Just Add Iron: A Rusty but Revolutionary Solution for PFOS Water Pollution

Iron powder in PFOS water purification study

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), part of the broader PFAS family of "forever chemicals," is a stubborn pollutant contaminating water systems across the globe. Used in everything from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams, PFOS resists degradation and is now known to cause liver disease, developmental issues, immune dysfunction, and even cancer.

But a recent study by researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology presents a surprising and affordable solution: iron powder. Even when it rusts, this humble material proves dramatically more effective than the industry-standard activated carbon at removing PFOS from water sources.

Turning Rust into Remedy: A New Role for Iron

Water treatment systems typically use activated carbon, which adsorbs PFOS molecules on its porous surface. However, this method has limitations in efficiency and cost. To test a better option, doctoral student Meng Ji and professors Xiaoguang Meng and Christos Christodoulatos conducted side-by-side comparisons between activated carbon and microscale zero-valent iron (mZVI).

The result? Iron powder was found to be 26 times more effective per unit surface area. Even more strikingly, the researchers discovered that when the iron rusted—developing an outer layer of iron oxide—it still remained highly reactive in removing PFOS.

“The particles' surface is covered by iron oxide, but it’s still very active,” said Meng. “That’s surprising.”

Scientific Implications and Real-World Potential

The findings, published in Environmental Science & Technology (DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c12301), open new doors for cost-effective, scalable PFOS remediation strategies. Iron powder is already widely used in wastewater treatment due to its low cost—but now, it may become the material of choice for addressing PFAS pollution at large.

Moreover, this rust-resilient reactivity makes mZVI especially attractive for long-term deployment in filters, riverbanks, industrial sites, and even household water systems. The researchers are now digging deeper to understand the underlying chemical mechanisms behind this unexpected resilience.

Why This Matters: Health, Environment, and Economics

PFOS contamination is no minor issue. From agricultural runoff to contaminated drinking water, these chemicals are everywhere—and because they bioaccumulate in the body, even small exposures can lead to chronic health conditions. Effective, affordable methods for removing PFOS are crucial not just for environmental health but for global public safety.

By demonstrating that even rusted iron powder can purify water more effectively than activated carbon, this research offers a low-cost, scalable solution that can be deployed immediately in communities worldwide.

Read the original article on Phys.org.

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