UAH researcher wins $1.2M NSF grant to address the environmental challenge of “forever chemicals”

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Dr. Yu Lei, a professor in the College of Engineering at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, a part of The University of Alabama System, has won a $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study ways to remove and convert per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are synthetic chemicals that can pose health and environmental risks due to the strong chemical bonds they exhibit, making them difficult to eradicate or remove from the environment. The initiative is part of a $6 million collaborative effort by researchers from Alabama, Delaware and South Carolina, and is slated to run through August 2029. The overall tri-state project is led by Professor Dongxia Liu at the University of Delaware.

PFAS comprise thousands of man-made chemicals known as "forever chemicals" because they don't break down easily in the environment or the body, accumulating in water, soil and living things. Used in non-stick pans, waterproof gear, food packaging and cosmetics for their water/stain resistance, PFAS are linked to serious health issues like cancer, immune problems and fertility issues, prompting stricter regulations and a push for safer alternatives like glass or stainless steel.

“PFAS have become an emerging environmental and public concern, so when NSF announced this program, it was a natural fit for us to collaborate,” Lei, chair of the UAH Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, explains. “The three lead Principal Investigators already had a strong history of working together on developing novel catalysts and advanced materials for chemical conversions and a sustainable environment.”

Dr. Yu Lei, chair of the UAH Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering.

Michael Mercier | UAH

The effort addresses the challenge of PFAS removal and conversion by integrating expertise in materials science, separations, reaction engineering, electrochemistry, process systems, multiscale modeling, artificial intelligence and social science.

“PFAS are often called forever chemicals because their carbon–fluorine bonds are among the strongest in chemistry, making them very hard to break down,” the researcher notes. “They can move from one place to another, for example, from water into soil or sludge, instead of being truly destroyed. That persistence makes them difficult to manage.

“At UAH, our role is to tackle that challenge by focusing on two key steps: first, concentrating these compounds from extremely low levels in water, and then developing ways to actually break down or defluorinate them so they can be converted into harmless materials. We’re looking at this within a circular economy context – meaning not just removing PFAS, but finding sustainable ways to recover and reuse materials and energy along with the process.”

The work entails a combination of both laboratory research and computational modeling with seven universities collaborating closely across their respective areas of expertise.

“This structure allows us to connect molecular-level understanding with system-scale applications, from designing new materials and reactors, to developing predictive models that guide and accelerate discovery,” Lei says. “Here in Alabama, at UAH and Alabama A&M University (AAMU), we focus on the experimental side, developing and testing new materials and processes for PFAS destruction. At UAH, I lead the synthesis and characterization of catalytic materials that can break strong carbon–fluorine bonds. My collaborator, Dr. Tingting Wu, focuses on advanced water treatment and reactor studies, and our partners at AAMU, Drs. Clyde Varner and Jules Guei, bring powerful spectroscopy tools to reveal the reaction mechanisms at the molecular level.

“Beyond the research, the project also emphasizes workforce development – training graduate students, postdocs and junior faculty through collaborative research and exchanges across the three states. It’s not just about addressing the PFAS challenge, but also about building the next generation of scientists and engineers ready to take on future environmental problems.”

In considering the future, Lei points out that PFAS are unique materials that provide important performance benefits in many technologies, from medical devices to electronics and renewable energy systems.

“The challenge is managing them responsibly so that their use remains safe and sustainable. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry have already been working to phase out certain long-chain PFAS compounds and explore safer alternatives. However, replacing them completely is not simple, since these materials offer properties that are hard to duplicate. Short-chain PFAS are less bioaccumulative, but they are also harder to remove once released. That’s why continued research is so important – not just on treatment and destruction technologies, but also on new materials that deliver similar performance with lower environmental persistence. The ultimate goal is a balanced approach that supports both innovation and environmental protection,” the researcher concludes.