Two Duke Engineers Find an End to Forever (Chemicals)
Two Duke civil and environmental engineers aim to isolate and permanently remove "forever chemicals" - also known as per–and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - from North Carolina's drinking water. PFAS has been found on various consumer products, from nonstick frying pans to cosmetics, since the 1940s. Researchers have identified clear links between these substances and increased cancer risk and other health issues. Marc Deshusses, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke, has been developing what he calls a "pressure cooker on steroids," which turns organic waste into clean water, carbon dioxide, trace salts and energy in mere seconds. This technology has also been used to create a spinoff company called 374Water, which was uplisted to the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in June.
This research has been supported by the Department of Defense (DOD).