Florida State Researcher Tackled PFAS Destruction
A researcher began an NSF-funded program to explore the commercial potential of a plasma-based PFAS removal technology.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Chemistry
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In September 2026, Florida State University researcher Kimberley Christopher began the National Science Foundation I-Corps program. The project aims to evaluate the commercial viability of a patent-pending plasma process designed to destroy PFAS chemicals.
Why it matters
PFAS are known for their high chemical stability, making them extremely difficult to break down with existing treatment methods that often only concentrate the substances. This technology seeks to provide a definitive destruction method for these persistent pollutants.
The process utilizes nonthermal plasma and electrons to break carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS molecules through catalytic bond fragmentation. This study, which includes researchers Bruce R. Locke, Robert Wandell, and Igor Alabugin, aims to validate the technology.
The players
Kimberley Christopher
A researcher at Florida State University who developed a patent-pending plasma process to destroy PFAS chemicals.
Florida State University
A public research university located in Tallahassee that serves as the site of the chemical research and development.
Radical Solutions Corp
A company that researcher Kimberley Christopher intends to form to commercialize the new plasma-based PFAS destruction technology.
The details
The research team is conducting 100 discovery interviews with potential stakeholders to assess the marketability of the technology. Kimberley Christopher, who previously won the Florida Venture Forum Collegiate Pitch Competition, intends to form a company called Radical Solutions Corp to commercialize the process.
Timeline
The NSF I-Corps program launched in 2012.
The I-Corps project began in September 2026.
The team scheduled 100 discovery interviews for September through October 2026.
The active I-Corps award period concludes in August 2027.
Deeper Dive
This research follows the regulatory pressure set by the EPA drinking-water limits for PFOA and PFOS by providing a technical method to meet these strict safety standards.
Successful commercialization of this technology could lead to more effective water treatment solutions that permanently eliminate persistent chemicals. This development may eventually reduce the presence of PFAS, which are currently found in the blood of 97% of the US population.
The takeaway
PFAS contamination remains a widespread health concern, with nearly the entire US population carrying traces of these chemicals in their blood. Advancements in plasma-based destruction could offer a more sustainable path toward remediation than current concentration methods.
Further reading
Learn more about ongoing laboratory innovations in the Chemistry section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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