Persistent PFAS contamination in water and soil remains a major environmental challenge across Europe. Due to the extreme stability of carbon–fluorine bonds, these synthetic chemicals resist natural degradation and accumulate in ecosystems and food chains.
A recent feasibility study led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) demonstrates that accelerator-based electron beams may offer a promising new approach to PFAS remediation. Using a superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) photoinjector, researchers showed that high-energy electrons can break down PFAS molecules through radiolysis, potentially converting them into less harmful compounds.
The SRF photoinjector, developed at HZB, enables the generation of electron beams with the high average power required for water treatment applications. Its flexibility allows researchers to systematically optimise beam parameters for different PFAS compounds, linking accelerator physics with environmental chemistry.
In a case study focused on the former Berlin Tegel Airport, the accelerator-based concept was compared with conventional PFAS filter systems. The results indicate that, with further development, such systems could become cost-competitive while offering direct molecular degradation rather than pollutant separation.
The study highlights how European accelerator research infrastructure can be leveraged beyond fundamental science to address urgent societal challenges, opening pathways toward compact, deployable electron accelerators for environmental remediation at contamination hotspots.
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