Fighting Forever Chemicals

There aren’t many things in life that last forever. But a class of manufactured chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have earned the name “forever” chemicals because they don’t go away. Instead, they accumulate in people, animals and the environment over time and wreak havoc on biological systems.

Forever chemicals are a key focus area for the UB RENEW (Research and Education in eNergy, Environment and Water) Institute. This multidisciplinary team of experts from engineers to toxicologists work together to address complex environmental issues and their impacts on human health. RENEW Institute Director Diana Aga, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Henry M. Woodburn Chair in the Department of Chemistry, explains that RENEW is confronting forever chemicals from several angles at once.

“We’re working on finding better ways to detect, contain and destruct PFAS, and to find substitute chemicals for use in consumer and industrial applications,” she explains.

Recently, Aga and her team have made several critical discoveries related to forever chemicals. They isolated 11 genes that provide clues to how human brains respond to PFAS, which may help researchers detect and monitor neurotoxicity caused by forever chemicals. They also identified microbes that have evolved to eat PFAS and their byproducts, an important breakthrough in remediation efforts. The team also conducted the first-ever study to measure how combining forever chemicals makes them more toxic.

Scientists are only just beginning to understand forever chemicals, but what they know so far is alarming. When PFAS accumulate in humans, they can cause developmental delays in children, increase risk of some cancers, and can lower immunity, reduce fertility, increase cholesterol and disrupt hormones.

PFAS are found in common household items like carpets, microwave popcorn bags, dental floss, fertilizer, and in the manufacturing process to make semiconductors, a growing industry in the U.S. While some exposure to PFAS can be avoided by choosing different materials—using stainless steel instead of non-stick pans, for example—many PFAS used in manufacturing have no alternatives.

Aga and her RENEW team remain committed to advancing PFAS research, pushing the boundaries of science to mitigate forever chemicals risks and protect global health.