While no substitute has yet matched PFAS in all performance areas, promising candidates are emerging for use in water-resistant applications.

Why PFAS Are Problematic

PFAS are known for their chemical stability due to the extremely strong carbon-fluorine bonds that form the backbone of their molecular structure. This resilience makes them highly effective at resisting heat, oil, and water, but also means they don’t degrade in the environment. Over time, PFAS accumulate in soil, water, wildlife, and human tissue, raising serious public health concerns. Scientific studies have linked long-term PFAS exposure to conditions like high cholesterol, immune system suppression and certain cancers.

Dr. Julian Eastoe, a surface chemistry expert at the University of Bristol, warns that PFAS accumulation poses a long-term environmental threat. “This is one of the major chemical challenges of our time” he says. In response, his team is leading efforts to design non-fluorinated surfactants that mimic the desired performance of PFAS without the same persistence.

Promising Progress in Fluorine-Free Surfactants

Surfactants are compounds that reduce the surface tension of liquids, a property that makes PFAS so effective in foams used to fight fuel fires. The new fluorine-free alternatives developed by Eastoe’s team are based on molecules composed of carbon and silicon arranged in branched, tree-like structures. These structures allow the molecules to tightly pack at the surface of water droplets, significantly lowering surface tension.

Tests showed that some of these alternatives could reduce water’s surface tension nearly as effectively as traditional PFAS-based surfactants. Researchers used precision techniques, such as measuring the force required to pull a metal plate from solution, to determine the performance of these new compounds.

The Oil-Repelling Challenge Remains

While progress is being made with water-repelling applications, developing PFAS alternatives that can resist oil remains more difficult. Oil tends to spread easily over surfaces, and replicating PFAS’s oil-repellent performance requires extremely low surface energy, a feat not yet achieved without fluorine. According to Dr. Kevin Golovin, a mechanical engineer at the University of Toronto, “Replacing PFAS in oil-resistant coatings remains a significant scientific hurdle”.

Toward a PFAS-Free Future

Despite these challenges, the research community remains optimistic. Scientists like Dr. Martin Scheringer of ETH Zurich believe that demonstrating viable alternatives is crucial for shifting industry reliance away from PFAS. “We need chemists and materials scientists who are willing to break free from the PFAS paradigm” he says.

As innovation accelerates, this growing body of work may enable the gradual phase-out of PFAS in certain industries, offering safer and more sustainable solutions that align with global environmental goals.