A comprehensive review of global per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water and their remediation through degradation and defluorination techniques
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Jawaduddin, Mian
Su, Zhaoyang
Rashid, Sajid
Graham, Nigel
Yu, Wenzheng
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of growing concern to the environment and human health due to their suspected toxicity, chemical stability and potential for long-term persistence in environmental matrices. The unique characteristics of the carbon-fluorine (Csingle bondF) bond in these substances indicate the need for innovative approaches to achieve effective environmental remediation. This review examines global PFAS contamination across various water sources and evaluates different degradation and defluorination methods. It also includes a bibliometric analysis covering the years 2010 to 2024. The paper thoroughly analyses citations, maps keyword co-occurrences, and assesses trends to identify significant research themes, key articles, and emerging technological conceptual pathways. Several PFAS degradation and defluorination methods, including chemical, biological, and physical technologies, are systematically evaluated for their effectiveness and potential limitations. This review aggregates global data on PFAS occurrence in water sources and employs bibliometric analysis to assess the present status of remediation research. The findings indicate that degradation and defluorination are the most effective approaches for the permanent removal of PFAS, exceeding basic separation procedures. An essential observation is that the efficacy of these destructive processes is significantly contingent upon structural characteristics, particularly the length of the fluoroalkyl chain, which affects the primary degradation pathway. Consequently, the formulation of future remediation techniques must be grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between structure and reactivity to ensure more efficient and thorough elimination of PFAS.
Date Issued
2026-03-15
Date Acceptance
2026-03-02
Citation
Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026, 534
ISSN
1385-8947
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume
534
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
174838
Date Publish Online
2026-03-06